Tag Archives: paul toplis.

And the winner is … “The game of cricket”!

Group photo of the Metro Devils team on the grass smiling in sun

Metro Devils V Berkshire Stag  “Friendly Match”  23 July

Download: Scorecard  

A friendly match was played on Saturday 23rd of 2022, up at Highgate Woods, North London, against a London Metro Devils side with a few extra guest players turning out for the teams. The weather was nice and sunny, but not the unbearable oven-like heat of last weekend,

Sam was captaining the Dirty Greens, whilst the imperious Big Chris was in charge of the True Scarlets. An inspection of the square revealed it to be very bumpy and dusty, but fortunately, the crease lines were clearly visible as they had just been painted out, and the outfield was even more bumpy with some strange contours on it.

Big Chris won the toss and put the Greens in to bat. As it was a friendly, the batting and bowling orders were much-changed, some strange combinations were tried, and some even stranger shots were attempted. Also, batsmen were rotated, if not out, with retirement at 25 anyway, to give everyone a chance in the middle.

Scarlets even managed the rare feat of giving all eleven players on the field a bowl, even their keeper Anil with Jack going behind the sticks for this. Greens began slowly and cautiously, up against some tight bowling from Moshfique, who had been given the ball – even though it was a friendly, it was definitely his most accurate and precise bowling of the season.

Stu’ The Wall’ had opened the batting for the Greens and had even managed to score a couple of runs, which was something of a rare event in itself. Then Camille came on to bowl and astonished everyone by claiming a wicket – she swears it was her first one ever for the club.

In fact, it was her tenth wicket, and she has seven for the Stags. After drinks at half-time, the run-rate began to pick up dramatically when the Green’s big hitters – Rob, Sam, Thomas and Tom, not to mention the uncanny Fish – all made their way to the square in due turn and began to smash it all around the park, all of them quickly reaching 25 no and retiring.

However, Big Chris had cleverly kept his best bowlers back – Jack, Lee and his own modest self, and these were able to stifle the run-rate and start claiming some much-needed Green wickets.

Several Green retirees returned to the sticks, only to discover that true quality was bowling at them and Stu – trapped LBW, Sam – caught by Arun, and Rob – middle stump knocked over, all fell by the wayside very quickly. The only exception to this seemed to be Young Thomas, who proved he was truly in excellent form and continued where he had left off, knocking it all around the park – there was nowhere you could bowl to him without him middling it.

After a lovely tea, it was True Scarlets turn to bat. Moshfique scored 14, and Lee, who made 18, put on a very brisk and enterprising partnership before both rather annoyingly got themselves out.

Next in was Hashy, normally a tail-ender blocker for Metro but promoted up the order by Big Chris, who steadfastly blocked everything and retired undefeated on zero not out. Next in was Anil, who hit nice tight enterprising innings before retiring, and then Arun, who managed to run himself out before he could receive a ball.

Camille was Scarlet’s No.6, and she hunkered down and played possibly her best innings ever, retiring on 12, not out, including one glorious boundary watched by disbelieving fielders as it zipped over the boundary – her first this season. Poor Atif, who had been patiently fielding at close cover point or short square leg all innings with his legs apart waiting for a tickle, was cruelly denied an easy catch when the ball dollied up, only for Fish to race around and get in his way.

Next in was the much-travelled Min, who had been doing all the running for all the non-running batsmen, but soon she fell and was replaced by John Garbett, who played a sterling innings of safety and some thumping shots and was able to retire with his bat held high.

Andy came out and surprised everyone by not getting out before he eventually retired, followed by Jack, who immediately started thumping it hard around the park, retiring on 25, not out in no time.

Finally, Big Chris rounds off the innings, only for him to be run out by his runner Min, for the third consecutive time in a match – this is getting rather annoying, off the penultimate ball when she stopped dead mid-wicket at the sight of Rob Turner grovelling on the ground before her just having dropped a very difficult caught & bowled off a thumping Big Chris drive.

It was up to Hashy to come back and face the last ball, which he did with sterling fortitude, to finish the game on 2not out – the first runs he had ever scored in an innings for as long as he could remember.

