Blackheath CC, Kent – 1st XI vs Bickley Park CC – 1st XI

Report

A thrilling game at the Rectory Field saw us lose by 5 runs to the league leaders.

Blackheath won the toss and chose to bat, and they took 20 off the first three overs. But Dan soon induced a collapse, and all of a sudden Blackheath were 46 for 5. Three sharp catches for Adeel, and Blackheath captain Chris Willetts practically walked for a first ball lbw. The next pair put on 126 for the sixth wicket though. Tanweer showed his class in making 112, while some long handle from Jahid in the closing overs took Blackheath to their total of 229 for 8. Dan took 5-50, while Philip and Adeel both went at less than three an over.

We didn’t have the best of starts either, and when Alex Fullarton fell for a patient 21 we were 50 for 4. Dan (70) and Warren (31) added 99 for the fifth wicket to put us right back in the game, but then we lost four quick wickets and seemed to be out of it at 170 for 8 with only eight overs remaining. Alex Moen and Gordon put on 40 in six overs though before Alex was run out for 24 – and at the start of the last over we needed 16 to win with Gordon and Xav at the wicket, and Tanweer to bowl.

Gordon took a single off the first ball, before Xav hit the second for six! Two more singles, before Gordon went for a tight second off the fifth ball and didn’t quite get there. Blackheath had won by 5 runs, but one of the best games of the season even so.