Don't miss my Neal and Pray column in The New Age.... every Tuesday!

Thursday, 5 August 2010

And finally, here it is in print: My record 150 not out for Chalfont St Peter Cricket Club


So here it is, the Bucks Advertiser today, August 5, 2010, with a deliriously blow-by-blow account of my record 150 not out for Chalfont St Peter last Sunday!
I know it's only blowing my own trumpet, but given I'd spent the previous three months covering the World Cup in South Africa, it wasn't a bad effort at 49.
And the day before I'd got a third-ball duck opening for neighbouring Chalfont St Giles in my first game of the season - snicked one to slip against Holyport!
Given the fact mighty Penn Street usual wallop us, it was a significant boost for absent captain Alexis Panayiotou and chairman Dan Webb - both having given birth in recent weeks. Well, their wives did.
As always, the Advertiser have done me proud. Spent a long time on the phone with Matt Lewis, their new sports reporter.
Some details Cally the Penn Street scorer also provided: 50 off 59 balls, 100 off 98 balls, 150 off 129. That means the second ton came off just 80 balls, not bad for an old bloke who can't see the scoreboard without shuffling the fielding positions!
The big partnerships: put on 40 with Matt Stannard (28), 88 with Adam Crossley (17), 60 with son Charlie (27) and a further 51 with Charles Gorton (24) in a total of 294-5.
But as I say in the piece, it's the youngsters who keep me going. If they weren't playing I wouldn't bother at this ripe old age. Leg spinner Tom Murphy, England's new Shane Warne aged just 14, took 4-14 off his four overs, Adam Pomarkenke took 3-13, Harry Tyler 2-26 and Jake Watson 1-23. And all of them are still at school. Incredible.
Penn Street were all out for 94, and nobody can remember a 200-run win on a Sunday at the club. So indulge me. My moment of glory after last year's National Christian Vets Cup FA Cup triumph for Goldhill Baptist Church.
There won't be many more moments like this!

1 comment:

  1. congratulations mate. Very well done. I must say you look rather natural in your cricket kit.

    Hope all is well with you. Will we see you around for the 20Twenty Champions League?

    ReplyDelete