So, all in all, it was a very fun day out with a very memorable friendly atmosphere played between two teams out to play cricket and enjoy themselves, the result being that Scarlets held on for a very gallant and valiant draw in the end. Nearly everybody could come away from the game with some great memories and personal achievements.

Match report by Chris Wallace

 

 

Metro Devils – The Development Team

Would you like to play cricket? We are always happy to welcome enthusiastic new players, so if you are interested in playing this season or taking part in training sessions,  please  contact lucy.simper@metroblindsport.org or call 07966 260089

 

Interested in volunteering?

If you want to try volunteering, please contact Lucy at lucy.simper@metroblindsport.org at 07966 260089

 

Metro Blind Sports Social Networks

Get all the latest blind & partially sighted event information & news as soon as we do!

Metro Blind Sport:  Facebook   |  Twitter   |  Instagram   |  LinkedIn 
Metro Blind Sport membership:  more info or Join here

 

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Cricket: Hampshire Squeeze Past Devils in the Sunshine

Group photo of the Metro Devils team on the grass smiling in sun

Hampshire v Metro Devils – 10  July!

Download: Scorecard  

The Devils had a stressful start to this Sunday match – unsure if all the players could get onto the train at Waterloo and Clapham junction was the start. Then on arriving at Fratton station, one of the book cabs was almost taken by someone waiting at the rank; not that any of the three cabbies knew where to go for Hillsea cricket club.

Dropped outside Portsmouth college, the team had to phone Hampshire before the friendly club groundsman appeared out of the bushes on the far side of the road.

A winding track between stinging nettles led to the clubhouse and a hard, sun-baked cricket pitch. Not that the visitors were the only ones who had trouble finding the ground as an early start was not possible as the home side only arrived in time for a start on time.

The home side won the toss and invited Metro to bat under bright blue skies that had just a few puffy white clouds in them.

A very hot day was expected, but a cooling breeze blowing for most of the day did make the playing conditions at least tolerable. Prem and Chris opened but were unable to get the match off to a good start for the Devils as in just the second over, Chris was bowled just after hitting a no-ball for two. Hasmukh and Prem rebuilt carefully before Hasmukh was bowled by the home skipper at the end of the fifth over.

Prem then began to settle into a good scoring rhythm scoring a series of boundaries all around the ground, and at the first drinks break, after nine overs, 61 had been scored. After drinks, Simon Cookson came on for Hampshire and started with two excellent overs; he bowled Anil in the first and then a maiden at Shiv to leave him with 1 for 7.

His figures were a little spoilt with a no-ball to Prem at the start of his third over that was pulled over fine leg for the only 6 of the match.

A great way to bring up both Prem’s 50 and the team’s 100.

Andy Law added a run a ball ten before being very well caught at point by John James, and Arun chipped in with another ten before being run out by excellent fielding from Callum meant he could not take the strike off Shiv.

Shiv did well to anchor the end of the innings with a score of 21 – even if he was lucky that when hit on the leg by a straight one, there was no appeal.

Hampshire bowled very well at the end, conceding only 23 runs from the last six overs as the Devils reached 165 for 6 with Dave Daniels catching Alan in the last over so that all the team had a bat – even if Nick only faced three balls.

Callum and Matt Greenhough got the home side off to an excellent start with a 55 run partnership in just over seven overs before Matt was bowled by Shiv, who then took a second wicket in his second over as Andy Law took a fine catch to dismiss the only Hampshire total.

Shortly after the first drinks break, Alan trapped Simon LBW to bring Phil Daniels to the wicket. He immediately started scoring at an amazing rate contributing 36 to a partnership of 51.

He had hit seven boundaries before he was caught by Prem at deep square leg in Hasmukh’s first over when Callum retired, having reached his fifty from forty-two balls with his eighth boundary a fine drive down the ground.

At this point, the Devils were able to slow the scoring rate for a while, but when the home captain fell LBW to Andy, there were just 17 more runs needed from nine overs, and victory seemed just a matter of time. Three overs were needed before John James steered the winning two runs through point.

