BARBARIANS SUFFER OPENING DAY DEFEAT
By James Wheeler
The newly formed Twenty20 side for the club ‘The Barbarians’ narrowly lost their opening game of the season at Bushey despite outstanding performances by Steve Kimsey (Sr) and Andy Carr. Fresh from the news that their new kit had been stolen the day before, ‘The Barbarians’ took to the field in traditional whites at Bushey’s beautiful and picturesque ground on the outskirts of Watford.
Captain James Wheeler lost the toss and unsurprisingly, his opposite number Nomaan Ilyas decided to bat on a beautiful May evening. The opening attack of Ian Ridley and Steve Kimsey (Jnr) started well and stopped Bushey from getting a fast start with Ridley in particular bowling very tight. However Kimsey (Jnr) picked up the opening wicket of the game when Sheikh lofted the ball straight to Wayne Whitson at cover. Whitson had handed the pads and gloves for the dayto Twenty20 specialist Richard Clarke who had a fine game behind the stumps.
Fourth team skipper Simon Heaney was then brought on to replace Ridley for his first bowl this season and he did a good job at containing Neil Jackson and former Borough batsman Gunawardena. However the pair put on an excellent partnership with Jackson showing perfectly how to pace a T20 innings finishing with a well made 68.
Heaney’ finished with no wickets for 31 runs from his 4 overs but his spell showed that he should definitely bowl himself more at the weekend. Experienced seamers Eranda Jayasinghe and Steve Kimsey (Sr) kept the runs down with some accurate and intelligent T20 bowling and the pair finished with 5 wickets between them with Kimsey (Sr) finishing with 3-26.
A few lusty blows from the Bushey lower order gave them a very competitive total of 140 from their 20 overs.
The Barbarians reply got off to the worse possible start when T20 specialist Richard Clarke smashed his first ball, a rank long hop from leg break bowler Butt back to the bowler who took an excellent caught and bowled.
Bessborough legend Andy Carr came in at 3 and started to rebuild the innings with opener Wayne Whitson. The pair went on to put on 85 runs in 11 overs with Carr facingthe majority of the strike and scoring most of the runs. Carr, returning to theground where he scored his first hundred in the 1980s looked in complete control at the crease. His 66 came off 28 balls with shots all around and hisinnings included 12 fours and a six. Carr was particularly savage on anythingshort and he unleased two of the best cut shots your ever likely to see in club cricket.
He was eventually out in the 12th over lobbing a ball into the air to be caught by Sleeman off the bowling of Khan. Captain James Wheeler, fresh from a 61 on the Saturday joined Whitson at the crease with the rate creeping up to 9 runs anover.
The Barbarians lost their way after Whitson was dismissed with Richard Ward and Sammy Hawes on his T20 senior debut both falling for ducks.
With the match looking beyond them, Wheeler got them back into the game striking consecutive sixes off the bowling of Singh with the first one being caught onthe boundary by Jackson, who unfortunately for Bushey carried the ball over theboundary rope.
Eranda Jayasinghe came and went cheaply and with 15 needed off 8 balls the Barbarians looked to heading to an opening day defeat. Ian Ridley joined Wheeler and managed to smash a square cut off the bowling of Ilyas to leave the Barbarians needing 10 off the final over.
Wheeler was out early in the last over, he was caught at Long On by Jackson and Steve Kimsey (Jr) joining Ridley at the crease. Unfortunately they could only muste r3 singles between them which saw the Barbarians lose by 6 runs.
A new season brings a new Man of the Match award with each player voting. Unsurprisingly Andy Carr won the award picking up 10 of the 11 votes available. He was presented with a vintage bottle of Chilean White Wine in the Bushey bar afterthe game.
All in all it was an excellent game of cricket enjoyed by all players on both sides andThe Barbarians are looking forward to welcoming their hosts to our Headstone Manor ground in Mid July.
Next up . .. . Sky Sports Active on Thursday at the Borough
SCORECARD
Man of the Match Andy Carr (right) receiving his award from captain James Wheeler