Spring has really
arrived once the midweek Strollers emerge from hibernation, several weeks after
their weekend brethren. As has become typical in recent seasons, the opening
midweek fixture was against old friends and rivals The Bricklayer’s Arms, who
were very sadly without their founder, manager and secretary (and longtime
Stroller) Chris Locke, who passed away a few weeks earlier, having set the
fixture up in January. Tom Poulter has picked up the reins and The Brick are
playing on in Chris's memory.
Having won the toss,
captain Rob Wall strode out to bat with Scot Findlay, with the batting line-up
somewhat influenced by the fact that the Strollers X were not all present. [Any
questions as to why the Strollers were a X not XI are to be addressed to match
manager Glen Oliver, who apparently has a David Beckhamesque metatarsal injury
and/or repetitive strain injury from explaining that all directions to all
venues are available on the FSS website]
After a good start, Wall
delicately cut the ball straight to the fielder at backward point for eight,
while Findlay came back for a second that Smoking Joe Rokocoko would have
struggled to make and was run out for 13.
Will Baylis-Allen made a
quick five before being caught behind to leave the Strollers at 30-3 (off 5 overs).
Steady batting from Blair Travis (19) and aggressive strokeplay from Rowan
Smith (42 retired) led the recovery with the Strollers 94-3 (12).
Three quick wickets
followed (Mike Pittams bowled, James Dela Rue caught and Nyan Patel bowled) off
the same bowler, as the Strollers chased runs. Richie Stubbs edged behind and
Smith came back in to join Alastair Macaulay and hit another four to bring the
score up to 123-8 (20).
In reply The Brick got
off to a strong start with captain Poulter opening before retiring on 34 after
hitting six boundaries. The Strollers opening attack of Dela Rue and Patel
suffered some damage, with the Brick 58-0 (6).
Next up were
Baylis-Allen and Smith, who both bowled tidy spells, with Smith picking up the
other Brick opener for 14, to leave them at 89-1 (14). The guile of Macaulay
was up next, picking up two wickets - stumped and bowled; with Stubbs bowling a
couple of tidy overs to leave the Brick at 110-3 (19), requiring 14 off the
last over.
Stubbs bowled the Brick No
5 with the first ball of the over, and saw out the rest of the over for six
runs, and the Strollers sneaked home by seven runs.
Both teams headed off to the Red Lion for a pint or two.
Chris's former employer,
the Evening Standard, have written a nice article about him:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tributes-chris-locke-journalist-evening-standard-city-death-b1152532.html
Capt:
Rob Wall. Wkt: Rob Wall/Mike Pittams.
Match fees: Glen Oliver. Match report: Richie Stubbs.
