1st XI Match Report - Lordswood v. Beckenham (League)

The weather forecast was not very encouraging as an unchanged Beckenham team assembled at Lordswood’s Peter Edmonds Ground.  There was concern that overnight rain had seeped under the covers leaving damp patches on lengths at both ends, the sight of which had the Beckenham scorer dreaming wistfully back some 45 summers and how he would have loved to have bowled on it!  The umpires and captains ultimately agreed on a start time of 1.30, the toss was made and home skipper Jack Laraman asked the visitors to bat.  Meanwhile in the scorebox, the two prog-rock scorers were in deep discussion (with a YouTube ‘teaser’!) about the recent Nolan & Wakeman box set, Tales by Gaslight, whilst awaiting the start of the action.

It was most unfortunate for Finn Bryan, who has started the season so promisingly, that he should receive one from Scottish international Calum MacLeod that literally stood up from a length, hit the shoulder of the bat and gave Chandler a simple lobbed catch.  James Fear immediately opened his account with two crisply-struck boundaries and the score started to move before first-change Faisal Farooqi trapped him in front for 10.  The arrival of Rithik Hari immediately pepped up the run rate as he and Rigg employed excellent running between the wickets allied to sensible shot-selection to compile a fine stand of 44 before Hari seemed to change his mind over a shot and holed out to Ed Taylor in the admirable MacLeod’s penultimate over.  Skipper Johan Malcolm then took charge with Rigg providing excellent support in adding a 50-run partnership on a track that was increasingly not easy to bat on.  This was ended with the introduction of off-spinner Ed Taylor who had Rigg taken behind by Shaun Piesley for 27 to be followed by Cam Pitt in his next over.  Malcolm, meanwhile, was making light of the surface and playing with his trademark majesty and soon Jahid Ahmed picked up the pace and the score moved along at a fine rate.  Malcolm reached a splendid fifty in 66 deliveries and, with Ahmed scoring off virtually every ball, their partnership was worth 70 before the heavens opened at 3.38 and which ultimately ended the contest with Malcolm unbeaten on 60 and Ahmed 36 and Beckenham on a most promising 190-5 with every chance of passing 200 which would not have been an easy target given the conditions.

Scorecard: https://kcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/4146954 (external site)