JACK Caesar came, saw and conquered at Ferring CC on the final day of the season but couldn’t stop The Road losing a tight game.
The master blaster looked imperious after King’s Road batted first as he smashed 72 at a run a ball in bright September sunshine on the south coast.
The game was played in the timed format unfamiliar to The Road which gave the visitors two-and-a-half hours to bat before the side batting second got an hour followed by 20 overs.
Jack came to the crease with his side in trouble on 1 for 2 after losing this year’s top run scorer Sham de Silva and Matt Cocken who were both bowled by Bailey for ducks in the second over.
Yet again The Road were wobbling early on but with local boy Mark Isham the pair put on 72 to set the innings on an even keel.
When Isham was caught behind for 15 in the 14th over and then Dan Sherman was run out for a third duck of the innings, The Road again found themselves under the kosh at 77 for 4.
Running late for @KRCSC last game of season in Ferring, Sussex. Cause of lateness, traffic jams due to… A sheep fair!!
— Shermles (@Shermles) September 8, 2012
On a pitch with one very short boundary and where last year both sides put on over 200, with Ferring hitting 215 to win, The Road’s projected total looked well below par.
Leon Watson joined the fray and helped move the score to 114 as Jack passed the half-century mark hitting two sixes in one over.
But the big-hitting couldn’t last, after 73 balls Jack was bowled by the spinner Kumar while going for a big swipe.
Damn! Bowled absolute pie down short boundary side when on for a tight over. Would have taken match into last over as well! @KRCSC
— amir alipour (@minty83) September 8, 2012
Shailesh Joshi, in his last innings for The Road before he returns home to India, smashed a quickfire 30 before being run out attempting a third run and Chris MacNicol followed soon after out having walked after being caught off the glove for 1
Leon followed lbw to the left-armer Bailey for 26 and Dave Hughes was bowled at the death for 6. Captain James Couldrey and Amir Alipour were left not out with The Road finishing on 172.
The Road got off to a good start in Ferring’s innings, with India’s number 1 Shailesh dethroning the opener King by having him cauight behind by Dan S before taking a catch off James to dismiss Bailey.
@krcsc cricket season ends with a tight loss to Ferring CC. Lovely day for it though – and a special goodbye to Shailesh Joshi, India's #1
— King's Road Cricket & Social Club (@KRCSC) September 8, 2012
Harris and Bromley then fell to Cocken and Bromley but that just brought the dangerous Kumar to the crease and when he hit 40 before holing out to Jack off Sham and with **** at the other end on his way to 58 not out the match was looking comfortable for Ferring.
With five an over needed The Road were still in it though and kept the scoring under control until the last few overs. In the penultimate over Lewis hit the winning runs off mystery spinner Amir.
It was the end of a rain ravaged season for King’s Road which yet again has had its fair share of highs and lows.