Quadrant lose opener

Wimbledon Park CC (133-6) beat Quadrant CC (129-5) by four wickets

Quadrant CC may have lost their first game of the season in Ashes year, but will go away proud of putting up a gallant performance against all the odds on a balmy day in Battersea Park.

The build-up to the match had been blighted by missing regulars – a text was even put in to former Middlesex opener Ben Hutton – while Quadrant were relegated to an eneven pitch with a remarkable array of local eclecticism which formed a crazy day for both sets of players.

Having won the toss – Wimbledon Park had lost five already this season – and outfield cleared of local chavs and Kiwis to beyond the boundary, Rod Gilmour put his eight-man troopers into bat, Imraan Arbee and Bun Edmunds immediately setting about compiling a workmanlike 72-run opening stand – which must be a NIH/Quadrant record – in about 12 overs.

There was a fair crowd lining the boundary, too, and the ICC's global committee will have learnt a few things if they had ventured to SW London to witness the cosmopolitan crowd on show. Admittedly, Quadrant had around 20 of its own while the other 100 were soaking up the sun, but they soon knew a game was on when Edmunds and Arbee stroked the ball onto one girl’s back, through sunbathing chicks and then dangerously close to happy families lounging beyond long-on.

From here the game turned. Worcester Park’s ‘Uncle’ called a mid-pitch meeting and urged the game to be scrapped – citing a dangerous pitch and safety of the locals – before a compromise was set at 25 overs each. With their skip off injured, Quadrant looked like they might even make a 100-run stand as WP looked bereft of a leader. But Arbee, nearing his fifty, went down the pitch and was bowled by Amir, the loopiest of bowlers, for 45.

Edmunds, finding it hard to garner runs, stayed put as Ben Aitchison was run-out suicidally and Gilmour, looking to steer one to the on-side, was stumped for one. Both will rue their early season blunders.

Mike Norrish (7) looked in good nick after several nets over the winter. Edmunds must be commended for his 23. But it was Alex Thomas (24*) and Simon Gorringe (13*), both debutants, who steered Quadrant to a chaseable 129-5.

Aitchison pounced immediately during a crazy first over lasting around 10 minutes. A no-ball dismissal, several wides and a leading-edge catch before JD Bradford’s debut over showed promise. Ammad took control thereafter. The right-hander scored 64 with 13 fours to set up their win.

Quad had to deal with several unexpected sightings in the field. They might well have been put off by a gaggle of single mums walking their pitbulls and Rottweilers across the pitch as well . Only Arbee or Thomas looked like they may ask them to observe cricket etiquette. With gaps appearing, Quad saved countless runs with emphatic effort: Norrish took a blinding catch a point, Thomas attempted a Greg Louganis-type diving catch from out of nowhere just about summed up the effort put in by the VIII.

Gilmour’s two-wicket breakthrough in his opening over had WP 48-4 and teetering. A 50-odd runs stand ensued before Gorringe then had them on the rack with two wickets in an over with nine needed to win and three wickets in tact. It wasn’t to be though. ‘Uncle’ taking them to victory with a six over mid-wicket.