KING'S ROAD CRICKET AND SOCIAL CLUB

Gimme some Mo of that! Shaboodien knock can’t prevent a King’s Road defeat to the Sunday Times XI

Full Scorecard: http://kingsroadcsc.play-cricket.com/website/results/3167005

A stylish half century from Mo Shaboodien could not prevent a King’s Road defeat against the Sunday Times Occasionals at the weekend.

Mo finished unbeaten on 56*, following a middle order collapse which saw four Road wickets fall for just nine runs.

The day started well for Dan Sherman’s side, as the skipper won the toss and elected to bat in bright sunshine.

Opening were Adam Paterson and Peter Jackson-Eastwood, who rewarded the captain’s faith by making a slow and steady start against some impressive ST bowlers.

Such was the accuracy of the bowling however, that the first boundaries weren’t scored until the tenth over, with Paterson hitting consecutive balls from first change bowler Awan back over his head.

Any ideas that this may accelerate the Road onto a big score were quickly put to bed, as Awan went about exacting revenge with a five-for that ran riot through the batting order.

First, he dismissed PJE and A-Patz in quick succession, bowling both for 16 and 20 respectively.

At the other end, Pitt began to get in on the action with Jamie Williams sending a short ball down square leg’s throat after only three balls.

Sherman soon followed, bowled for four.

Chris Beckett edged behind for a duck, and Keating was caught chasing a wide one first ball, both courtesy of the increasingly excitable Awan.

Mark Isham (who had been standing umpire only six deliveries earlier), found himself facing a hat-trick ball as his first of the season.

He narrowly survived, edging the ball just past his leg stump, but any luck was short lived, as he fell LBW as Awan’s fifth wicket for just four.

The Kings Road were in dire straits and were in need of a hero; and Mo was in just the mood to deliver the goods

He began calmly, but aggressively taking apart the bowling, in an innings of some flair.

Ably assisting was Chris MacNicol, who, batting at number three, had kept his head while all around were losing theirs.

When Chris fell from the leg-spin of Wood for 14, Matt Small took up the mantle and provided the perfect foil as Mo looked to farm the strike to bring the run rate up.

Smalley eventually fell for a patient nine (exactly what the doctor ordered in the circumstances), but with Osman dismissed just a few balls later for two, the Orange Caps were all out for 156.

Mo’s innings had salvaged a defendable total for the Road, and with plenty of bowling in the side, they had every reason to be confident.

But the ST openers picked off Sherman’s bowlers one-by-one.

First, Smalley failed to make any breakthrough, while Williams looked impressive, but got nothing to show for it.

Osman and Isham, both fresh from short batting innings also struggled, both bowling well enough, but not troubling the batsmen.

ST made their way past 100 without losing a wicket, and with time running out, Sherman turned to the unlikely figure of Postman Patz to stamp his authority on the batsmen.

And the Postman delivered, with a first-class spell of bowling.

First, he sorted the dangerous Wood, forcing him to redirect an edge high into the air, and it was gratefully collected by Sherman.

Then he proved the Postman always grins twice, picking up a second with Jackson-Eastwood taking his first KRCSC catch at point.

Mo showed no signs of complacency after his batting heroics, and picked up two quick dismissals.

By now, the score was 147-4, and any wickets were just consolation prizes with the ST needing just 10 to win.

Nevertheless, Paterson collected one more, again a steepler caught by Sherman, this time with a pirouette flourish.

Adam and Mo’s heroics came too late, and the Road lost by five wickets, a score that, in truth, made the match look closer than it was.

The next match is a home fixture against the Dragons, and Kings Road will be hoping to get back to winning ways.

Oscar Newlove

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