Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

As Wash skipper Justin Gurney conceded afterwards: “We were outplayed today, fair and square”.

It was a sobering denouement for the Wash who had won the toss and invited the Bush to bat. The pitch was flat and unresponsive, though with a worrying tendency to play a little low at times. Washington’s opening attack of Mick Kennedy (0-28) and Peter Kloss (0-28) could get nothing from it, as Hope and fellow opener, David Harker (75) added 193 runs for the first wicket.

Hope played beautifully, after a rather groggy start, hitting several enormous sixes alongside some sweetly timed on-side drives. When he finally departed, lbw to Irons for 121, however, the visitors had scored 193 off only 29 overs and Wash were facing a potentially enormous target.

However, a strong fight-back led by Irons, brought the Wash back into the game. Far from exploding during the last 10 overs, Wash managed to reduce the run rate to around 5 an over. Irons steamed in and ended with 5 wickets, though the prize scalp of opposition skipper Pete Grzonka eluded him: that distinction went to Gurney (1-44)

At tea, Wash felt that a target of 250 gave them a chance, especially if their own big hitters, Irons, Gurney and Kennedy could get some quality time in at the crease.

The Washington reply began solidly with Donald Campbell (34) and Matthew Cragoe (27) adding 59 for the first wicket before the former was well caught by Peter Bardley at point. This brought Irons to the crease and he announced himself with several dismissive boundaries. He added 36 with Cragoe, and then saw Shaun Phelan unluckily trapped lbw first ball with one that shot along the ground, before finding a strong partner in Gary Evans (11).

The pair added 57 for the fourth wicket, Evans running well to give Irons the strike, Irons responding by clubbing the bowling to all parts of the ground.

Shortly after reaching his ninth half-century of the season, however, Irons (64) made a fatal misjudgement, going back instead of forward, and being trapped lbw by Hubble.

With over a hundred still required and only a dozen overs remaining, the pressure now mounted on the Wash lower order. Evans was tragically run out for 11, and then Hope was introduced into the attack. He bowled with pace and guile as Washington wickets tumbled. John Roche (0) spooned a catch to point, Stuart Hood (0) was bowled around his legs, and then Peter Kloss (6) was cleaned out. Gurney hit a couple of nice shots before being bowled and Eric Stoughton’s dogged resistance ended in a flash as he became Hope’s fourth and final victim. Kennedy, nursing pulled muscles, finished 6 not out.

So a comprehensive defeat for the Wash, but as Bush skipper Grzonka put it: ‘perhaps the real difference between the sides was the first wicket partnership’.