May BH Monday 6th v Blackheath CC

MATCH 20 NOMADS CC v Blackheath CC The Rectory Field Charlton Road, Blackheath, SE7 7EZ  May 8th 12.15pm  – Time match 20 overs from 5.15pm  

Result:   Nomads won by 36 runs   
Toss:     Blackheath CC  
Umpires:  Nick Stevenson and Viv Lawrence
Scorer:   Caroline Hamilton & Others
Debut(s): Fin Bryan,Nipuna de Abrew

NOMADS CC Innings
F Bryan        c Crone  b Mukherjee  36
J Olufawo      bowled     Mukherjee  41
O Barnes       c Manku  b Neik       13
H Kandampully  run out               30
N de Abrew     c Crone  b Mukherjee  12
R Lashwayo     c Lucas  b Bharadwaj  17
V Kandampully* c Crone  b Bharadwaj  22
J Hamilton     not out               19
D Ellis+       not out                5
Extras        (b9,lb2,w10)           21
TOTAL         (7 wkts dec,49 overs) 216
Dnb:B Butcher,A Marshall.

Fow:1-84(1),2-99(3),3-100(2),4-122(5),5-152(6),6-186(4),7-197(7).

Bowling-Antunes 12 1 42 0,Howlett 6 0 31 0(w1),Mukherjee 10 3 32 3,Neik 6 0 3 1(w8),Kandemiri 8 0 4,6 0,Bharadwaj 7 0 19 (w1).

BLACKHEATH CC Innings
R Mukherjee lbw             b Marshall 30
B Crone+    c V Kandampully b Marshall 34
A Bhide     c Hamilton      b Marshall 15
A Hussain   bowled            Hamilton 15
S Manku*    c Ellis         b Hamilton  4
G Howlett   c Barnes        b Hamilton 18
D Lucas     c H Kandampully b Butcher   2
B Bharadwaj lbw             b Butcher  25
A Antunes   c Bryan         b Hamilton  8
D Kandemiri c Ellis         b de Abrew  8
A Neik      not out                     0
Extras     (b3,lb0,w15,nb1)            19
TOTAL      (All out,42.1 overs)       180

Fow:1-60(1),2-79(2),3-96(3),4-96(4),5-130(6),6-132(7),7-139(5),8-146(9),9-174(10),10-180(8)

Bowling-Hamilton 12 1 69 4(w12),de Abrew 9 1 23 1,Butcher 14 3 52 1,Marshall 7 0 33 3,Lashwayo 0.1 0 0 1. 

Nomads complete first victory over Blackheath CC

After a weekend filled with gale force winds and hailstones, Nomads gathered at Blackheath CC on the Bank Holiday Monday with multiple sweaters and no little trepidation. Skipper Vic Kandampully won the toss and elected to give the batsmen first use of a decent batting track despite low cloud overhead. Debutant Fin Bryan (Beckenham CC) celebrated the opportunity by stroking the first ball of the match through extra-cover to the fence. Majestic. Fellow opener John Olufawo displayed some robust stroke-making down the ground and over extra-cover. The Blackheath seamers could make no impression, and after 14 overs the score stood at 84 for no wicket; to the acclamation of the ladies in the pavilion who were by this point starting on the champagne.

This, however, marked the introduction of Blackheath 1st XI legspinner Rishi Roy-Mukherjee. Roy-Mukherjee put the brakes on the scoring rate, removing Fin Bryan for a well-made 36. Oliver Barnes played some attractive strokes before popping up a catch off Neik, and when John Olufawo was well held by Crone off Roy-Mukherjee shortly thereafter, Nomads had slipped to 100/3. 

Harry Kandampully and Nipuna de Abrew patiently built up a partnership, seeking to see off the threat of Roy-Mukherjee and make progress at the other end. The run-rate slowed to a crawl as Blackheath turned up the pressure, culminating in Nipuna holing out to Crone to give Roy-Mukherjee his third wicket. Raymond Lashwayo added some impetus with a quick 17 before being caught at the wicket off Dilip Bharadwaj (another leg-spinner). Vic and Harry Kandampully then made steady progress to add 30 at a run-a-ball until a running mix-up sold Harry down the river; rather unluckily given that he had taken such pains building his innings in difficult conditions. James Hamilton then played a good hand with a useful 19* before the declaration came after 49 overs at 216/7. Blackheath would have 46 overs back.

After a sumptuous tea marked particularly by some delectable smoked salmon sandwiches, Blackheath started strongly in increasingly sunny and pleasant conditions. Although Nipuna elicited an early edge from Roy-Mukherjee’s flashing blade, John Olafawo couldn’t cling on at second slip. It looked an expensive drop as Blackheath raced away to 40/0 after 8 overs. The early introduction of notorious miser Ben Butcher immediately posed problems to both batsmen, but it was Andy Marshall who spared Olafawo’s blushes by trapping Roy-Mukherjee LBW for 30, and following up with the wicket of Crone, well caught off a hard sweep by Vic Kandampully. 

With two new bats, Nomads could attack and did. The run rate fell but on countless occasions the ball fell tantalisingly out of reach of fielders, until James Hamilton revived the possibility of a result just before the start of the 20 overs with a brilliant diving catch at straight mid-wicket off Andy Marshall (3/33). Hamilton was immediately restored to the attack, and, filled with adrenaline, clipped the top of Hossain’s off stump with his second ball to bring the key partnership of Manku and Howlett together. Manku showed his intent by getting off the mark with a six, and the classy Howlett also showed no intention of allowing the match to drift. 30 runs were added in quick time before Hamilton found a little extra bounce to have Howlett comfortably caught at point. Blackheath 130 for 5 and still needing 87 to win.

Butcher (1/52 from 14 overs) finally got his reward for an excellent spell of bowling when Lucas holed out to Harry Kandampully at deep mid-wicket, but it was James Hamilton (4/69) who removed the danger man Sandeep Manku courtesy of a delicate snick (well held by Duncan Ellis), and followed up by inciting Alex Antunes to hit a high, hanging lob wedge to Fin Bryan at mid-off. With the floodgates now open, the returning de Abrew (1/23) immediately had Kandemiri caught behind. Hamilton narrowly missed out on completing his five-fer, but Raymond Lashwayo was able to apply the coup de grace with his very first ball; umpire Nick Stevenson adjudging Dilip Bharadwaj LBW from one that hurried on, completing the Blackheath innings for 180 with 4 overs to spare.  

Nomads had won by 36 runs, and several jugs were had to celebrate the fact. Umpires Nick Stevenson and Viv Lawrence were excellent company as always, combatting the unseasonably low temperatures with a pint before the start and restorative brandies at the drinks interval. A number of Nomads accepted the invitation to bring a guest, and we were fortunate to enjoy the company of Caroline Hamilton, Jane Preston, Lauren Carroll and Almut Kowalski as well as Tina McLean and Sian Jones from Blackheath.

Hopefully next year’s fixture will be equally good fun but rather warmer!