Back to winning ways but not without controversy

We switched from the 50 over one day format to the more traditional timed games against Holtwhite Trinibis IIIs. Holtwhites won the toss and put us in to bat on a warm sunny day. Opening batsmen Zaf Basit and Naz Asif were up against the youthful Foster and more experienced Rohan Watson. Naz tucked into the bowling with his usual relish and the score raced to 67 from 12 overs until Zaf (13) was caught off Watson. Naz (52) followed in the next over and Lee Crocker (8) joined him shortly after (79/3). New batsmen Lawrence Bird and Pete Jaffe then set about rebuilding the innings, taking the score to 130 before Loz (14) was bowled by George Harris (130/4). As is traditional, wickets again fell in a pair as Pete Jaffe (30) was out caught in the following over off the bowling of Glen Robinson (133/5). Shortly afterwards Murtuza Amin (3) was the bowled by Charlie Peek (139/6). Shahme Farook marshalled the tail well and together with Dave Flavell (7) the score advanced to 184/7. Ajay Bhatia (8) and Ali Javed (10) and Andrew Godfrey (7*) all contributed until the declaration on 224/9 from 50 overs left Shahme on 47 not out.

After Kath's wonderful tea, Holtwhites set about chasing the Village total. The Villge opening pair of Ali Javed and Ajay Bhatia both struck early, removing Rohil Maisuria (2), Charlie Peek (0) and Callum Middleton (0), bringing the experienced West Indian pair of Boysie Reid and Rohan Watson to the middle. Watson's big hitting and Reid's pushing and prodding propelled the score along at a rate that looked like taking the game away from the Village, especially given the generous drops in the field. One of the more controversial moments seen on a cricket pitch then followed, Watson smashed a half volley from Naz Asif straight to Dave Flavell at deep cover and stood his ground, informing fellow West Indian umpire Glen Robinson that his shot was a bump ball. This would have to have been the hardest hit bump ball in history to get to deep cover at the speed that it travelled, but to everyone on the pitch and sidelines astonishment the umpire believed this story - not out! Fortunately, this setback strengthened the Village's resolve to rectify this travesty and Watson (66) was finally given out (by Holtwhites skipper) LBW to a full toss from Naz. Wickets then tumbled but with the overs running out Glen Robinson was proving stubborn to remove until Ali Javed came back to take his wicket, well caught by a diving Naz Asif at second slip in the 48th over to give us a 39 run victory which might have looked comfortable but was anything but that.

Mill Hill Village IIs 30 points, Holtwhites 8 points