Match Report - 2nd XI vs Tadworth 2nd XI

After a week off, the South 2nd XI bandwagon traveled to Tadworth for their 8th Division 3 encounter of 2018. After topping the table by beating Headley Old Freeman’s, South had dropped to a lowly 5th after the week off and knew that nothing more than a victory would do to keep the promotion dream alive. After a morning of Suli being in, out, in, out, shake it all about.....Captain Jim stood down for the week to be replaced by his vice Simon who lost the 2’s first toss of the year. Tadworth’s captain consulted with his team mates before deciding to bat on a true looking pitch with a lightning fast outfield.

In blazing sunshine, South took the field minus new tooth Mark who had spent 45 minutes driving round in a circle failing to find the ground so Jim kindly substituted as The Tooth got changed pitchside. Good job there were no females present! Oh, wait...

Hanif and Dylan opened the bowling and were their usual miserly selves! Hanif getting into great rhythm bowling through with outstanding figures of 0-19. Dylan bowling up the hill and into the wind a Fagin like 1-10 off his 8 was quite brilliant. What an opening pair these two are developing into! Like Broad and Anderson! Dylan in particular has been superb this season and must be a serious contender for player of the year......well bowled indeed. Dylan spell was so good that his boots decided to retire at the end of his spell and completely split! On a serious note, to both bowl 8 overs in that heat and with the control and discipline Hanif & Dylan gave us was a big factor in the game - well done fellas!!

Darren and Suli came into the attack with the former keeping it tight and keeping Tadworth in check. Suli’s bowling is always quick and dangerous, but can go for runs as batsmen use the pace of the ball. Dylan at fine leg with a sensational flat throw runs out their very slow opening bat by about 15 yards - 60 for 2. Super Kyle Campbell is next into the attack and on a 2’s hat trick produces a peach of a delivery that nipped back and hit the top of middle stump, well bowled young man 75 for 3. The Captain for the day then comes on and gets rid of the dangerous Simon Harris for 45 as South turn the screw and the runs dry up. Suli comes back on and picks up a caught and bowled from a full toss but in all honesty we had a poor last 8 overs in blistering heat and conceded 20 runs more than we should have. Given the conditions, Tadworth’s 152 for 5 was way below par.

After a fine tea, the returning former Captain Ash (welcome back mate) and Simon open the innings and plunder 33 off the first 3 overs, Ash’s new bat has a rather nice middle and Simon took a liking the long hops taking 17 off over number 2. Ash gets a goodun and is bowled bringing in VC for the day Matt who is adjudged LBW and South are wobbling at 34 for 2.

In comes South’s Billy Graham, Mr Tim Bongers who finds the middle of his bat immediately making a rapid 23 before missing a straight one! 70 for 3! Mark with his new enamel investment protected by his gum shield comes in to face the music. Crisis?? What crisis?? Mark helps himself to some pretty poor bowling and Simon at the other end keeps the score ticking over and South knock them off with 14 overs to spare winning by a comfortable 7 wickets, Simon 65* & Mark 33* both at a run a ball.

A quick word about John K: we were delighted to be offered umpiring services by John, and now look even more like a proper cricket team. It’s wonderful to have any umpire at all, let alone one who is so clearly calm and competent. Welcome to the club, John. Special mention to Leighton yesterday who did not bat but as always gave 110%.

Anyway, job done, and with regular skipper Jim being informed of the win just as the curtain was about to go up on Emily’s dance show, we find ourselves top of div3 for the first time this season, (although HSM’s result is not yet in). Next week the merry men travel to Old Woking as this very enjoyable season continues.