WCC v Mandarins. Battersea Park 18.6.23

Mandarins won by 9 runs.

The weather forecast warned of a deluge at 4pm, so a decision was smartly taken to play a T20 starting at one o’clock. By 11.55 the ever punctual Weekenders were queueing outside the Prince Albert for early sharpeners.

The Mandarins’ regular ground was unavailable, but they had found this perfectly good, utilitarian replacement with trees around the boundary and the four chimneys of the Battersea Power Station shopping destination visible in the distance.

The Mandarins took first dig and filled their trolleys with the WCC bowling. But halfway through the innings came an impressive club debut by Doctor Dave Cloete, who snaffled three poles with tidy little nibblers.

The WCC openers, Brockis and Leal, launched a powerful response to the Mandarins’ formidable total. Leal, making a hugely welcome return after a long lay-off, scored 24 of his stylish 27 in boundaries. Brockis was retired on a merciless 30, whereupon four wickets went down like a clear-out in a timber yard. Hudson and debutant Cloete restructured the innings gamely but the run rate climbed. Needing 22 off the final over, we fell ten short, with Brockis unable to get back on the park and pacing the boundary edge like a caged tiger with an Equity card and a fag on the go.

On the plus side, we were all back in the Prince Albert by 4.30pm. 

 

Mandarins 126-4.

Healy 33*, McKean 28

WCC Bowling: Orwell 5-0-36-0; Douglas 5-1-16-1; Hudson 3-0-23-0; Cloete 4-0-17-3; T. Lyons 3-0-20-0

Catch: Douglas

 

WCC 117-7.

Brockis 30*(retd.), Leal 27, T. Lyons 0, H. Husaini 0, Hogben 6, McCallum 0, Cloete 13, Hudson 13, Orwell 1, Douglas 12 not out.