Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

For this was a game that Washington effectively won within the first seven overs when an extraordinary bowling performance from brothers Nick and Robert Tidey saw Highgate crash to 5-5!

That Highgate recovered to bat out their 40 overs and post a total of 146 was in itself an amazing performance – but the outcome of the match had effectively been settled within the first half hour.

‘I’ve never seen a start like that’, admitted skipper Justin Gurney after the game, ‘it was awesome’; Highgate skipper Simon Westwood agreed:  ‘they bowled brilliantly’, he said, ‘our top order was just blown away’.

It was sweet revenge for Washington who were beaten by Highgate earlier in the season, and there was no denying the hunger in the team from the outset.

Rob Tidey (2-21) started the procession, producing a snorting delivery which rose from a length to take the glove of opener Jenkins and provide stand-in keeper Pete Demetri with the first of 4 catches.  Nick Tidey (4-27) then weighed in with four wickets including a beautiful late inswinger which plucked Finlay’s leg stump out of the ground.

With half the team out for just 5 runs, Highgate might have folded, but the lower order dug in.  Sandy (9) and Kevin Daniels (19) began the recovery, only for two quick wickets by veteran seamer Terry Tidey (2-30), to rein them in again. 

At 62-8, Highgate were tottering on the verge of extinction. However Jean Booyens (36) and Tom Pontifex (26 not out) then came together and added a brave 76 for the ninth wicket:  thanks to their efforts Highgate were able to set Washington a target of 147 for victory.

On a pitch still offering some variable bounce, a dramatic victory for Highgate was not an impossibility.  Washington’s reply, however, began steadily, with openers Pete Demetri (16) and Matthew Cragoe (27)  playing (and sometimes missing) patiently in the face of accurate bowling from Jenkins (0-17) and Booyens (1-32).

The pair added 41 before Demetri was bowled. Donald Campbell (8) then announced his return from a knee injury with several imperious drives before holing out at point, but Washington reached the 20 over mark with just 2 wickets down and 75 runs on the board – well up with the required rate.

The dismissal of Cragoe immediately after the resumption of play gave Highgate a glimmer of hope, but the calm, technically efficient batting of young Jake Phipps, making his debut for Washington, and a typically beefy display from club chairman, Paul Irons, soon extinguished that.

While Phipps (19 not out) accumulated stylishly at one end, Washington’s big-hitting South African pounded four sixes in a 20-ball innings of  44; by the time Highgate got him, the game was almost up.

And a perfect family day out for the Tideys was then wrapped up when Rob came in and hoisted a big 6 over mid-wicket to win the match for Washington.

Washington:  Gurney (*), Demetri (+), Cragoe, Campbell, Phipps, Irons, Tidey R., Persaud, Tidey N., Tidey T., Stoughton.

Man of the Match:  Nick Tidey for inspired opening spell of unplayable opening bowling.