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Datchet v Denham Sunday XI

August 2nd 2009

Harish Scores the Winning Runs and Other Stories...

Denham have to be grateful to Sir Stuart Payne for introducing the club to a first Sunday fixture at Datchet with its beautiful setting adjacent to the M4 and directly below the Heathrow flight path.

The latter hazard provided a chance for Denham players to practise their sign language skills when accomplishing field placings and their speed in retreating to the clubhouse when a “fuel dump”, or any other type of dump occurred overhead. On the call of “dump ahoy” from the skipper, all fielders would sprint for cover, with the exception of Harish Bhatt, who waddled and Dave Tang, who appeared to be asleep.

After the formal introductions to visiting dignitary Sir Stuart Payne, Datchet batted first and reached 236 for 6 in their 40 overs, a total which was less than anticipated after the frequent number of sixes hit by the aggressive Datchet batsmen. These were clearly batsmen embarking on an eagerly awaited Cricket Week with determination and in some cases several pints of cider. Despite the onslaught, James Nicholas bowled tightly at the start with 2 for 24 and some decent catches were taken by Tam Sadiq, Hemen “Kenny” Mehta and James (2 excellent ones).

Tea was an inspired mixture of prawn sandwiches, cocktail sausages and jam sponges and Denham tucked in, buoyed by the arrival of another dignitary Count Peter Schembri (Club Captain), with the new stock of Denham C.C. T shirts (tremendous value at £5 each, cash only, limited supply).

Denham began with James Nicholas and Dave Tango scoring freely and keeping up with the required run rate. This entertainment was augmented by Datchet fielder Mr. A. Jackson, who did a rather good impersonation of Harish Bhatt with “high trousers”, even though he was walking around with an elastoplasts on his trouser seat – bizarre!

James and Dave reached 125 for 0 at 20 overs, but Dave was out soon after for 37, quickly followed by Bobby Rai, caught on the boundary. Tam Sadiq soon found his feet and added a brisk 27 before falling to the Datchet secret weapon, their first team opening bowler who had been kept in reserve. At 220 for 3 this hardly seemed to matter as James continued to dominate. His subsequent demise, with the score on 233 for4, was unexpected, but what an innings of 153! It was clearly time for a Denham collapse as Richie Braithwaite, Hamish Zaheer and Jamie Firminger were out and Hemen “Kenny” Mehta (RIP) was decapitated by a fearsome bouncer from the secret weapon.

Fortunately the ice-cool Harish was on hand to score the winning boundary and secure a narrow victory.

Not much doubt about the man of the match – James with 153 runs, 2 wickets and 2 catches.

Commiserations to the family of Hemen, how unlucky can you get, killed three times in three weeks?

Next week Harrow Wayfarers (Home).

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