In previous seasons, the Horizontals have played at Easton in May
when typically wet conditions have made for some excitingly tight,
low-scoring matches. Arriving this season on the last day of August,
the visitors were presented with a hard-baked outfield that slopes
away dramatically at one end and the prospect of a run feast. Eastons
won the toss and opted to field, Richard Burgess and Chris Peratides
opening up for the Horizontals. The early bowling was very tight with
Mimmack's left arm seam down the hill and Harris showing lively pace
from the other end. Peratides (1) was quickly squared up by a lifter
from Mimmack and ballooned a catch to slip, whilst Sloman (0) missed
a full toss from Harris and was bowled off his pads. Burgess (10)
struck two pleasing boundaries before gloving behind off Mimmack leaving
David Scally and Simon Warren with a big rebuilding job to do at 13-3.
This pair performed well, blocking the straight ones and waiting for
the four balls to arrive which they dispatched with aplomb as the
run-rate recovered to four an over. The total had progressed to 60
and the opening bowlers seen off, when Scally fell to the second ball
bowled by change bowler, Corns and departed for 24 (5 x 4, 0 x 1 what
madness is this?).
Skipper Barry Needham arrived at No. 6 and he and Warren proceeded
to build the biggest partnership of the season adding a mammoth 124
- just two runs short of the Horizontals'
record for the fifth wicket. Needham had a field day with the
pull shot, smashing Corns repeatedly up the hill through midwicket
whilst Warren seemed to be trading exclusively in boundaries as he
found gaps at will and flew to a fifty which was well received by
his watching wife, parents and in-laws. Excellent timing; Craig take
note. Harris came back on from the Village End and accounted for Needham
who had made an entertaining 37 (8 x 4) and it was left to Gary Kendrick
(7) and then Peter Fairbairn (3 n.o.) to keep Warren company as the
end of the innings approached. In the penultimate over, Warren launched
a Harris delivery high over midwicket to loud applause from the Pavilion
as he brought up his century - the first for WHCC for fifteen years
and only the fourth in the history of the club. He struck 20 fours
and finished on 101 n.o. as the Horizontals closed their innings at
tea on 205-6.- their highest score in seven seasons.
Eastons were always under pressure in pursuit of such a large total
and buoyed by their batting success the Horizontals put in their best
fielding display of the season. Keith Smart bowled a particularly
niggardly spell up the hill and the home side were unable to get the
run chase started as he claimed three early wickets, having Stewart
caught behind by Kendrick, Wren held at slip by Needham and Wood LBW.
At the other end, Scally removed Taylor cheaply thanks to a good running
catch from Sloman at point. All of this left the home side at 14-4,
effectively putting them out of contention for the win. Quarmby and
Lewis showed doughty resistance though and averted disaster by doggedly
adding 56 for the fifth wicket, Quarmby's effort being particularly
praiseworthy as he batted on after top-edging a Scally delivery into
his nose and losing a lot of blood. After both Steve Moore and Peter
Fairbairn had bowled without success, skipper Needham finally adjudged
his favourite partnership-breaker, Ken Leon sufficiently awake to
bowl and the breakthrough was made as Lewis skied to midwicket where
Peratides held a difficult catch out of the sun. Leon followed up
by bowling Corns who jumped out of the way of an innocuous looking
full toss and Easton were 76-6. With only twelve overs remaining,
Simon Warren was introduced at the Pavilion End and enjoyed immediate
success as Quarmby unaccountably steered a ball obligingly to slip
where Smart held the catch. Smart himself returned to bowl up the
hill (after a short three over break) in pursuit of his 600th wicket
for the Horizontals. Chapman made him work hard for it, resisting
for several overs before offering a sharp chance which Burgess - under
the helmet at silly mid-on - gleefully pouched. At 78-8, with two
wickets still needed for a win the fielders all crouched close to
the bat but Dannell and Harris held out with few alarms and the innings
closed on 85-8 with the match an honourable draw. Smart returned excellent
figures of 15-7-19-4 and Ken Leon claimed 2-17.
Simon Warren's golden day had yet to end as he took eight quid out
of the fruit machine in the pub, (although his luck didn't extend
to beating Nick Sloman at pool). A spectacular firework display greeted
his return home to Stratford where following a few beers and a curry,
Nick played himself to the front of the betting for the next WHCC
poker tournament. What a smashing day out.
Eastons CC WebSite
