Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

A weakened Washington XI were on the wrong end of the result in a one-sided encounter against old friends the Sundown Specials on Sunday. Having been asked to bat first on a pitch which offered a little early help to the bowlers, they collapsed to 110 all out, a target their hosts reached for the loss of just two wickets.

It won’t be an afternoon that any of the Wash players will look back on with much satisfaction. Wash lost three quick wickets, as Sundowners’ paceman Dom Pilgrim (2-21) tore in down the hill, but they appeared to have recovered their poise when fourth wicket pair Pete Demetri (38) and Shawn Hill (29) added 50.

Demetri looked at the top of his game, playing patiently, not trying to hit the ball too hard but punishing anything loose; Hill, meanwhile, played very correctly and very straight, and clearly relished his absorbing cat and mouse tussle with Sundowners’ veteran seamer Dave Cattell (4-22).

Unfortunately for Wash, Hill’s departure, to a well judged catch on the boundary by Tony Medlicott from a full toss from Luke Vassay (1-39), sparked a terrible collapse. The last seven wickets fell for just 23 runs. The only lower order batsman to impose himself at all was debutant Nigel Bakhai, who remained unbeaten on 13 when the last wicket fell.

With such a small total to defend, and an outfield like glass, the outcome was academic. Wash snaffled a couple of wickets: Eric Stoughton (1-29) bowled Golding for 15, and Gary Malcolm (1- 24) was unlucky to pick up just the one in a spell which troubled all the batsmen.

However, the end came all too soon for Wash, Vernon (41 not out) and Jasilva (32 not out) wrapping things up for the home team. By 5.30 the players were back in the pavilion.

As a disgusted Pete Demetri said afterwards: ‘They must have thought they were playing our Under-12s’.