This leaves the Devils with two games this season – at home to Berkshire and away at Gloucestershire. Meanwhile, next Saturday sees all four BCEW David Townley T20 matches with Metro way at Northants.

Match report by Paul Toplis

 

Metro Devils – The Development Team

Would you like to play cricket? We are always happy to welcome enthusiastic new players, so if you are interested in playing this season or taking part in training sessions,  please  contact lucy.simper@metroblindsport.org or call 07966 260089

 

Interested in volunteering?

If you want to try volunteering, please contact Lucy at lucy.simper@metroblindsport.org at 07966 260089

 

Metro Blind Sports Social Networks

Get all the latest blind & partially sighted event information & news as soon as we do!

Metro Blind Sport:  Facebook   |  Twitter   |  Instagram   |  LinkedIn 
Metro Blind Sport membership:  more info or Join here

 

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Cricket: The Line Belongs to the Umpire!

Group photo of the Metro Devils team on the grass smiling in sun

Surrey VICC v Metro Devils – 19  June!

Download: Scorecard  

A lesson for both teams to learn from the BCEW south and west regional T20 quarter-final where the Devils played Surrey on Sunday. In a game where all no balls result in a free hit, there were 24 bowled in this match with many proving to be more costly to the sides than the single penalty run. In the third over Alan would have dismissed the home side’s captain Dave only for the umpire to call no ball.

The same batter got another life in the eighth over when bowled by Chris off a free hit ball when he was on 21. He seemed to have a charmed life when bowled by Ahmed in the thirteenth over on another no ball before going on to score 44 when was finally bowled by Ryan in the fifteenth over. Chris may have had a good chance for an LBW dismissal in the sixteenth but the umpire did not have to worry about that as it was a no ball.

Surrey also handed chances to the Devils as Chris was able to score a single when caught at cover off a no ball in the fourth over. Just before drinks, Hassan hit wicket on a free hit, while Ryan was saved by a free hit at the start of the thirteenth, bowled by Surrey’s skipper, before getting 6 more off the over to reach his 50.

The total extras count was 50 handed to Surrey; 27 wides and 15 no balls plus 6 byes and two leg byes. The Devils were handed 30; 18 wides and 9 no balls plus a bye and two leg byes. So the end result – Surrey scored 124 off the bat to reach 174 while the Devils scored 127 from the bat to reach their 157 and fall short by just 17.

Surrey will face the winners of the Gloucestershire against Berkshire match in the semi-final; with the winner of that game set to face Dorset Dolphins at Broad Halfpenny Down in September.

This was a great game of cricket with the result in doubt until the last couple of overs as the Devils kept pace with the score set by Surrey around that captain’s knock and a rapid 50 from Dave Allen, who put on almost 100 together after Alan and Rob had given the Devils a good start after Hassan won the toss by reducing the home side to 9 for 2.

The other wickets to fall were on the last two balls of the innings with Prem getting two run outs as risks were taken to try and maximise the score.

The chase was almost a mirror image innings, with one early run out as Ryan West’s direct hit ran out Chris as the Devils were trying to up their run rate which was under 7 an over in the first 5. Hassan and Ryan then put on 73 during which time Hassan reached 600 runs in his career scoring 32 at almost a run a ball.

He and Shiv were both bowled late on in the chase which was ended by a great caught and bowled to dismiss Prem. This just left Ahmed the opportunity to face a few balls and take 6 with a guide to third man as Ryan running for Anil took a “three for two” before sending Ahmed’s exhausted runner back to the bowlers end to complete the third run.

The Devils next play away to Hampshire in three weeks’ time and will hope for a third league win to allow them to challenge for the title.

Match report by Paul Toplis

 

Metro Devils – The Development Team

Would you like to play cricket? We are always happy to welcome enthusiastic new players, so if you are interested in playing this season or taking part in training sessions, please contact Hassan Khan at the Metro Devils at h.khan25@googlemail.com 07792 004838 or contact lucy.simper@metroblindsport.org  07966 260089

 

Interested in volunteering?

