Sunday 23rd August 2009 will be forever remembered as a glorious English summers’ day. With the Ashes reaching their climax, and England certain of regaining them, 11 of the most dedicated Pretenders switched off their TVs and made the long trip to Rickmansworth to play OMT.
Under clear blue skies, Pretenders batted first on a very good pitch and racked up the sort of total that has become commonplace this summer. OMT had just one bowler, Modi, that caused us any problems all day, and he sent Olly packing for 10 in the 7th over, clean bowling him from round the wicket with a beauty. Andy Alan, playing his first game of the season, showed no sign of rustiness. Together with Luke Derrin they smashed the OMT attack to all parts. They rotated the strike with lots of singles and punished anything loose. Andy was first to 50, but Luke took his Ashes frustrations out on the hapless OMT attack and overtook him, blasting his way to his second century of the season, bring it up in style with his 18th four. The 163 run partnership was ended when Luke retired. Andy then reached his maiden P’s century before also retiring; a chanceless innings with shots all around the wicket. He’s always been a bit ‘special’, now we can say he’s spec ial cricketer. Play more often Andy, we miss you!
Miguel Toney came in at an unfamiliar number 4, and played with customary Caribbean flair smashing 37 not out in the last 9 overs. James ‘Blacksmith’ Henderson got off the mark with his trademark straight six and Miguel also hit a couple as they took the score past 250. Modi returned in the last over before tea to clean up the Blacksmith for 11 and Forrester for 3. Ben Gleadell faced the last ball and got a single, as Horry declared on 276-5, or 3 depending on whether retirements count as a not out or a dismissal to be counted in the averages. The debate will only grow!
The Blacksmith and Arjit Ray opened the bowling for the Pretenders. OMT’s openers started aggressively and Ray was hit back over his head for 6 by Mital. But he got his revenge when he outfoxed Mital with a slower ball that dollied to Horry at extra cover. The Blacksmith won two LBW’s, and Ray got another, caught behind by Luke to leave them 50-4 and not much to come. Desperate to give everyone a go and make a bit of a game of it, Horry changed the bowling. As it was a time game with 20 overs from 6.15, OMT dug in for the draw. At drinks we toasted England on regaining the Ashes. Ben bowled 4 tidy overs and JC struck with his first ball, but wickets were not falling quickly enough. Jamie Dunn tried 3 tentative overs of off-spin, and Horry himself came on=2 0to bag a kiddie, stumped by Luke and given out by his Dad.
With time running out, the new ball pair returned to try and win the game. The Blacksmith got his third wicket as fielders came in close, but Arjit could not add to his three wickets. Sheldrick stubbornly blocked everything prompting Horry to enquire if he was off school the day they were teaching attacking shots, but he remained unfazed. OMT finished on 81-8. For the second week in a row Pretenders had been thwarted by a stubborn rear guard action.