N omads ended the 2014 (UK) season on a high with a 146 run victory over long time adversaries Leatherhead. On a gorgeous late summer afternoon Leatherhead skipper Mead won the toss and elected the insert the Nomads.

This decision looked to pay off as the pacy McGrahie found a way through the usually reliable defense of Vic Kandampully to leave Nomads 1 down early in the piece. The two Tom's, Liversidge and Brockton then forged a partnership to get Nomads up and over the 50 mark, but when the latter was bowled by McGrahie for a well crafted 40 from 39 balls Nomads were in a spot of bother. Their plight was not assisted by Wimbledon pro James Johnston playing down the Bakerloo to one that was on the Metropolitan and was royally castled by young seamer Friend. Nomads were now 70-3.

Enter Andrew Smith, who has started to re-discover the form of old in recent weeks. He and Liversidge added a wonderful partnership of 157 to put Nomads in the driving seat. Smith over-took Liversidge and was first to his 50 with a straight 6 back over the bowlers head & despite the home side re-introducing McGrahie the pair were rocketing along at a run a ball.

Smith fell for 88 from 82 balls via the bowling of Tom Craydon and and Liversidge was dismissed in similar circumstances for his maiden Nomads 50, 77 in total for the classy young Hertfordshire cricketer. A great partnership and the home side were run ragged in the field.  Ross Ormiston supplied the final touches before the declaration, launching a massive 6 over long-on before Brockton called in his troops with the Nomads well placed at 236-5.

After a delicious tea the home side were in the mire early as James Johnston bounced out the usually immovable Everest in the first over, cutting him in half first ball, hitting on the head with the second, in the ribs with the third and then knocking his off stump out the ground with the fourth.  In tandem with Oliver Croom-Johnson (3-26) the pair reduced the home side to 37-5 in the 14th over to effectively end the match as a contest.

Skipper Mead added some vague respectability to the score launching Nigel Kees for two maximums in his aggressive innings of 42 from just 35 balls before Kees' slower ball accounted for the Leatherhead captain. McGrahie swung the willow gamefully and he was dropped at first slip twice by Smith in consecutive balls before also being dismissed, swatting a length ball from Chris Page to Tom Liversidge at point, who pouched the catch with ease.

Page was now well into his stride and fully deserved his 3 wicket haul in an impressive spell of bowling. He trapped Tom Craydon LBW before ending the match when Dolan swung wildly to be taken by Nigel Kees at mid-on. The home side bundled out for just 90 with nearly 20 overs of the match remaining. Nomads winning by a considerable margin with veteran Clive Huggins the undefeated batsman.

A very professional performance from the Nomads, 30th win of an impressive season. Our thanks to Leatherhead CC for hosting us and for the delicious meal after the game. Michael Blumberg was the Nomads umpire for the day and we were joined by former NPL player and Honorary Nomads member Brian Phillips who was last seen tucking into a few G & T's at the bar.