Camden I v Haslingfield (away)

24/05/25

FARID AND SUBBU POWER THIRDS TO VICTORY

All-rounders make light work of tricky run-chase

Haslingfield (6pts) 121 lost to Camden (20pts) 124-7 by three wickets

Another recreation ground – no sight screens, bumpy outfield, suspect pitch – so Captain Redfern had no hesitation on winning the toss at Haslingfield. After all, bowling first had worked at Stapleford. And Farid was back from injury to take the new ball with Subbu. The pair bowled terrifically, limiting the home side to just twelve runs in the first eight overs. A couple of overs later, Subbu – warned earlier for enthusiastically appealing before his delivery had even reached the batsman – made the breakthrough. The outgoing batsman, caught behind by Prathyush, had done his fair share of swinging and missing. But he’d scored 23 out of a total of 25, so there was a strong case – getting stronger by the over – for keeping the other opener in. And the number four, after Sutton – tumbling backwards at mid-on – had taken a catch off Subbu (2-14) to dismiss the number three. The home side were going nowhere. 33-2 from fifteen overs. 51-2 at drinks. Something had to give.

Two balls later, it had. Rizwan had replaced Farid (0-15), and the left-armer was too good for Haslingfield’s opener – bowled for 15 from fifty-two balls. Sensing blood, Captain Redfern, who had replaced Subbu, wisely took himself off. Time for Karan ‘Deadly’ Derekar. Time for another wicket. The off-spinner couldn’t take much of the credit, however. That was reserved for Krishna, whose excellent throw from the boundary enabled Prathyush to effect the run out. With his side floundering at 60-4, the hosts’ skipper began to hit out. But there was little support for him at the other end, and Rizwan was rewarded for a miserly spell of 8-3-14-2 with a second wicket in his final over. Karan’s first three overs had gone for 34, but a change of ends was to bring about a dramatic change in fortunes. Five runs from his next 3.5 overs, not to mention three wickets – all bowled. It was Redders, however, who was to take the vital wicket of his opposite number for 50 – thanks to a cunning switch to around- the-wicket and a catch by Rob Coe. Your correspondent hadn’t been able to bring himself to report on the final match of last season. That depressing loss had seen Coe drop a catch as costly as it was simple, so it was heartening to see the Leicester man cling on to this one at point. Redders (2-32) took a second wicket, and was then pleased to facilitate the home side’s number eleven finishing on 6 from one ball, before Karan (3-39) finished things off in the thirty-fifth over. 121 all out. A tidy effort, exemplified by Prathyush conceding just three byes on a horrible pitch.

Karan’s change of ends had revealed a truth about the pitch. Indeed, the Thirds had conceded just 34 runs from the pavilion end. The home side looked to have just the man-child to exploit the conditions, and the Thirds would do well to see him off. In the event, a hostile spell only accounted for Irtaza (7). But when Sutton (10) was bowled in the next over, the Thirds found themselves 23-2. Prathyush and Redders doubled the score, before the former was caught behind for 11. Robinson (7) joined the skipper, progressing the score to 68 before the ex-former-ex-all-rounder picked out the tallest man in the field.

53 to win. Six wickets in hand. Twenty overs to go. Easy enough on paper, but this match wasn’t being played on paper. This was being played on a dog of a pitch and with a ball that had your name on it. Batsmen never felt in, and soon enough two more were out. Redders (19) batted responsibly, but when he and Krishna fell in quick succession, the Thirds were in trouble at 78-6. Haslingfield may have thought they were into the tail. Farid and Subbu would go on to firmly reject that idea, but a word must go to Coe. On the face of it, 3 runs from thirty-five balls is nothing to write home about. But time wasn’t an issue, and Farid was taking care of the runs – hitting 20 from his first fourteen balls. When Coe was adjudged LBW, the Thirds needed 22. With every man on the boundary, Haslingfield were content for Farid to take a single. Farid looked like he was content to oblige, but his check-drive – placed perfectly – still sailed for six. As easy as that. A tricky run-chase no more. Underlined by Subbu (13*) sealing victory with three consecutive fours. The seven wickets to fall had eked out 57 runs from 159 balls. Farid (30*) and Subbu smashed 43 off just thirty-two balls, finishing off with the bat what they had started with the ball.

Men of the Match: Farid Pardess and KV Subbaiah.