MATCH REPORT - Sunday Heathens XI

Friendly vs Nomads (Home) - Sunday 30th May, 2pm

Blackheath 264-7. Nomads 262-8. Result: Draw

(From our correspondent Ollie Craske)

Another riveting draw, which saw 526 runs in an afternoon at the heath and ended with every fielder on the boundary and Nomads needing a four off the final delivery. The bowler was Mike O¹Mahoney, who had earlier scored his second century in two appearances for us, but had just been struck for two mighty sixes in the final over. He held his nerve, and Nomads¹ Matt Wooderson could only manage a single, ending on 130 not out.

O¹Mahoney¹s 132 provided exactly half of another substantial Blackheath total. Neil Brooker gave us a solid start, playing some attractive drives in his 38, but we lost three wickets for two runs to stumble to 66-4. O¹Mahoney then added partnerships of 60 with Horsting (19) and 115 with Simon Jones (14). O¹Mahoney struck 30 off one over (could this be a club record?) but perhaps the most memorable shot of the innings came from Jones, who somehow thumped a big straight six employing nothing more than a cross-bat jab and minimal backlift. Fetch that! We reached tea at 264-7, Ari Richardson (son of Richie) taking 2-37 with some lively pace bowling.

Once again, we started well in the field. Horsting and 14-year-old Robert Parrott bowled lively opening spells, and Parrott also effected a brilliant run-out with a direct hit from mid-off. With Nomads at 72-4 we were on top, but Richardson joined Wooderson and both played some fine shots in a partnership of 141. Craske (your correspondent) was starting to enjoy his spell of off-breaks until he was hit for 21 in an over, bringing the run rate dangerously within reach for Nomads. Horsting (3-83 in 16 overs) and O¹Mahoney (2-68) managed to regain some control and eventually Richardson (57) skied a catch to long-off. Thereafter the tension rose as the responsibility for the chase fell on Wooderson¹s shoulders. He continued to strike boundaries and ran ones and twos in order to keep the strike, but we snatched three more wickets to take the match down to the wire. Nineteen were needed off the last over, which proved beyond Nomads ‹ but only just.

Unfortunately I will be out for at least a couple of weeks, having sustained a hairline fracture to my thumb in the field. Can¹t wait to be back for more of these drawn games.