And so the Nomads arrived at probably the most eagerly anticipated cricket match of each of these young cricketers' lives. A two day 'Test Match' against The Unavoidables; a team which, at the end of the inaugural season, had been swept away with relative ease. But just a week later, with a side shorn of many of its stars, the Nomads were summarily dismissed by the very same side, to leave the Nomads staring philosophically into the unforgiving bleak distance of a first off-season. Thus it was with the same pragmatism that the Nomads entered this match, what with the batting collapse two weeks before, and with overhead conditions immediately making clear which way a successful coin toss would determine the two skippers' choice. The opposition captain, T Bowtell was victorious and elected immediately to bat.
Rory and Jack opened up again for the Nomads, in cool, damp conditions. The ball began to move around straight away, and there was some irregular bounce at the Beauberry House end, as the Nomads had become used to. Bowlers C Webb and S Thornton opened up, with the latter striking in just his second over, as Jack (1) was bowled with the score at 5-1 after two overs. Rory was moving the ball around with new man in Tristan, but in the fifth over, Tristan (2) was given out LBW to the ever-improving Webb. The skipper Niro joined Rory at the crease at 14-2, but just a few balls later was caught one-handed in the slips by Thornton off Webb with the score now at 15-3. Sean, who surely can't have expected to be in so early joined Rory at the crease, but then the hammer blow was struck, as Rory (10), looking good for his money was caught behind off Webb. 15-4 after seven overs.
Debutant Aza strode purposefully to the crease, having not lifted a bat in anger for six long years. His batting style soon suggested to both the opposition, his own teammates and crucially, his partner at the other end Sean that a counter-attack could and needed to be on the cards. Aza immediately brought a Test Match batting head to the crease. He left anything he wasn't sure about, defending anything he was sure about, and played straight to everything else. The opposition were then made to remember the horror show that Sean had exacted on them with the bat nine months ago. His first scoring shot was an imperious pull through mid-wicket for four, and the field positioning went out of the window. There were further fours and a six from the Unavoidables' nemesis, as Aza played patiently at the other end. The score began to improve, and suddenly a sense of stability was slowly being restored. A bowling change had to come; although the opening duo were keeping the overall run rate down, tiredness was beginning to show. After his first over going for just one run, medium pacer Jesse started off at Sean. His third ball was smashed past mid-off for four. Two balls later, Sean tried to lift the bowler back over his head, but his drive was a touch too flat in height, and the bowler took a superb catch at full stretch. The innings had lost its frontman for a valiant and daring 33, his contribution key in the context of what was yet to happen. Two overs later, his foil Aza (12) was bowled by Jesse, with a delivery that seamed across Aza to take his off peg. The two middle order batsmen had taken the Nomads from 15-4 after seven overs, to 63-5, a 48 run partnership after 21 overs, and then 64-6 during the 23rd. Both new batsmen George(0) and Danny(0) were unfortunately unable to stem the flow, as they departed in consecutive overs.
With the score at 64-7, Russell(4 not out) and Isaac were in. Isaac went soon after for 3, and then the rain came. An early lunch was taken, and an hour and a half was spent in the dressing room. Finally, the sun came out, and the decision was taken to go back out at 3.30, with tea to be taken at 5pm. New man Ben Hodge(6) opened his account with one of the shots of the match, a flat batted six back over the head of the skipper Bowtell. But very soon after, the innings came to its terminal end, with the Nomads making 77 runs. The pragmatism came back in, as the Nomads knew that they had a scandalously fantastic bowling attack, and a pitch full of demons for the opposition to deal with.
