League Match vs Coach & Horses, 5th August 2006, Springfield Park

London Fields Come Up 70 Short
Coach and Horses beat London Fields by 70 runs

by our extremely rare correspondent Alec McCrindle

On a day that was probably a bit too warm and sunny, for cricket anyway, LFCC turned out to face the Coach and Horses on Springfield Park. The pitch was an unknown factor this season, so when the toss was won we chose to field. As it turns out, the pitch was flat and lifeless. The first two balls went for eight, and it didn't get much better. The outfield was lightning fast and bumpy, and the ball scooted to the boundary from what seemed every connection with the bat, off the middle or not. It was also really sunny and hot.

While he did take a wicket, our cause wasn't helped by Tyron's unfortunate injury midway through his second over, leaving us a man down and a gap in the field, one which the Coach batters seemed to know the exact location of at all times. Robin came on to bowl for Ty, and proceeded to show the rest of the bowlers how excellent line and length on even the most docile pitch earns respect at the other end.

It all went swimmingly for Coach, who though rather lucky at times, didn't present too many chances, and barring a short mid-innings slowdown and the loss of John later on for a well earned 80, scored runs at such an alarming rate they ended up with 259. Congratulations should go to their no.3 (?) for a stroke filled 120 odd not out. He was watchful to start with, but accelerated towards the latter stages of their innings.

Besides Robin's tidy spell (his 4.3 overs went for only 17), Dave Hickey's welcome return to left arm spin provided a solid 5/34/1 (and the only other wicket to fall), and Rick kept things in check with a decent 5 overs for 24. The author had earlier turned down an invitation from a fetching young lady to attend a festival, to instead bowl 4 overs for 53 runs under the blazing sun, an appropriate punishment.

We began our batting at a good pace, but lost wickets regularly, one of which was Dave Hickey, who lost his bat and almost killed the square leg fielder while attempting a tremendous drive through cover. Sadly, the ball went off the edge and straight to the keeper.

Before our chase started, our Captain Jason Lord asked for 30 runs from each of us. He set the example and anchored the innings with 33, Richard top scored with a quick-fire 37 and Matt chipped in with 27 in the middle. Unfortunately, there was nothing too notable from the rest of us.

Coaches chief destroyer was James, whose 5 overs brought him 4 wickets for 36 runs, supported by Mo picking up 2 wickets and conceding only 10 runs from 5 overs, with 2 maidens. We faced a challenge from the start, but Coach's great fielding and tight bowling kept the game firmly under their control. When the game ended with us 70 odd short we could only congratulate them and hope the next league game could see us back to winning ways.