WHAT'S THE STORY ? - MORE STROLLERS GLORY
Another April, another cricket season. Could The Strollers possibly emulate their all-time record breaking summer of '95, or would they slump back to the mundane mediocrity of yesteryear ? Well, the early signs are good. Mid-way through May, Strollers, the Manchester United of the Sunday friendly cricket circuit, have played four and won four, extending an incredible unbeaten record to 25 games. The last time The Strollers tasted defeat was September 1994 when beef was safe, the National Lottery was a glint in the Chancellor's eye and Oasis was a simple watering hole in the desert. Oh, how times have changed....
The first match of the season saw Stroller's taking on the Home Office at our newly adopted home, the Civil Service Sports Ground, Chiswick. A surprisingly sunny 21 April saw the visitors batting first. Despite a vicious cross wind hampering winter ravaged run-ups, Strollers' bowlers did well, dismissing the Home Office for a meagre 116 for 8 (Nick Clark 2 for 7, Rick Bond 2 for 12 and debutante Mick Matthews 2 spurious LBW decisions for 18). This left Strollers in confident mood. However, stalwart John McGirr went cheaply, and Aussie new boy Chris "Boon" Schofield got his chance. Things looked promising as Chris and skipper Phil Connell settled in, but Chris' fateful words on nearly running the skipper out ("I'm an aggressive runner, mate") came back to haunt him. In a run-out only slightly less controversial than Boycott running Randall out at Trent Bridge in '77, the keen antipodean was found to be two feet short of the crease and heading dejectedly back to the pavilion (on our particular pitch, a little ramshackle hut). Gloves and bat were thrown to the floor in disgust and routine death threats issued, but at least the bat wasn't made of aluminium. As with Boycott in '77, however, Phil revelled in the controversy, and steered the team home with a veritable score of 71, leaving Strollers on 118 for 5 and comfortable victors by 5 wickets.
The following Sunday, 28th April, Strollers entertained Hinchley Wood, the side led by all round cricketing marvel and HQ skipper Nick Reeve. A rather murky day did not distil the Strollers' bowlers as Hinchley Wood were put in to bat and were obliterated from the field at 25 (that's twenty five) all out (Mick "Mauler" Matthews 4 for 8, Tim Elliott 2 for 4 and Calbert McLean 2 for 8). Highlight of the innings was Mauler Matthews clean bowling Nick Reeve for a duck with a vicious in-swinger. The Strollers victory was a formality, ending up with 27 for 2 and an easy win by 8 wickets.
The 5th of May saw The Strollers strolling for the first time in the season, on this occasion to the Maori Ground in Worcester Park to take on tedious and tiresome arch rivals John Lewis. John Lewis opted to bat first, a rare occasion indeed for the monotonous run "chasers", which would prove their undoing. Another fine Strollers' bowling performance saw the men from Haberdashery and Home Furnishings skittled out for an embarrassing 103 (Mauler Matthews 3 for 21, Paul Lees 2 for 15 and Paul "Ginger Flash" Lupton 2 for 16). This was never going to be enough and Strollers easily knocked off the runs, ending up with an impressive 104 for 2 (Phil Connell 51 not out, Nick Clark 18 not out and Andy Ward 15), victors by 8 wickets.
The Strollers strolled again the following week, 12th May, over to Perivale to play that nice bunch of blokes the Ealonians. The weather was a touch dull, and the pitch looked somewhat on the dangerous side, but Skipper Phil lost the toss and for the first time in the season Strollers were put into bat first. The batsmen's unfamiliarity with this scenario clearly showed as Strollers struggled and lost early wickets, before Mauler Matthews and Paul "Head of Departmental Cricketing Affairs" Lees took control, and Strollers smashed their way out of trouble to achieve a thoroughly acceptable total of 157 for 8 off thirty five overs (Mauler Matthews 37, Paul Lees 37 not out and Chris Schofield 26). As Ealonians came out to bat, none of us knew that we were about to witness a Dominic Cork-esque piece of cricketing magic that would further rewrite Strollers' history books. Mauler Matthews took Strollers' first ever hat-trick - the first two wickets clean bowled, the third and decisive a plum LBW. Following this act of wanton devastation, Ealonians never recovered and slumped to 61 all out (Mauler Matthews 5 for 10 and Nick Clark 2 for 5), leaving Strollers winning the match by 96 runs.
So all in all a great start to the season, but no Strollers article would be complete without a quick mention of the catering arrangements. The Chiswick tea has definitely improved (doorstep sandwiches and fresh cream cakes), but at £2.50 a head a tad on the expensive side. The Maori Ground and Ealonians both provided excellent fare, as we have come to expect, but what of the infamous Perry Tea ? Well, Derek will shortly be wrenched out of retirement as Strollers prepare to take on those sprightly northeners from the Sunderland Supporters Club. What delicacies of culinary excellence will befall us ? Only time will tell, but it had better be more than your hopelessly small and anaemic chipolata sausage, Derek!
Tim Elliott