If you want to try volunteering, please contact Lucy at lucy.simper@metroblindsport.org at 07966 260089

 

Metro Blind Sports Social Networks

Get all the latest blind & partially sighted event information & news as soon as we do!

Metro Blind Sport:  Facebook   |  Twitter   |  Instagram   |  LinkedIn 
Metro Blind Sport membership:  more info or Join here

 

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Cricket: A Win in Less Than Half a Full Game!

Group photo of the Metro Cricket team smiling with their 2019 BBS cup trophy and medals

Metro v Northants Steelbacks!

Metro got their season off to a flying start by completing a victory over Northants almost before the teas were delivered to the ground. It was a cold, blustery day, with the wind making life difficult for the bowlers especially perhaps from the scoreboard end. Rory won the toss and naturally elected to bowl although Mo had not arrived to complete the playing XI as play got underway promptly.

Rory’s first over was a dream start to the season – a wicket maiden that saw the stumps flying backwards on ball three. The following over was then the most productive of the innings for Northants as Rob struggled with accuracy and David Howells struck a boundary through mid-wicket that just eluded Matt Dean on the boundary.

However, it was the end of Rory’s second over that made it an excellent start to the game for the home side. The ball was hit firmly into leg side where it was blocked by Amit before bouncing to Mark Bond whose accurate throw to the bowler was safely gathered allowing a run out to be secured to make the score 13 for2 with both openers dismissed. The visitors seemed unable to give their innings any momentum after that start.

Mo started his spell in the next over by knocking over the stumps and conceding just four before Rory completed his spell to end with one for four. At the start of Mo’s next over Amit took an excellent athletic catch so that the visitors had two totals batting with score on 19. Mo almost got a second with two successful LBW appeals only for the second to be overturned as the square leg umpire called a no ball on length.

The pair of totals had a 15-run partnership before Mo was able to complete his LBW wicket finishing a spell with two more wickets than Rory but having conceded three more runs.

The partnerships for the next two wickets were both 10 runs and both were ended with catches to the keeper; first from Nick Ebbeck’s bowling and then Hassan Khan’s; after which drinks were taken with the fifteenth over in progress. Some may have questioned the need for a break especially as the penultimate wicket was taken just four deliveries after the restart with Matt Dean safely taking a catch at mid-wicket.

Mark Bond ended the innings as after a half out LBW he had Hugh Spence give Rory his third catch with only 59 runs scored. High had batted almost the whole innings having walked out a ball four.

Metro needed 60 from 44 overs and completed the task in less than 44 legal deliveries as Matt Dean and Damion Corrigan both scored 21 and Nick Ebbeck chipped in with two boundaries to make the chase look easy. With five boundaries it had looked as if Matt complete the chase alone until he skied one to square leg where Asif was able to hold on to a difficult chance.

Northants wondered if they might have a chance when Nick was caught by the keeper two balls later only for Damion to lead the chase home supported by Andy Law. The chance of a third-wicket was thrown away as a nick to the keeper was dropped so Mike Harrison completed his spell with just two for six, surely wondering how he was on the losing side with such a great bowling display.

Metro start their cup campaign on the 7 May against Somerset again at Highgate.

Match report by Paul Toplis

 

Metro Devils – The Development Team

Would you like to play cricket? We are always happy to welcome enthusiastic new players, so if you are interested in playing this season or taking part in training sessions, please contact Hassan Khan at the Metro Devils at h.khan25@googlemail.com 07792 004838 or contact lucy.simper@metroblindsport.org  07966 260089

Interested in volunteering?

If you want to try volunteering, please contact Lucy at lucy.simper@metroblindsport.org at 07966 260089

 

Metro Blind Sports Social Networks

Get all the latest blind & partially sighted event information & news as soon as we do!

