CATFORD CYPHERS IIIs v BICKLEY PARK IVs

Catford won toss and batted making 228 for 5 from 48 overs

Bickley Park 176 for 8 from 48 overs

It was a pleasure to get on the pitch after the rather fraught challenges of selection that preceded the game. It was the busiest weekend (from a holiday perspective) of the year and special credit must go to Chris Atkinson, the Cavaliers Skipper who succeeded (only just) in finding a team. It is also the first occasion that the needs of 3 League sides had to be ‘balanced’ at an important juncture of the season with the First and 3rds competing for promotion. With all these factors in mind I must congratulate every player who represented the 3rds on Saturday for simply giving all that they had. I am fiercely proud to be your Skipper.

We won the toss and batted against a good bowling attack. Ro and James Golbey lived dangerously but the ball came off the middle of James’s bat too often for Bickley’s liking. James played some quite excellent shots on his way to 46 before being caught off a full toss behind square. His innings was imperious and a joy to watch.

Ro’s innings was a little more understated by comparison but he showed great temperament for his 37 runs and helped to get Dave Sharp bedded in. Dave came in, got settled down and played his best innings of the season scoring 80 runs not out. Dave played a typical sensible, yet telling innings, he hit the bad ball and scored well in front of ,and behind square against a good team.

Extras were also a good contributor to our total as well as brief innings from Yash, Curtley and Barry Payne (none of whom had a lot of time to play themselves in).

We were pleased with out total and pleased to have won the toss. The outcome of the match may well have been different had this not happened.

We took tea and approached our task pragmatically. We would not run through this team and had to protect a short boundary. Andy Page and Curtley opened before Anil replaced the latter at the Worsley Bridge End. The wicket was unresponsive, in fact the Bickley Park bowlers seemed to get more from it (perhaps it’s the inconsistency of the readers balls!). Out ground fielding was excellent throughout the game, Ant Galvin was a lion in the covers, effecting a run out and saving at least 20 runs. Andy page made the breakthrough with a caught behind (Andy bowled right through, lets not take his contribution for granted – only 3 wickets this time!). Players were winkled out thanks to good catches form David Sharp, Barry Payne and James Golbey. However, catch of the season, if not the decade, goes to Curtley.

We must be cautionary regarding Curtley’s progress into the 3^rd team. When he gets older I doubt he will want to be associated with this bunchk of old lags but what excites us is his sheer enthusiasm for cricket. Fielding at short third man/backward point he took a diving catch to his right 6 inches off the ground that a test player would have been proud to take.

Curtley, I hope you read this ,you may need to get ‘meaner’ to be a good fast bowler, when you get meaner just save it for the opposition batsmen!

The Skipper and Yash also bowled taking vital wickets. .

I would like to thank Bickley Park for their part in the game. It was played in a competitive yet good spirited and Mark Dring their Skipper has done very well to combat some of the internal problems that they faced earlier in the year. They fielded 11 competent cricketers and held out very well under pressure during the latter stages of the game.

Catford will draw lots of positives form this result, we had a weakened side against strong opposition and thanks to our batting set the opposition a total they couldn’t reach. 13 points as opposed to the 16 acquired by Gravesend and Blackheath respectively is no disaster especially as they all have to play each other at some time before the end of the season.

Under the circumstances well played the Thirds!!