F&HCC Match Report 24/05/2025
“Are you not entertained?”
A famous line once belted out by Russell Crowe (in Gladiator) but equally applied to Saturdays nail biting, cliff hanger of a First XI fixture at The Paddock. Like two punch drunk journeymen pugilists neither side looked capable of landing the winning blow at times, but it made for gripping entertainment. Thankfully, oh thankfully, Fives were to squeeze home by the narrowest of margins to claim their first Premier League victory and give themselves a huge confidence boost after a challenging start to the season.
With more plot twists than a Dostoevsky classic this match report had the potential to take on biblical proportions and much will have to be confined to the cutting room floor but here goes.
With neither side recording a win prior Saturday this match up would have been targeted by both sides as potentially winnable. With a damp outfield and overcast skies it looked like bowl first day but the wicket looked a belter and despite overnight rain was rock hard and bone dry (Thanks to the efforts of the ground staff). Brad won the toss and inserted Hill to bat first and off we went.
Ben Waine was quick to find his line and length with a tight opening over but fears that the spare balls collection might be placed under extreme pressure looked genuine when Ben Little’s opening delivery from the ‘Mansion End’ was dispatched by opener Jaspal for a flat six that went straight through the sightscreen and continued its trajectory like a tracer bullet over the fence.
Nevertheless, Fives struck an early blow, through the impressive Waine, who got a ball to lift and move enough to take the edge of Saravaiya’s bat and Bilal Kamal took a good catch at first slip. A fine start could have become a fantastic one as Ben Waine induced the left-handed Jaspal to a thick edge that probably should have been taken at slip but alas the pace off the bat was sufficient to burst through the fingers and fly away for another boundary as the Hill score rattled along.
Waino wasn’t to be denied though as he removed Irish international Karunakaran for just 11, trapped LBW, to claim his second wicket with the score on 54. That brought Sandun Dias to the crease and along with Jaspal the approach was aggressive and hard hitting as both scored in excess of a run a ball. Fives needed a breakthrough with the batsmen on top and it was provided by an international cricketer of our own as Portugal left arm spinner Nipo found the leading edge of Jaspal’s blade and took a comfortable return catch with the game in the balance at 89-3.
The pre-drinks phase was dominated by Fives as the home side wrestled back the initiative. Ben Little produced a superb stop in the field and an even better one bounce throw to run out young batting star Rashid for just 8 and then in the final over before some much-needed refreshment a massive moment. Dias had looked in majestic form, cruising to his half century in 40 balls, but inexplicably lofted directly into the hands of Kabir Sungeen at long on four balls before the break to leave Fives on top with the board 133-5.
Straight after the resumption a huge moment. Nipo claimed a return catch from the bat of the experienced Hendro Puchert. Fives were convinced they had their man but after a lengthy consultantion the umpires reprieved the batsman, and it looked a good decision given the element of doubt benefitting the bat. Alas, Puchert then batted beautifully alongside Essex Second XI player Dwivedi as Hill started to look as if they might threaten a score of around 300.
Just when Fives really needed a wicket, they found one through Bilal Kamal with an odd dismissal of Dwivedi who was stumped off the pads of wicket keeper Aryan Gupta for 31. A fine leaping, one handed grab by Waine off the bowling of Bilal saw off Parkinson cheaply before Kaumal superbly ran out Puchert for 52. The Fives fight back was in full flow and they polished off the innings quickly to dismiss Buckhurst Hill for 232. It was a fine effort in the field with some impressive bowling most notably Bilal 3-35 (10), Kaumal 1-22 (9), Ben Waine 2-54 (9) and Brad Copper 1-30 (9.3).
I don’t need to tell this readership that 232 at The Paddock shouldn’t be anywhere near enough but in both previous league games our innings had been blighted by being four down for barely anything. It was clear from the chat over tea that the normal all-out attack with the bat was not going to be the order of the day. Value was to be placed on seeing off the new ball and retaining wickets.
To that end – objective achieved. Brad Copper and Ben Yeats adopted a safety-first approach, reigning in their natural shot making tendencies, in the face of some extremely accurate and challenging bowling most notably from Hendro Puchert who was metronomic in hitting a perfect length. With 29 on the board from the opening power play and the shine removed from the ball it was time to force the pace, but it led immediately to the loss of Yeats taken low down at second slip.
In a totally re-jigged batting order, Aryan Gupta was next in and immediately he looked comfortable as the low-risk approach was maintained but with the accelerator pressed a tad harder. Brad was batting himself into form before miscuing aerially and departing for 36. At 88-2 a foundation had been built but the required rate was up at around a run a ball and it was anyone’s game. In at four, Huzaifa Umer, Fives equivalent of Glenn Maxwell – just with less medals and less forearm hair.
