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Belmont II v Chigwell and Hainault
35 over Maccabi League match
Sunday 9 June 2002

Chigwell and Hainault 126 for 7
Belmont II 86 for 9
Chigwell and Hainault won by 40 runs

Few that played in this match have ever played, or will ever again play, cricket in such conditions. Somehow a decision was made to start the match despite steady rain and the conditions rarely improved much (at some stages they worsened) through the whole afternoon and early evening. At one stage the players were forced off by torrential conditions but this was a temporary lull and when play resumed, with Belmont batting, the ground conditions worsened and were more like a mid-winter rugby match than a mid-June cricket encounter.

Chigwell won the toss, and ultimately the match. Captain Danny Myers chose to bat, the correct decision given later conditions. Stuart Kaye was quickly dismissed but Simon Warren came to the wicket and aggressively set about Belmont bowling, amassing a personal score of 39 including 4 boundaries. Together with the more passive Melvin Gold (5), 48 runs were added for the second wicket. A brief collapse followed as Chigwell went from 51 for 1 to 55 for 4 but captain Myers (8) and vice captain Lloyd Green came together and steadied the ship. Ultimately Green scored 27 runs as he set the innings on a new positive course. Father and son Ian (11 n.o.) and Matthew (8 n.o.) Murray came together at the end of the innings and took quick singles to pile further pressure on the Belmont attack before the innings closed at 126 runs for the loss of 7 wickets.

Belmont’s bowling attack was undoubtedly affected by the weather conditions and generally was accurate but lacking penetration. Geoff Permutt was probably the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 22 with Mark Abelson taking 2 for 14 during the run chase at the end of the innings, notably stretching high above his head to catch Michael Carson (4) off his own bowling. Richard Abelson (1 for 12), Horowitz (1 for 19) and Blain (1 for 22) all chipped in wickets as well but in the difficult conditions none of the bowlers truly got on top of the batsmen.

The conditions persisted through the tea interval, the ball quickly absorbed water, the outfield was saturated and running between the wickets was difficult. Thus as the Belmont innings began Geoff Permutt (25) and Michael Davis (14) put on a stand of 46 for the first wicket but this was scored slowly, not surprising in the conditions, and this put huge pressure on the rest of the side. Their steady approach was ultimately borne out since they were the side’s top scorers. Only Tobe (14) and Horowitz (13) added any serious volume of runs and this after a torrential rain break following which the pitch became a quagmire, batsmen lost their footing and three were run out, and Chigwell’s dominance became increasingly evident.

Chigwell relied on 5 bowlers, each bowling 7 overs. Warren conceded fewest runs achieving 1 for 11, followed by tight bowling from Stuart Kaye (0 for 13) and Kevin Sinclair (0 for 18). Green (2 for 21) and Myers (3 for 21) were the leading wicket takers on this occasion, both keeping their footing well in difficult circumstances. Chigwell will be recorded as the victors – their first league victory since 2000 – but ultimately the winner was the weather conditions and manufacturers of washing powder, since it will take a considerable amount to get those whites to be white again!!