Kings Road were defeated by the Butterlords once again, this time by 59 runs in the sweltering heat of Battersea Park.
It ‘beurres’ repeating how dominant the ‘lords have been in this fixture over years, however in this case, the margin (or is that margarine?) of victory belies how close the game was at some points.
In fact, the Road lost their last five wickets for only 16 runs following Peter Jackson Eastwood’s maiden half-century, and had there been some resistance in the lower order it could all have been different.
With the mercury peaking at 33ºC on a shadeless pitch it was a day to win the toss, and the Butterlords did just that, wasting no time in asking the Road to field first.
KRCSC skipper Chris Brown decided short sharp spells from his bowlers would be best to protect them in the heat, and it worked well in tying the batsmen down, although it was the eighth over before the first wicket.
It came from Road philosopher Nikhil “Are wickets good?” Venkatesh, bowling Hill with a perfect left-armer’s delivery.
One brings two and it was Nikhil who struck again, this time dismissing the dangerous Vish for one, caught at point by Brown.
Butterlords opener and captain Hildebrand was starting to move through the gears with booming drives back over the head of the bowler before Oscar Newlove dismissed him for 41.
Rij survived two close appeals from Mark Isham’s bowling before he too was bowled by Andrew Day for 16.
Kings Road had bowled well until this point, but the heat started to get to them with the bowlers losing their line and fielders making sloppy mistakes.
The Butterlords put on another 110 runs for the loss of only two more wickets (Rehdan LBW to Day for 7 and Streathfield c Newlove b Tyzack for 28)
A score of 191-6 off 40 overs would have kept both sides happy at the interval; the ‘lords pleased with their recovery, and the Road happy to chase at under five an over having lost the toss.
Fruit was unusually popular during tea, with some members of the team using enterprising solutions to get into a pineapple.
And on to the chase, the Road opened up with Isham and debutant Joe Ramsbottom.
It started disastrously: with Isham pinned down by the good bowling of Rehdan in the first over, on the last delivery he dropped the ball into the leg side and called through a quick single.
However, he’d failed to get the measure of his new batting partner and the quality of the fielders, and Ramsbottom was run-out without facing a ball.
Day emerged from the shade at three, but returned soon after; he survived an LBW appeal (Umpire Venkatesh: “It was close”, Batsman “I hit it”), but then was bowled without troubling the scorers.
The Road were reeling at 6-2.
But in loped Peter Jackson Eastwood, and the ‘Vigil of the Ents’ began.
Between he and Isham they saw off bowler after bowler as they looked to rebuild the innings.
In his first match following the birth of his child Isham was out of touch, often struggling to beat the in-field, but occasionally fluent on the front foot. One handsome drive to the cover boundary took him past the milestone of 1,000 runs for the Road.
Jackson Eastwood was more assured, playing with harder hands and looking to take the slower bowlers on.
At the first drinks break the Road were slightly behind where the Butterlords had been in terms of runs, but had lost one less wicket, and the match was delicately poised.
The batsmen looked to seize the initiative, using their feet and rotating the strike, although in the heat quick singles were turned down and potential twos turned to gentle singles.
The sun was taking its toll on all out there, with the exception of the spectators, a number of whom seemed to liven up as the day went on, realising they were watching one of the classic partnerships develop.
Fans eschewed the big screen showing Australia vs New Zealand to watch more thrilling developments on pitch 2 of Battersea Park, causing fielders to remark that it was like playing at Edgbaston in front of the Hollis Stand.
But as the balance was tipping towards the Kings Road, Isham deflected the ball off his pads and onto the stumps for 28 to end the partnership.
Together they had batted for the best part of 25 overs and put on 88 runs, and with plenty of big hitters to come, the Road felt like they could see this over the line.
Jackson Eastwood continued to bat well, and eased past 50 with a lovely straight-drive.
However, not long after he was bowled for an excellent 54, leaving KRCSC on 116-4
Newlove had been teleported up the order following recent good ‘form’ with the bat, but the bowlers opposition got wise to his shot, and he was also bowled for six.
And then the carnage really started.
Brown holing out in the deep for zero, Andrews bowled for 14, Ali Tyzack bowled for one and Nikhil caught at short mid-off for three.
The Road’s final four wickets had fallen for only six runs, and they had slipped to defeat.
Chris Brown can take some positives from the game and Jackson Eastwood’s fifty was an undoubted highlight, and he will feel that had the Orange Caps batted first it might have been different.
The Kings Road will look to return to winning ways on Saturday the 6th in an LPL fixture against Roehampton Bats.
Full scorecard here: http://kingsroadcsc.play-cricket.com/website/results/4062559
Awards:
Most Embarrassing: Nikhil falling over when throwing the ball to the fielder next to him
Tantrum: Chris Brown following his two ball duck
Champagne Moment: PEJ straight drive to bring up 50
Teas savoury: Raju’s skewers
Teas sweet: Peter’s orange cakes
Teas overall: PEJ
Man of the match: PEJ