MATCH 54 NOMADS CC v TIDDINGTON CC Albury View Tiddington Oxfordshire OX92LA Saturday September 15th 1.00pm

Result:   Nomads won by 6(4) wickets
Toss:     Nomads CC
Umpires:  Various
Scorer(s):Various
Debuts:   Elliott Brown,Mike Kirman.

TIDDINGTON CC Innings
P King     bowled      Reeve     39
K Sims     bowled      Brown      7
M Maule    c Patel   b Brown     12
D Risden   c A Smith b Reeve      0
J Brooks   bowled      Reeve     88
M Gordan+  st Kirman b A Smith   28
M Blacklam c Sub     b Brockton   6
W Cooper   not out               10
N Pykett*  not out                0
Extras    (b6,lb10,w1,nb1)       21
TOTAL   (7 wickets dec,38 overs)211
Dnb:C Goodman,M Smith.

Fow:1-50,2-50,3-55,4-78,5-138,6-155,7-211.

Bowling-Reeve 11 2 27 3,Brown 12 1 76 2,A Smith 8 1 42 1,Brockton 7 0 33 1.

NOMADS CC Innings
M Kirman+  not out              48
S Reeve    c Sims   b Cooper    97
R Patel    st Roden b Smith      2
C Peerless bowled     Brooks     7
A Smith    lbw      b Brooks     0
O Smith    run out               0
T Brockton not out               4
Extras    (b & lb 22,w & nb 33) 55
TOTAL     (5 wickets,44 overs) 213
Dnb:E Brown,ME Blumberg(W Vincent absent,L Clunis absent)

Fow:1-171,2-173,3-202,4-202,5-208.

Bowling-Goodman 6 0 26 0,Smith 11 6 20 1,Brooks 11 1 49 2,Pykett 5 2 20 0,Maule 6 0 18 0,Cooper 5 0 48 1.


                              Stu Reeve powers Nomads to victory

Nomads made the journey to the pretty ground of Tiddington CC on Saturday, and on the face of things a strong XI would be assembled to take on the home side who had won so handsomely in 2011.

Alas, early news was not positive as although Nomads stalwarts Peerless, Smith (x2), Blumberg and Brockton were all present nice and early at the ground (and one or two supping a pre-match pint) it seemed that illness had put pay to Will Vincent and Latty Clunis being part of the team. After many a rushed phone call from President Michael Blumberg it was decided that Tiddington would generously provide Nomads with a substitute fielder for the duration of their afternoon in the field.

Tom Brockton lost the toss and Nick Pykett of Tiddington unsurprisingly chose to bat first. The pitch looked hard, but also had plenty of grass, which would suit both bat and ball. Just before play was due to commence Tiddington were introduced to a returning player who was guesting for them for the day…. this was no ageing stager, but Jack Brooks the Northampton (now Yorkshire) and England Lions seamer who had recently taken 7 wickets in the match vs the touring West Indies including Kraig Brathwaite, Darren Bravo (in both innings) and Keemar Roach. An end of season jaunt this was not!

Stu Reeve of Northwood and Alistair Brown of Hurlingham took the new cherry for Nomads and both bowled impressively beating the bat on numerous occasions that kept Northwood keeper Mike Kirman busy behind the sticks. King and Sims took the score to 50, but then the breakthrough was provided in emphatic fashion when Sims was comprehensively bowled by Brown and Maule was soon to follow nicely taken at cover by the diminutive but enthusiastic Ronnie Patel. Reeve then got in the act by producing a beauty to clean up Rinden and at this point Tiddington had slumped to 55-3.

Andrew Smith replaced Brown and Brockton replaced Reeve. Unfortunately Jack Brooks had just come in at no5 decked out in his Northamptonshire kit and proceeded to take both bowlers to task. Had Charlie Peerless been standing where skipper Brockton had placed him then Brooks’ stay at the crease would have been a short one, alas Peerless had wandered and the ball sailed over his head as he back-peddled furiously.

Smith was rewarded for his efforts with the wicket of Gordam and Brockton with the scalp of Blacklam but Brooks was chancing his arm and striking the ball cleanly. The 2nd spell of Brown was despatched ruining his earlier impressive figures, and it took a wonderfully delivered yorker from Reeve to end Brooks’ innings for 88. Reeve ending as the pick of the Nomads bowlers with 3-27 from 11 overs as Tiddington declared on 211-7.

Unfortunately an injury sustained to Brockton while fielding (Jack Brooks lambasting a fiercely timed drive into Brockton’s left thumb at short cover off the bowling of Andrew Smith) resulted in him not being able to take his place at the top of the order and therefore Mike Kirman opened up with Stu Reeve. The pair batted with vigour and confidence and Reeve especially looked every inch the quality cricketer. With the opening attack successfully negotiated by the Nomads pair Brooks was brought into the attack (perfectly timed as his father had just arrived) and seemed to be very much bowling within himself. Reeve took advantage and slammed a short ball over wide mid-wicket for a massive 6 to being up his 50. Brooks reply was quick, his marker was tossed some 15 yards further back and he roared in. This didn’t seem to bother Reeve unduly who in tandem with Kirman put in 171 for the first wicket and to take Nomads within sight of a famous win. Unfortunately the century Reeve so richly deserved was not to be as he top-edged a pull shot to be taken at deep square for 97, just 3 short of a maiden Nomads century.

Then the too familiar Nomads collapse, as Patel was smartly stumped down the leg-side, Brooks with his tail up then accounted for Andrew Smith first ball and Peerless soon after. Olly Smith was brilliantly run out after a mix-up with Mike Kirman and Nomads had lost their way. Unfortunately Kirman was now struggling to get the ball off the square and maiden after maiden was bowled with no advancement in the score. With seven balls remaining the injured Brockton was called upon to bat and Nomads had collapsed from the comparative safely of 171-0 to 208-5, only 4 runs were needed although time was fast running out. Brockton took guard for his first ball and fortunately Brooks served up a genuine half-volley outside off stump that Brockers timed past the cover fieldsman and to the rope boundary for the winning boundary. Nomads had won by the margin of 5 wickets with exactly 1 over remaining. Mike Kirman had carried his bat for a brave 48 not out, a vital innings and a perfect foil for the attacking instincts of Stu Reeve earlier on in the afternoon.

To Tiddington’s credit their skipper Nick Pykett took the result in good spirit and a sumptuous stew was served after the game as well as many a pint sunk. Plaudits to go to Stu Reeve for an excellent effort with both bat and ball and indeed to the Nomads team for successfully turning round 2011’s abysmal performance. Lets see if we can turn up with a full XI at Tiddington in 2013!