KING'S ROAD CRICKET AND SOCIAL CLUB

King’s Road bled dry by the Bloody Lads: They were better than us. Period

It’s that time of the month again – when King’s Road play the Bloody Lads.

But this year, for the first time, the Orange Caps couldn’t hold back the crimson tide.

The day started with some anemic batting from The Road, that left them with a meagre total of just 140 off 40 overs.

Then, after an early wobble, the Lads knocked off the runs with ease.

Having lost the toss, King’s Road had to deal with the worst of the conditions on another early season green-top at Wandsworth Common.

But it was no excuse – on this occasion the Lads were simply better.

It took them just one over to draw first blood, when Chris MacNicol skied a pull that was snaffled up by the bowler Ensor.

Welcome back Chris.

After a couple of nice pushes, Raju Mazumder then donated his wicket in a similar fashion, caught Gibson off Mathiesen.

And then it went from bad to worse, Dan Sherman came in, hit a 4, and then got out third ball, bowled by a ripper from Ensor.

King’s Road were already 9 for 3.

Gutted ... Chris MacNicol trudges off, as James goes in to bat
Gutted … Chris MacNicol trudges off, as James goes in to bat

It was tough out there though, the ball was jumping off the pitch, there was a bit of swing and the odd one kept low. And the Lads openers were good enough to take full advantage.

James Couldrey, batting at three, and Leon Watson had several balls fly by their ears as they tried to rebuild.

Leon blocked up one end while James continued his good form with the bat before he was trapped lbw by Parker with one ball left before the drinks break.

James had scored 21 off 56 balls, with The Road left on 49 for 4 20 overs in.

Meanwhile Leon, joined by Joe Conway, was still in single figures and needed to accelerate.

Having looked solid for 30 balls, Joe then made a suicidal call and was run out for 10 by the Lads’ late-comer Henry Lloyd-Hughes.

In came Jamie Williams who, after having scored 44 not out in The Road’s first match this season, was carrying the hopes of his team.

After a boundary first ball, the inevitable happened – he holed out at deep midwicket for 9.

The Road were wounded and on their last legs, but no sticking plaster was going to treat this bloody mess.

Adam Zabel stuck around scoring 12 and getting sun cream in his eye, before being run out going for a second.

Then Leon’s resistance finally crumbled as he was bowled by a beauty from Mathiesen after hitting 40.

There was just enough time for newboy Sam Lavender, who hit 11 in five balls, to smash one massive 6 back over the bowler’s head before the innings closed.

It was the only maximum of a King’s Road innings that was starved of boundaries throughout.

How The Road could have done with Slayer of the Lads Sham de Silva, who has scored an incredible 205 runs in two innings against them.

But despite the small total – 140 for 8 – The Road weren’t going to make it easy for those Bloody Lads.

The pitch had improved as the sun started shining yet that didn’t stop captain Matt Small bowling with plenty for fire in the first few overs.

At the other end the burly Jamie Keating – nicknamed “The Bear” – also opened in the pinch-spinner role.

With the score on just 1, Leeson pushed Keats into the covers and attempted a single.

But in a lightning quick pick-up and throw, James ran him out. Cue wild celebrations as the first breakthrough had been made.

Then Keats struck, with Chris taking a sharp catch close in when the ball was blasted straight at him by Leeson.

That only served to bring in Gibson though, who put on a 50 partnership with the captain Pawson, before Keats struck again to remove the opener.

To everyone’s amazement – not least his own – Raju was behind a firm hit to short mid-on and pouched, with apparent ease. Could The Road pull this back?

No. Gibson carried on and continued to lash out smashing a match-winning 62 off 42 balls, which included three 6s, until he was bowled by a twirler from Sam.

The King’s Road Aussie bagged another soon after, bowling Lloyd-Hughes, and raised a cheer with a comically over-zealous run-out attempt that brought four overthrows off his own bowling.

But by the time Sam’s second wicket fell it was too late.

Ensor, who hit three more maximums in his 20 after trying to reverse sweep his first ball, and Boorman, with 10, took the Lads home in just 23.3 overs.

Keats finished with 2 for 29 off his 8 overs, and was named The Road’s man of the match. Sam also grabbed a brace, conceding 25 runs.

Bloody hell! ... the Lads' line-up
Bloody hell! … the Lads’ line-up

The Bloody Lads had gone into the game on the back of two defeats – so it wasn’t even if they were in a rich vein of form.

They also had never beaten The Road before. In 2012 we thrashed them by 120 runs – thanks largely to 127 not out from Sham.

Then two years ago, the boys from Battersea won by 45 runs, with Sham hitting 78.

But on Saturday there was no doubt the Lads were the superior side.

On A-positive note though, next up King’s Road take on the Sunday Times Occasionals at Turney Road in Dulwich.

Man of the Match: Jamie Keating (for his brace)

Champagne Moment: James Couldrey (for his direct-hit run-out)

Embarrassing Moment: Sam Lavender (for his four overthrows)

Teasmaker of the Match: Raju Mazumder (for his skewers)

Oscar Newlove

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