Ascott Park Scorebox, Pavilion and Sight Screen                              Nomads enjoy a bottle of Cobra after the game provided by Kensington CC

Match 21 NOMADS CC v KENSINGTON CC Ascot Park Wing Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire LU7 OPR Sunday May 22nd 1.00pm 2016

Result:  Match Drawn
Toss:    Nomads CC
Umpires: Various
Scorers: Mike Robbins, San Gore  & others
Debut:   Fayad Fazaldin

NOMADS CC Innings
M Plant      c Gore     b   Barua      8
A Stokes     not out                 122
T Liversidge lbw        b   Barua     10
T Brockton*  not out                  63
Extras      (b3,lb3,w12,nb5)          23
TOTAL       (2 wickets dec,36 overs) 226
Dnb:A Smith,F Fazaldin,S Wahi+,S Shawl,C Page,ME Blumberg,M Robbins.

Fow:1-8(1),2-37(3).

Bowling-Barua 8 0 24 2,Shailendra 6 2 22 0,Nathwani 4 0 44 0,Ramachandra 4 0 25 0,Sen 7 1 45 0,Hasan 3 0 30 0,Amar 4 0 30 0.

KENSINGTON CC Innings
J Singh      c Liversidge b Fazaldin 80
K Nathwani   bowled         Page     22
H Rishad     st Wahi      b Page      6
AA Bilgrani  c Brockton   b Page      3
S Barua      c Fazaldin   b Page     20
S Gore+      c Shawl      b Page      3
K Hasan      not out                 55
S Sen        bowled         Shawl     4
A Shailendra not out                  6
Extras       (b3,lb1,w4,nb1)          9
TOTAL       (8 wickets,44 overs)    210
Dnb:D Ramachandra,S Amar.

Fow:1-70(2),2-78(3),3-91(4),4-138(1),5-143(5),6-147(6),7-164(8).

Bowling-Shawl 12 2 52 1,Robbins 8 2 27 0,Page 14 0 75 5,Smith 7 0 40 0,Fazaldin 3 0 12 1.

 Andy Stokes top scored for Nomads with 122* poised to drive                      Jai Singh top scored for Kensington with 80 completes straight drive

Stokes stars for Nomads at Ascot House

Nomads had  far the better of a draw at Ascot House on Sunday, and despite some initial resistance from the Kensington skipper a declaration game was agreed upon. Nomads won the toss and elected to bat, the rain and wind from Saturday at The Royal Household a distant memory as the game commenced bathed in warm early summer sunshine. The pitch also looked a good one, but despite this opener Mike Plant and youngster Tom Liversidge were both back in the hutch early in the piece, dismissed by the impressive Saikat Barua who has played for both Kensington, and Nomads in recent seasons.

Skipper Brockton joined Stokes who was looking in fine touch and they began to rebuild the innings. Barua was visibly tiring and the Kensington change bowlers did not have nearly the same control as their new ball partners. Skipper Sen bowled a lack-lustre spell going at 6 an over, Ramachandra was removed from the attack after aggravating an old tennis injury and Nathwani was flogged for more than 10 an over bowling an inconsistent length that Stokes, in particular was harsh on. Brockton and Stokes began to make merry with the Kensington fielders becoming ragged. Indeed, keeper San Gore was the only player offering a modicum of encouragement and Jai Singh had the ignominy of four deliveries in succession evading him in the covers as the pair added close to a 200 partnership. Stokes ended up with a boundary laden 122* featuring several enormous maximums and Brockton 63*. This was Stokes' 2nd century against Kensington, the first being in 2003.

Nomads lost no further wickets and finding themselves in a position to declare after just 36 overs on 226-2, did just that. The Nomads would bowl somewhere in the region of 44/45 overs back at Kensington.

After a cracking tea Shawl and Robbins took the new ball for the Nomads and both created chances early in the piece, Plant dropping a sharp offering at 2ndslip and debutant Fayad Fazaldin putting down an absolute sitter at mid-on, Nathwani the fortunate batsman on both occasions. As is so often the case the new ball bowlers reaped little or no rewards and so old stager Chris Page entered the fray.  Kensington were relatively well placed at 70-0 from 17 overs. Page struck immediately bowling Nathwani and then having the dangerous Rishad smartly stumped by Saurabh Wahi as he advanced down the wicket. Brockton then pulled off a stunning diving catch at wide mid-wicket to dismiss the obdurate Ali Bilgrani (another who has played for both Nomads and Kensington in recent seasons).

Kensington had faltered to 91-3 but with Jai Singh wielding the willow to good effect Nomads still had work to do. Kensington had promoted Barua up the order in the effort to increase the rate but he was also to fall to Page as did San Gore who found himself in a rather unfamiliar position at no 6 needing nearly 8 an over. He chipped softly to Sajjad Shawl to give Page his 5th wicket. Skipper Sen was then bowled neck and crop by the returning Shaw and then the luck of Singh ran out as he was taken at long-on by Liversidge for 80 to give Fazaldin his first Nomads wicket.

Kensington had collapsed from the relative security of 70-0 to 164-7. Nomads sniffed victory but did not bank on young Bangladeshi Hasan (who Kensington thought was a bowler) smiting the ball to all parts in the closing overs. He took Page apart and then repeated the dose to Shawl striking the ball crispy to register a 50 in just 34 balls. He and Shailendra saw Kensington to safety and to 210-7, only 17 short of what would have been an amazing and improbable victory only 30 or 40 mins prior. Nomads generous declaration had resulted in them bowling 8 additional overs at Kensington and turning what would have been a relatively routine victory in a 40 over game into an exciting declaration match!(Saurav Sen please note).
 

Kensington, once again, generously supplied a crate of cold Cobra beer after the game and correctly Andy Stokes was named man of the match for his destructive 122* from 116 balls and was presented with a limited edition bottle of Johnny Walker Gold Label. Enjoy Andy !! 

Kensington CC is sponsored by both Cobra Beer and Gold Label Johnny Walker Whisky. Lucky fellows! 
 

  
 Gold Label Johnny Walker Whisky for Man of the Match Andy Stokes 

The Kensington scribe's report  

Previous Matches 
2015 Nomads        Won by    5 wickets
2011 Match          Drawn
2010 Nomads        Won by    6 wickets
2009 Kensington    Won by    8 wickets
2008 Nomads        Won by  54 runs
2007 Nomads        Won by  94 runs
2006 Nomads        Won by  78 runs
2005 Kensington   Won  by   7 wickets
2004 Match         Washed out
2003 Nomads       Won by 118 runs