Report by Russell Woolf:
4.30pm: e mail from Daniel. "THE GAME IS ON". So with much relief I journey to Fitz to find that Remnants President Geoff Hales is already there along with a blast from the past in the form of Steve Gull. Other familiar faces from past Remnants sides show up, including Andy Bell, Andrew Lea, Nick Johnson and Rob Harvey.
Being watchful about the weather a shortened 13x 8 ball overs match is agreed upon and, winning the toss, Remnants captain for the night Temoor Khan chooses to bat. Opening the batting is Sam Serby and Simon Godsill, and the score moves to 13 before Simon is decieved by Alec Armstrong and is bowled for 6. Andy Bell joins Sam and they proceed to put on a 70-run partnership until Andy is caught by Julius Rix off the bowling of Richard Rex for 36 in the 10th over. Marcus Baker comes and quickly goes as he is run out trying to push the score along, out for a duck without facing a ball (not sure if this is a diamond or platinum duck - please advise).
There were some drop outs today through injury both Andy Owen and Faruk Kara were injured on Saturday and Dave Green proves trouble comes in threes as he receives a blow to the hand from a drive that he "cannot get out of the way quick enough", ending up badly bruised between thumb and wrist joint and so replaced in the field by Steve Gull, who does good work in the outfield in the latter overs.
Some of the President's XI bowlers are given some tap, Nick Johnson going for 40 in 3 overs and Richard Rex (1-37) going for 22 in his last over, Sam Serby bring the main culprit as he carries his bat through the innings making 65* (off 44 balls). Assisted by Sam Thomas (5) and Kaustav Dutta (7*), Remnants finish on 121/4.
In reply the President's XI open the batting with Tom Serby and Saad Shoukat, facing Remnants opening bowlers of Ben Stone and John Moore. Ben makes the first breakthrough with Tom Serby (14) who, having hit consecutive four and six perishes 3 balls later as he is caught on the boundary by his son Sam (possibly benefitting from hours and hours of play in the garden with Tom long ago). Julius Rix (3) doesn't spend much time at the crease, Andrew Celsus taking a juggled catch in the deep off John Moore's bowling, having told us on Saturday playing for Romsey Town that he had to learn to catch. Andrew Lea enters the contest and makes 13 (off 16 balls) before being given out LBW.
During all this time the President's XI's run chase is ahead off Remmants innings: at 8 overs is 81/3 against 57/1. But then the game turns on two pieces of play, one spectacular and one stupid. The President's XI's success relies on Richard and Saad staying in. Temoor Khan brings himself on to bowl and Shoukat responds with a six taking his score to 52* off 36 balls; but Temoor counter attacks and, although Saad makes good contact with the ball, he is brilliantly caught in the deep by Sam Serby who again stamps his mark on the game. It's now 87/4. Having got settled in Richard (14) is facing the last ball of Andrew Celsus's 2nd over, just needing to take an easy single and retain the strike for the next over. However, he attempts to take another run and is comfortably run out by Sam Thomas.
The requirement is now 21 off 3 overs but the batsmen's attempts are thwarted by accurate Remnants bowling. Nick Johnson (8) and Alec Armstrong (2) give up their wickets in the chase but to no avail, leaving Rob Harvey (1*) and Dave Green (?) to face the final ball of the game. Dave successfully defends and saves his average for another day.
Remnants win by 10 runs but everyone is pleased just to get the game on in a Summer that has been so disappointing weather-wise. So it's onto Woozlers and ARM this week attempt to improve the "W" in the 2019 ledger (with tonight not counting as it was an internal game).