Huz was to play a glorious knock, superbly batting in tandem with Aryan. Together they added 88 at a rattling rate. Huz was at his best. Cuts shots hammered for boundaries; Slog sweeps disappeared over the fence. With Aryan playing like he could bat for weeks ticking over the board Fives were racing to the victory. Just as total dominance was being achieved the ‘Enigma’ that is Huz began to struggle to contain his adrenaline surge and skied miserably and unnecessarily. Staggeringly, the chance was fumbled to the floor in the field. Surely, a mental reset and finish all the superb work?
Errr no. With Hill looking totally beaten and heads down. 53 needed at 4.75 an over with 8 wickets in hand. ‘Nothing stupid lads’. A last throw of the dice from Hill as they recalled opening quick Puchert who had gone for 11 in 8 overs. Options available may have included (1) see him off (2) let’s have a look as not faced him today and see how we go or (3) lets charge down the wicket first ball and try and smash him out the ground.
Huz inevitably went for option 3 and was clean bowled. It had been a wonderful innings. Some outstanding shot making and had put us on the verge of victory. He had made 56 from just 37 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes.
The game was still ours surely. The next 20 minutes was then horrific as we lost 5 wickets for the addition of just 35 runs. Aryan departed for a highly proficient half century having batted wonderful and being the perfect foil to Huz. But suddenly we were 211-7 with a run rate now pushing towards 8. DLS had swung from Fives being in front by a distance to suddenly being second favourites. Faces were as grim as Chris Wilder’s and morale falling quicker than a Space X rocket launch.
Enter young Kabs. Suddenly, someone playing the situation with a calm head. Balls were dabbed into gaps and sharp singles taken. We crept ever closer. Hill couldn’t stop the ones and frankly didn’t appear as if they intended to. Two overs to go and we were down to needing 14 to win.
Running out of bowling options Hill went for off spin from the Lane End. Eyebrows raised. Two balls in Kabs down the wicket and launching a huge six back over the bowlers head. What a blow and surely now a match winning moment. Eight needed off 10 balls.
Feeling the spirit of Huz in his veins Kabs went for glory and another maximum over extra cover only to find a 2-metre-tall Aussie stood by the rope to take the catch chest high. Hill jubilant.
Probably the wise words of the Hill scorer at this point hit the mark. “Both teams are desperately trying to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory”. I stopped banging my head off the scorers hut and made a note.
No disrespect to Nipo and Kaumal but the circumstances rather suggested we’d blown it. Only Hill still had to get out this over of off spin. A wide (lovely), Kaumal a scrambled single, Nipo out to the boundary for 2. One extra ball left for the wide – Nipo on strike. Short and wide – Nipo on the cut – hammered beyond backward point and 4. Scores level!!!
Fives now one run from victory. Hill devasted. The experienced Burah to bowl to Kaumal. One needed with two wickets in hand. A dot ball then second ball Kaumal slices high towards backward point. The ball is spinning in the air away from the fielder. Fives players roar in celebration – but those cheers are stuck in the throats as staggeringly Karunakaran makes a stunning diving one handed catch.
One to win for Fives. A wicket for Hill for a tie. Ben Little on strike. Burah bowls it turns. There’s a grab at leg slip but the ball goes down. Confusion. Like a glorious Angel of the North the umpire turns arms out-stretched – a wide and it’s finally over. Fives win by the narrowest of margins. Elation abounds the home side and support.
A ridiculous game of cricket. Twenty golden points taking Fives up to 6th in the league table. Marvelous.
Away from The Paddock the unbeaten Two’s lost that tag in a heavy defeat at Frenford. Having shipped 295-6 bowling first we were always up against it and even more so with early wickets lost. Gary Norris made a battling 42 and Akbar Khan 29 but we were miles off concluding with 164-9.
Better news from the 3rd XI who defeated Wickford at home. Fives batted first and totalled 207 all out with contributions from Jasbir Singh (36), Nitin Nagpal (34), Sandeep Pisharody (28), Rob Allum (27*) and Amand Khandelwal (24).
A tremendous fighting effort with the ball and in the field helped Fives to a narrow win by 18 runs. Some fantastic bowling figures from Aamir Ali 3-30 (10), Sachin Juneja 3-12 (6), Rob Allum 2-25 (8) and Adam Tanveer 0-13 (5). Excellent first win of the season for the 3’s.
The Four’s lost away at Aztecs who made 235 batting first. Musa Zafar took a brace of wickets whilst Mohammed Ismail had an excellent return of 1-22 from his 8 overs. We lost by 45 runs despite Ben Brittain scoring 52 from 44 balls supported by 35 from Steve Adcock.
Second XI are back at The Paddock next week entertaining Colchester as the First XI travel in the opposite direction to face the same club who top the 1st XI Prem. The 3’s go to Old South’s whilst the 4th XI are up against Buckhurst Hill at Old Chigs.
Andy