18/05/24
THIRDS FALL SHORT. AGAIN
Prathyush stands tall as teammates drop like flies
Cam Kerala II (20pts) 222-8 beat Camden (8pts) 171 by 51 runs
Inspecting the pitch at Hauxton – identifiable only thanks to the crease markings – Spinal Tap sprang to mind. It’s like, how much more green could this be? And the answer is none. None more green. Captain Redfern, winning the toss, had no hesitation in inserting Cam Kerala. Fielding first would involve Krishna fielding a phone call from Subbu, lost and in need of directions to the ground. Before then, however, Rizwan and Farid had reduced the hosts to 45-4. Rizwan (3-52) struck with the final two deliveries of his first over – an LBW followed by a catch in the covers for Nutt – but there was to be no hat-trick. The left-armer would have to wait until his fifth over for another wicket, but it could have been sooner had Redders not spilled a presentable chance at mid off. Meanwhile, Prathyush’s sharp caught behind off Farid (1-28) saw the end of Cam Kerala’s dangerous opener. The ten Thirds had made a strong start.
Thirteen overs and 87 runs later, Sutton took a catch off Subbu. Conscious that his side had fared better with ten men, Captain Redfern sacrificed himself for the cause. The skipper had apparently pulled a groin while ‘chasing’ one to the boundary. Sutton took the reins, upping the over rate if nothing else. With Subbu (1-31) bowling well and Adil recovering from a shaky start, the wheels were no longer coming off. Adil (1-48), bowling to his field, saw Farid take a chance at deep extra cover. With Baker’s two earlier overs having yielded 25, Sutton deemed it safer to turn to Nutt and Krishna. The stand-in skipper was rewarded when Krishna (1-21) lured the batsman out of his ground – Prathyush doing the rest. Rizwan effected a run out, but the Thirds were looking at chasing north of 200. In the end, the target was 223.
No proper cricket tea this week, alas, but the cake break was notable for Baker taking to his car for the duration.
The Thirds had begun the match with ten. They were to finish with eight and a half. Adil had to leave early, so was promoted to open. With who? Redders to channel his inner Gordon Greenidge? Regular opener Sutton? In the end, it was Nutt. Run out for 4 in the second over, the Cambridgeshire over-60s star might have wished it had been someone else. Worse was to follow, with Sutton pulling his first ball to square leg. 5-2 wasn’t the ideal start, but it would at least give form man Prathyush more time at the crease. Bringing up the fifty in the tenth over, the Thirds’ chase looked to be getting back on track. It didn’t last, however, with Adil falling for a sprightly 27. Redders took to the field in less sprightly fashion. Seven balls later, the beleaguered skipper was retiring hurt for 1. Krishna (4) and Robinson (9) provided company for Prathyush to peel off a third consecutive half century, but the Hyderabad man would have to go some to pull off a victory.
114 to win from fourteen overs, with an indeterminate number of wickets in hand. Prathyush was joined in the middle by Subbu, who had announced himself on the Camden stage – batting at number nine – with a hundred in the traditional curtain-raising friendly at Chippenham. Could the Thirds pull off an unlikely victory? While Subbu (15) and Farid kept pace with Prathyush, who hit a massive six, the possibility felt distinctly real. 73 required from seven overs. Four leg byes. A single to Farid. Prathyush – 75 not out (and 186 not out for the season) – on strike. The field spread. The field found, midwicket taking the catch. Farid went on to plunder 23, but when he was bowled, the game was up. Baker had gone home and Redders wasn’t willing to risk his gammy groin, leaving Rizwan stranded with the Thirds (mostly) all out for 171.
Man of the Match: Prathyush Roy