Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

Peter Kloss reporting.

A dramatic batting collapse resulted in the Washington losing a match they really should have won very comfortably. At 155 for 2 chasing 195 for victory, and with 15 overs remaining, the lower order batsmen were contemplating an early shower. However Graces bowlers Mappin (6-18) and Mendes (2-10) had different ideas as they ripped though the batting line-up with considerable ease. Graces ran out winners by 13 runs, Washington losing 8 wickets for 26 runs.

Earlier skipper Shawn Hill had lost the toss and Graces elected to bat on a glorious summer’s day, the temperature touching 30 degrees. All the Wash bowlers bowled well and the ground fielding and catching was particularly good. Wickets fell fairly regularly but it was only with introduction of Russell Pendry (4-28) that the Graces innings was brought to a swift end.

When Washington batted the runs came from Pete Demetri (33), Matt Holt (64) and Paul Irons (53) who had together taken the score to 155 for 2 in the 25^th over quite comfortably. Only 40 more runs were needed from the last 15 overs. Holt’s was a measured innings and indeed he seemed to be steering the side to victory before he was caught and bowled, 8^th man out. But by the time Holt was out Washington were in all sorts of trouble. The quality of the Graces bowling at the end of the innings (from Mappin and Mendes) was considerably above what had come before, but this was no excuse. The last seven Washington batsmen were simply not able to apply themselves to a straightforward task – they mustered only 12 runs between them.

After the match skipper Hill stared at the scorebook and shook his head in disbelief. He said “8 wickets for 26 runs. We only have ourselves to blame. Maybe the guys thought it was a forgone conclusion, I don’t know, but we have let ourselves down today”. In contrast of course Graces could not believe how the game had turned for them.

Man of the Match: jointly, Matt Holt for his 64 and Russell Pendry for 4 wickets

Washington: Pete Demetri, Phil Coleman (+), Matt Holt, Paul Irons, Steve Brown, Ash Cruickshank, Shawn Hill (c), Peter Kloss, Brent De Villiers, Russell Pendry, Eric Stoughton