RCC 2s beat Chobham 2s by 2 runs.

With the Olympics coming to a close, an awesome game of cricket was played away at picturesque Chobham. The 2s managed to scrape home with the craziest last ball finish that any of us will ever have dreamt of. This roller-coaster ride of a game more importantly kept the 2s in the top 5 and still in the hunt for promotion with only 3 games left in the League season.

Put into bat RCC stuttered to a total of 166 all out in 47.2 overs. It all began so brightly with Mitchell Hunt (19) making his debut in the 2s and hitting the ball fluently to the boundary. Along with Dave Allen (20), the two of them seemed to have the Chobham pitch under their control and the run-rate at the giddy heights above six-an-over. But as wickets fell regularly, the pressure mounted on the RCC middle order and the run-rate slowed to a trickle. It took gritty and determined innings from Pete Dandy (44), Paul Mathews (16) and Hemish Gunasekara (13*) to guide the RCC tail to a reasonable score that the bowlers would have a chance of defending. Dandy in particular used all his experience and knowledge of the League; garnered over years of playing this format, to dig-in and play a heroic back-to-the-wall innings. Weight of runs on the board are so important in 2s cricket as they put pressure on the opposition during the run chase. They make the opposition hit balls in difficult areas and try crazy things they wouldn’t otherwise. Ultimately, Dandy understood what the team needed to win the game: Dirty, ugly runs were the order of the day on a very suspect pitch that was variable in bounce. Head down, he showed he had the ability and gumption to play that vital style of hard fought, stubborn but ultimately match-winning innings.

So, unlike the Olympics where the winning is not everything, if the 2s were to keep in touch with the League leaders winning needed to be everything in this game. Both Ross Cameron and Paul Matthews have been immense with the ball in their hands this season. Both have won games on their own. Both attack the stumps and try to knock the batsmen over. Against Chobham a different style of attack brought the wickets. Hemish Gunasekara (7 for 59) backed-up by excellent fielding and catching from the team, used his gentle wobblers to take the pace off the ball and challenge the Chobham batters to hit the ball in areas where the fielders lay in wait. The majority couldn’t manage it. Awesome catches from Pete Dandy, Marc Moderegger, Mitchell Hunt and Ross Cameron gave RCC a sniff of a win.

With 9 wickets down the Chobham last wicket gifted a chance to Ross Cameron at cover – dropped! Then from Cameron’s bowling a flying edge between first slip and keeper – dropped! The blood began to drain away from the 2s as their chances of a win began to evaporate… The game entered the last over and still no wicket. In fact, Chobham were getting near a win of their own with 2 runs required off the last ball. Cameron ran in bowled a good final delivery that went into Andre Stevenson’s gloves behind the stumps and a loss was avoided. Then bizarrely, everyone noticed that the Chobham non-striker was trying to run 2 with the ball in the keeper’s hands! Stevenson lobbed the ball back to Cameron who whipped off the bails. Unbelievably the 2s had picked-up 20 points. Cue uncontrolled delirium from the RCC players and mass celebration on the pitch!

Watching the Olympics over the last few weeks for me has been awesome. Apart of course, from the ridiculous closing ceremony where far too many has-been pop-stars were rolled out – yet again! When everyone wanted to see the young athletes celebrating and who were at the Games simply on merit; the cult of fame brought these boring interlopers back on our screens. (Sorry, diatribe over.) [Obviously, some issues to work on there - ed.] Anyway, the best bits of the Olympics for me, was seeing the faces of the medal winners when they had just achieved their amazing feats. That look of shocked incredulity that years of hard work had finally paid off was priceless to behold. The 2s on Saturday had that same look on their faces!

They say sport doesn’t build character, it reveals it. The 2s are now revealing a hard-fought desire in the team to win difficult games that are in the balance - and long may it continue. Tough game next week againt Old Tenisonians. Get your name down if you are interested.

Man of the Match: Pete Dandy.
(report by Hemish Gunasekara)