Metro Blind Sport:  Facebook   |  Twitter   |  Instagram   |  LinkedIn 
Metro Blind Sport membership:  more info or Join here

  

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League Championship Celebrated & Confirmed in Style

Photo of the Metro team on the Cricket Pitch at the Northampton County Ground

Lancashire Lions Vs Metro 2021

Download: Lancashire Vs Metro  –  Excel format

Metro travelled to Manchester and stayed overnight, despite a worrying weather forecast to play their final league match of the season. This was a rearranged match as the weather had been very wet on the originally scheduled date.

They arrived at the historic Werneth Cricket Club in the north of the city greeted by skies where the blue was chasing away the clouds after heavy overnight rain. Werneth has hosted high-quality Lancashire League and friendly cricket matches so has had both Sir Garfield Sobers and Phil Mustard play on the square.

Perhaps this was to be Metro’s day as Rory won the toss and elected to bowl first against an under-strength Lancashire team with just nine players, including two low partials and three totals. Metro had a full eleven but was not quite at full strength with Hashy, Everton and Shiv joining Prem, the BCEW Regional batsman of the year, from the Devils in the starting line-up.

This was the second trial of live match commentary, which can be found on the Metro YouTube channel in the Cricket Match -Audio Commentary Playlist.

The ground had a Lords like slope from north to south with the square boundary slightly shorter to the north where the boundary was a high fence protecting a new housing development – Cricketer’s Close.

Some spectators were surprised that after Rory struggled to control the wet ball in the first over which went for eight with five extras that Damion started at the other end, as Mo is the regular opening bowler and had been limbering up.

The change worked after just four balls as Rory, behind the stumps, look an excellent tumbling catch down the leg side. There was no further success for the opening pair of bowlers, and Rory was hit for a great boundary eight, as the home side reached 32 from the first five overs. However, the first change at the far end of the ground from the Pavilion to bring on Nick worked well as with the last ball of the sixth over the number three was bowled.

This brought Amit and Andy together and they bowled with good accuracy and in Andy’s case on this occasion great success. He had one for one after Rory took a second catch to dismiss the club captain. His next over started with a six just backward of square between Mo at square leg and Prem at fine leg – but when the shot was repeated two balls later the ball was hit finer and Prem steadied himself for a catch.

With the opening batsman now out with just 54 scored Metro sensed an early end to the innings. Mo finally joined the attack in the eleventh over without success; but Andy kept up his wicket an over performance with a catch taken by Damion at short cover, to finish with 3 for 15.

After an early drinks break Mo bowled a wicket maiden in the fifteenth over and Rory then hit the stumps twice with his first two balls as he came back in the sixteenth to leave him on a hat trick ball at the start of the 2022 season. Metro had been set just 70 to beat.

With tea not quite ready there was a swift turnaround and the tone of the reply was set first ball when Damion caught up with a widish leg side ball to hit it for four through fine leg. He followed up with a shot through mid-off for another boundary and this combined with sharp running to add two to a wide and four more runs from the bat meant Metro had fifteen from the first over.

Nick and Damion showed no mercy in keeping up that scoring rate as Lancashire rotated their bowlers but no-one could stench the flow of run scoring. Nick hit a four off the first ball of the sixth over Metro had won with 73, Nick having 30 and Damion 28.

Roger Barker, who was umpiring, presented league winners medals to the team over the post-match tea as the players enjoyed that winning feeling. Enjoy the winter and look forward to more cricket in 2022 especially for the Devils who can expect a full season in 2022.

Match report by Paul Toplis

 

Metro Devils – The Development Team

Would you like to play cricket? We are always happy to welcome enthusiastic new players, so if you are interested in playing this season or taking part in training sessions, please contact Hassan Khan at the Metro Devils h.khan25@googlemail.com 07792 004838 or contact Charlie lucy.simper@metroblindsport.org 07956 292046

 

Interested in volunteering?

If you want to try volunteering, please contact Lucy lucy.simper@metroblindsport.org 07956 292046.

 

Metro Blind Sports Social Networks

Get all the latest blind & partially sighted event information & news as soon as we do!

Metro Blind Sport:  Facebook   |  Twitter   |  Instagram   |  LinkedIn

Metro Blind Sport membership:  more info or Join here

 

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