Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
So it was that when the captaincy was thrust once again upon PEJ, he delivered a crushing victory to maintain his 100% record as stand-in skipper.
But the star of the show was unquestionably the Road’s true leader, the irrepressible Christopher Brown, who bowled two demonic spells to claim a spectacular first five wicket haul for the Road and finally crack one hundred Road wickets to join an elite club of five Road bowling centurions.
PEJ lost the toss and the Road were asked to field first. With Browny suffering from jet lag, the new ball was shared between the Bowler Contrictor, Ali Tyzack, and spin wizard Mitch Smith. Luck favoured the home side early on, with a number of edges and aerial shots falling safe until one of the openers spooned a catch to Chris Brown to hand Mitch his first ever Road wicket.
Browny had spent weeks on 99 wickets, but soon after he was introduced as first change an attempted drive was pouched by PEJ at mid off, an unearthly roar confirmed that CB had finally broken the 100 hoodoo. Buoyed by a first, he went on a rampage, brilliantly bowling Lillie with a slower ball that drew a nod of approval from the departing batsman. Goldfinch was next to be removed, also clean bowled by Brown.
From the other end, Keats replaced Mitch to keep the seam-spin/slow axis going, and returned a very economical first spell. With drinks around the corner, the Road’s newest oldest deadly leg spinner, Mr Mazumder, was given a second bowl in two games. He did not disappoint. Landing the ball consistently on a good length and turning the ball, he claimed a wicket when a forced shot spooned in the air for Mitch to take a simple catch, meaning Raju returned figures of 1-8 from his two overs.
The Road attack were relentless, and Oscar was now introduced to send down some plasma grenades. He picked up the wicket of Homan, caught well by Pinkney at point, and finished with 1-18 from his six overs.
With dangerman Dawkins coming to the crease, PEJ opted for a pace barrage, with Tyzack and Brown recalled. Brown first took the wicket of Barrington caught and bowled, before a sliced shot to third man by Dawkins brought a superb low catch by Tyzack (he is honestly getting quite good at catching) and Brown let out another bizarre bear-like ululation as his five-fer was confirmed.
Tyzack cleaned up Brian with a fast, full delivery, and then promptly undid his good work by dropping an absolute dolly when Road legend Lax spooned a catch up off Keats. Keats whipped the bails off later in the over to run Lax out and finish the Alba innings after an entertaining two-over battle between the friends.
So, to batting, and Captain PEJ decided to open himself with Pinkney. His second ball from Brian was nonchalantly discarded to the cover boundary, and the ball after nonchalantly top edged straight to cover. 4-1.
Patz came out to join Pinkney and a rebuilding job began. Pinkney might look like a flashy character from Grease, but he bats with the dogged determination of Rocky Balboa. Intent on seeing off Brian, he slowly began to open up, unfurling several classical drives through the covers that we are increasingly coming to associate with his game.
Patz also looked in good touch, taking his time to get his eye in and flaying a couple of boundaries away. He was next to fall for 18, trying to blast Brian over the top but not reckoning with Lax, who took a sensational one-handed catch. Patz responded with his own trademark by drop kicking his helmet over the boundary in anger.
This brought Cmac to the crease, who has had a lean run of it this year. You would not have known it as he set about building a faultless innings, defending stoutly and then getting onto the front foot quickly to push overpitched deliveries into gaps and test the fielders with sharp running. Pinkney was accelerating at the other end, but tried one shot too many to be caught at mid on for 45. Jug avoidance, again. This is not a good look, James.
Fergus had been waiting patiently on the boundary as his Phasers charged, and once it was time to bat, he unleashed intergalactic fury on the bowlers. Picking up on anything wide, straight, full or short, he bludgeoned six fours to the long on and mid wicket boundaries to finish on an emphatic 27* from just ten deliveries. Cmac finished up on 25* and the Road were home with seven wickets in hand and over ten overs to spare.
Full scorecard here: http://kingsroadcsc.play-cricket.com/website/results/4074004
Awards:
Embarrassing: Ali dropping Lax off Keats’ bowling
Tantrum: Patz testing his rugger skills on his helmet
Champagne moment: A three-way tie between Browny’s slower ball, Ali’s catch an Lax’s catch
Man of the Match: Brown for his 100th wicket and first five wicket haul for the Road