Theale & Tilehurst Friendly XI vs United Services 11th June 2006

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Report by Fingers

Having missed out on this fixture last year it was very good to go back to Portsmouth and play United Services at the former first class ground at Burnaby Road. The pitch at Theale had been compared to the M4 it was so hard and flat on Saturday and if that was true the pitch at Portsmouth looked like the M3 and M27 combined. Both captains were keen to win the toss and make first use of the pitch in a straight 40 over game and when the coin came down against James’ call the United Services captain smiled at him and said “I think you can guess what we’re going to do”.

On a flat pitch and on a hot afternoon we also had to contend with a test match batsman opening the innings for the opposition, Charles Coventry of Zimbabwe (2 test matches and 11 ODIs for Zimbabwe; http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/zimbabwe/content/player/55329.html). If we thought the Sonning innings had got off to a flier on Saturday it was nothing compared to the start that United Services got as for the first 14 overs they were going along at over ten an over with Coventry hitting some of the biggest sixes some of us had seen, one which must have carried for about 120-130 metres and straight out of what is a very large ground (it would have been well in to the school at Theale). During this period Bob managed to show what a fine head of steam he had built up by producing a delivery that snapped Coventry’s bat about half way up. What wasn’t helping was that Fotheringham at the other end was also a very talented and attacking batsman. Some minds were being cast back to Exmouth and what had happened in a tour game there when they threatened to rattle up 400 and these were reinforced when the first wicket to fall was taken by James one handed above his head.

Once Lemmy and Bob had finished their opening spells it was left to Os and me to take up the challenge. Needless to say I only needed one ball to get rid of Coventry as I produced a magical thigh height full toss that he whacked straight down Meady’s throat at deep mid-wicket. The rest of the United Services batting order looked pretty useful as well and Raj did well to bowl eight tight overs and Dicko did well to pick up a couple of wickets at the end. The final score just passed 300 and became the highest score a T&T side has ever conceded but it was one we would have settled for at the half way point when they looked like scoring well in excess of 350.

Despite a long hot afternoon in the field and a mammoth total on the board the T&T batsman still couldn’t wait to get out in to the middle for their turn with the bat. Unfortunately for James and Raj their turn didn’t last long and not for the first time on a Sunday this year the major partnership was between Os and Meady as they added 140 for the 3rd wicket. Meady was the most fluent and rode his luck more than a little as he was caught off a no-ball and survived a very close run out call when Os drove one back and the bowler deflected it on to the stumps.

With the two of them together the seemingly impossible seemed possible but when Meady was dismissed for an excellent 89 none of the following partnerships were able to keep up with the rate that had reached double figures an over. Spike and Rags both gave it a real go and Hamad was unfortunate to be the victim of one of the best run outs you’ll ever see and Os also went searching for the two boundaries an over we needed.

As it was 265-7 represented a very creditable effort and our highest score ever batting second in game.

What was more the game was played in an excellent spirit and the talk after the games was that the fixture should be home and away next year. If Mr Coventry comes along we better start collecting balls for the occasion now; at least the houses opposite the ground will be safe, it will be the ones further in to the village that will need to worry.