Our first game of the season, three debutantes, and our first ever win over Pacific. Read on folks!
It had been a little damp, and the outfield at Wray Crescent in N4 was lush, green and slightly moist. Grace's, captained once again by Bielby, batted first, and it was soon obvious that this was not going to be a match of many runs.
This is our usual opening game of the season, and Pacific had never managed to be the losing team. Today was different. Camberwell (1), bowled, and Stockinger (1), caught at slip, with the ball on its way passing through the keeper’s gloves, quickly departed. While, making his Grace's debut batting at three, stayed at the crease whilst other wickets tumbled around him. In fact at one stage we were on 82- 7. Mendis had been out for 7, caught playing a rather wild shot, and Whitmore, also making his debut, had only faced two balls before he was run out in a mix-up with While.
While did make amends by top scoring with 45, hitting nine fours and one six before having his stumps removed. He was quickly followed by Scott (4) and Charles (2). Charles was also making his debut, and a bit of history for the club too. In our ten years he is our first ever left-handed batsman. This is despite the fact we have several left-arm bowlers.
Hardisty and Shofiq helped the score over 100 before after hitting four lovely boundaries, Shofiq was caught on 16. Curtis, batting at ten, then came in to hit a very entertaining 23 in only 17 deliveries. He however then tried one big shot too many and skied one to deep mid-off who gleefully ran in to take the catch. This left Bielby (7 not out) to assist Hardisty (17 not out) in seeing the overs out - a feat that did not seem possible earlier on in the afternoon. So overall a score of 146-9. It gave us a go anyway, but little did we know just how vital those runs at the end would be.
We bowled superbly. Both Shofiq and Curtis were accurate, with good length and line. Shofiq quickly bowled their number two, and then Curtis had their other opener caught at point by Scott. Shofiq finished with figures of 1-16 off his eight overs and Curtis 1-21. While came on to replace Shofiq and showed why he had played at such a good standard in his "younger days". Although the score was ticking over, it was doing so at a slow pace, and pressure was on the batsmen to start scoring. Mistakes were made. While took the next three wickets to fall. He bowled their number three for 19, Whitmore took a good catch to remove their number four on 29, and then Stockinger behind the stumps took a very sharp chance at full reach to remove their number six. It was 83-5.
Then a moment of madness as Shofiq seemed to fumble a rolling ball. They went for the run, not realising he had a good arm. A quick throw to Bielby at the stumps and it was 83-6. It quickly became 94-8 with Bielby breaking the stumps this time to remove their number eight and then Charles on his debut taking a good catch off Bielby's bowling. It was left to Mendis to remove their number ten before Bielby trapped their number eleven LBW, leaving De Keller (their number 5) not out and stranded on 32.
It was a great team effort. While got 3-19 off eight overs, and Mendis 1-37 off seven. Bielby did a captain’s bowling with figures of 3-21 off 7.1 overs.