Six overs of high-class fast bowling from the tireless Sean and Isaac pinned down Unavoidables openers Webb and Dormer to 2-0. Isaac's first five overs were maidens, as were four in a row from Sean. It was in the seventh over, and Sean's fourth, that Dormer was bowled through the gate. And the fifth in the row of Isaac's maidens yielded the key wicket of Webb, easily the best batsman on paper for the opposition. He had not looked in sorts against the pinpoint accuracy of Sean (2-30), and the fast, skiddy round the wicket bowling of Isaac. Isaac struck again in his ninth over, with another wicket maiden to take the wicket of number three R Bedford. On at first change was Tristan (1-25), who duly obliged with a wicket in his first over,with Lee being caught. Isaac (3-19) picked up his final wicket in his following over, bowling vice skipper Quirke. The score was 25-5 when known danger batter Thornton, and the stoic T McDonnell (dep boss of Niro at work) came in. Thornton proceeded to play his usual game of cross batting anything through and over mid-wicket and square leg. Much like in the previous innings, the chalk and cheese contrast of the two batsmen helped the opposition to launch a counter offensive. McDonnell particularly was employing a Trottesque tactic to his batting, scoring at a minuscule rate. But it was his time spent at the crease that offered good value to his team, as Thornton came and went for 37, and then French, playing an enterprising 22 was run out. By this time, the skipper had persisted with just the four bowlers, and the immoveable McDonnell had started to get the Nomads questioning when this team would finally fold when Russell, who had bowled a respectable six overs for just 13 runs approached him and suggested that the skipper himself should target McDonnell with his own bowling. 'He's not attacking' said Russell, adding that spin would invite the batsman to get ideas above his station. After a scratchy first over had gone for eight, the second over would provide the breakthrough. A looping delivery that drifted to leg held firm on the bounce and took McDonnell's middle stump, igniting a quick fall of the final three wickets, with Niro (3-9) bowling his opposite number Bowtell with the final delivery of the day. The Unavoidables had been toppled for a mere 117 but held a crucial 40 run lead overnight...
The Nomads went into bat on a sunny morning, knowing full well of the conditions that awaited them out in the middle. The task was simple. Get to 40 for as little loss as possible and build from there. Aza was promoted to open with Rory, and the two men got the runs going from the off, with some fine cuts and pulls for four by Rory. However, in the sixth over, Aza was removed LBW for 3, with the score at 17-1. The scoring continued to progress despite the fall of the first wicket, and six overs had passed when the Nomads reached parity. Tristan's enterprising knock had also reached its end (9), with the score at 40-2 after 12 overs. Skipper Niro came out to join Rory, but in the 14th over, Rory was bowled by Thornton for 14. Thornton had been the chief wicket taker, and would go on to register a six wicket haul (6-56). First innings hero Sean joined his captain at the crease, and the two men set about lifting the Nomads' lead. Sean played his natural, destructive game, whilst Niro played the anchor role. Their partnership was crucial - 70 runs in 14 overs took the Nomads to 114-4 when the skipper had a nibble at one too many and was caught in the slips yet again for a painstaking 22. New men George and Jack went for 4 and 2 respectively, both victims of Thornton, before Sean was finally dismissed for a career-best 46, off the bowling of Webb. 128-6, a lead of 88. The tail end of the lineup wagged, with a couple of cameo partnerships between Isaac (13) and Ben, and then Ben (9) and debutant sub Chris (1). Russell came and went for 3, but the tail end had lifted the Nomads' lead from 88 to 125, setting the Unavoidables 126 for victory, a target that now looked eminently defendable given the lethal cocktail of Nomad bowling and fielding, a deteriorating pitch and a brittle batting lineup...
What was to follow was the stuff of legend. In the fifth over, mouthy opener Dormer was clean bowled by Sean. He had previously referred to the Nomad on field banter and sledging as surprising given their first innings score of 77. The batting order had however been changed. Coming up a place to three was Lee, who made it known that he was going to swing, edging a few over the point region for singles. Isaac, as economical as ever, had asked the skipper to move back from mid to long off. Lee (12) duly launched into an lofted off drive which landed straight into the fielder's hands. Game on, with McDonnell and Andrews in bat. Neither were able to get into double figures and were dismissed caught and LBW by Sean and Isaac respectively. It has to be said that at this point, the colourful banter instigated throughout the game by Aza started to come into its own. Upon sensing that the two opening bowlers were embarking on a race for a five-for, he invited the potential winner for a bout of post-match 'noshing'. Isaac managed to take 3-41, but Sean steamrollered the opposition, taking record figures of 7-29. The Unavoidables never looked like reaching their victory target with Sean and Isaac finishing the job alone, as their teammates watched on, taking the occasional catch! 71 was the final score, with a victory margin of 53 runs! The Nomad spirit had never burnt brighter as they trudged off into the sunset to toast their famous victory. Two long days of cricket had produced a great game, with real ebbs and flows, but with one team dominant over the other.
