So - with the Barnet result being reversed to their use of ineligible players, we found ourselves ina sudden death play-off for a semi final place. Sadly, this was not enough to shake off the duvets of the average Pacific member & so joining Conrad, Steve, Tim & Shane from Islington CC were Sheldon Greenland & Dennis Morgan.
The 2 Islington lads gave an excellent account of themselves & conducted themselves superbly. In fact, so good was Sheldon that Southgate tried to poach him. I'd like to think that we were a little ahead of them in the queue - at least Wray Crescent is just around the corner & who'd want to play at a first class ground anyway but that's another story.
So we lost the toss & were inserted. Danger man & again top scorer, Tim V was run out when the fielder kicked the ball at the non strikers end & hit & the bails fell off. All agreed it was a prety flukey way to go.
Steve got his best score to date & maybe the retirement will be delayed. He survived the fastest bowler in the Middlesex League, Fawad, according to the organisers - at least he did till the last ball of his spell.
Conrad was well caught & bowled. Grey shirted & shorted Shane couldn't quite get the hang of the running & Sheldon who'd looked the business didn't get to score more than 5 off 6 balls when the suicide call came.
Shane then played & missed a bit & then got bowled.
Unflustered, 12 year old Dennis played out a calm 16 balls for 10 runs before getting bowled by the 2nd last ball of the innings & Pacific were all out for the first time of the season.
A 53 target was at least 30 runs too few so it took a galant effort by the bowlers to hold back the defeat until 17 balls remained. Sheldon's bowling was outstanding - short & quick into the ribs. Johnson eventually left in a huff when Conrad caught him. Not a man used to being out to a 14 year old then !
Further Greenland pressure saw Steve Lay run out Mir & Adam Vinson's lusty top edged cuts never quite came down to ground to be caught. A gallant rearguard action lead by Sheldon, Chandler was his most economical & Mundie if a little full in length did enough to suggest he can be a potent force indoors too which is a shame as he'll be in Aus for next year's campaign. Maybe more Islington players is the answer.
VI:- C Chandler*, S Lay+, T Vanderpump, S Mundie, S Greenland & D Morgan.
