Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

Matt Cheviott reporting

Washington were frustrated by dogged tail-end resistance at Calthorpe on Sunday.  A brilliant century from Shawn Hill had put them in the box seat, but dropped catches and some slightly wayward bowling at the death allowed the home side to escape with a draw.

As skipper Justin Gurney reflected afterwards:  “catches win matches, mate’.

Gurney had earlier won the toss and elected to bat.  The first hour was very tight. Caltorpe’s opening bowlers, in which the luckless ‘J.J.’ Jenkins (1-32) was outstanding, found plenty of encouragement and Washington were indebted to an excellent partnership between Aff Naseem (22) and Colonel Steve Brown (40), who steadied the ship after Matthew Cragoe (0) was caught behind in the second over.

The pair added 50, Brown surviving a couple of dropped catches, and provided a platform for the fireworks that erupted when Hill arrived at the crease.  The big-hitting South African is in a rich vein of form, and he laid into Calthorpe’s bowlers, devouring anything slightly short or wide; he stroked the ball along the deck elegantly for preference, but crashed it away with brute strength when occasion demanded.

Calthorpe made things much worse for themselves by dropping him before he had got to 50, and they also missed a straight-forward chance offered by Tony Burt (21) before he finally became one of two victims for spinner Rob Jenkins (2-36).  It was left to the sprightly Russell Pendry (5 not out) to guide Hill to his hundred and Wash to a commanding 231-4 at tea.  

The Calthorpe reply began brightly with Sheldon Greenland (25) and Rob Jenkins (20) adding 53 at a competitive 4 an over;  however, once Gurney had plucked a catch out of the heart of the sun to get rid of the latter, Peter Kloss (3-28) found his line and the batsmen struggled.

Calthorpe effectively shut up shop in the fifteenth over, and the rest of the game became a war of attrition – occasional successes for the bowling side interspersed with long periods of stern resistance built around Mike Alexander’s brave 25.   

Yet it seemed Washington must prevail.  Gurney (3-29) picked up three scalps and Russell Pendry (2-6) a brace in a late salvo; as the overs melted away and the late summer evening drew in, however, the chance faded.

The game ended with honours even, the pavilion lights shining out a welcome for the weary combatants.