It may be stretching things to suggest that yesterday afternoon’s thrilling tie between The Surrey Cricket Foundation (SCF) and Middlesex in the Community (MITC) was comparable to the final morning of England’s enthralling Test against India at The Oval, but it did enrapture all those who attended.
Passages of excellent and less than average cricket culminated in MITC requiring five runs to pass SCF’s first innings total of 212 from the final ball of the match. Batting for MITC was Jack Davis, the mainstay of his sides run chase. Bowling for SCF was their opening bowler, Brad Jones. The delivery, short and down the leg side, wasn’t precise. The shot, a heave to leg, wasn’t measured and the ball was missed. The fielding by the wicket-keeper, didn’t take place. The result of it all was the ball rolling to the fine leg boundary for four byes. It was a fitting finish to an enjoyable afternoon of cricket.
SCF won the toss and elected to bat on a warm afternoon at East Molesey Cricket Club, a delightful ground on the side of the River Thames. And Surrey’s openers wasted no time in getting after Middlesex’s bowlers. The nature of the game – a 20 over match – meant that a batter had to retire at the end of the over in which they passed 25.
Surrey’s total of 212 was down to an all-round effort by their batting line-up. Openers, Dan Shepherd and Simon Flinn got their side off to a flying start, scoring 33 and 22 respectively. The hosts middle ensured their teams run rate never went below 10 runs per over. This was down to contributions of 30+ from Jonathan Gale, Khaled Ahmed and Chris Coleman. Middlesex’s overs were equally shared amongst the players, with Danny Blyghton (0-14 off 3 overs) being the most economical.
In reply, Blyghton and Nirali Hathi got MITC off to a strong start, but the retirement of Blyghton led to a middle order collapse. Much of Middlesex’s hopes would have been placed on the batting of Josh Knappett and Fionn Wilkinson but both perished to fine catches in consecutive overs. Knappett was superbly caught at mid-wicket by Ed Belger whilst Gudrun Bennett held on to a steepling catch at long on to dismiss Wilkinson.
When Emily Patterson took her second wicket, bowling MITC Chair, Will Stone, it looked like the visitors hopes of winning had disappeared. It was then that Andy Hill and Davis came together. Hill was dismissed for 29, whilst Davis retired not out on 35. Catherine Pearce and Aaryan Vadhar took MITC to within 50 runs of their target before they, along with Oscar Powell perished.
The fall of wickets allowed Davis to return to the crease, with MITC requiring 40 off the final three overs. The target reduced quickly on the back of a number of lusty blows from Davis, who finished unbeaten on 75, and some stoic defence from Matthew Key. A couple of boundaries and dot balls in Jones’ final overkept the game in the balance before the final act allowed the match to reach a fair and uncontentious conclusion.
There was talk of both teams playing a super over to decide a winner, but the draw of a drink at the bar, ultimately, proved too strong.
MITC would like to thank SCF and East Molesey CC for hosting the afternoon and will look to host a return match north of the river in 2026.
