THE GENT No.168 October 2019 Gents – the harsh new reality J. Small. Bleeding on club kit. Guilty. Fined £2. Match reports: Bricklayer’s Arms (won by 77 runs) Salix (won by 9 wickets) Winchmore Hill Tigers (lost by 3 wickets) Crossbats (won by 114 runs) Squirrels (won by 41 runs) Hale (won by 76 runs) Summary of the season Averages, statistics, intrigue and tributes Read about the Gents on www.gowlcc.org Contact this magazine via email [email protected] 2019 Played 24 Won 19 Lost 5 Debuts: Z. Ahmed, Corbett, Pavithran, Sirikonda Runs Kota 674 PB, Namilikonda 597 PB, Gulati 367 PB, Sudireddy 339 PB, Kumar 262, Chatharaju 228 PB, S. Patel 167, Dubey 164, H. Patel 163, Basker 148, Francis 139, A. Ahmed 120, Pentakota 100 Wickets Chatharaju 25 PB, Namilikonda 25 PB, H. Patel 25, Kota 18, Kumar 18 PB, Krishna 12 PB, Dubey 11 Ct./St. Namilikonda 16/3 PB, Sudireddy 12/4 PB, Dubey 8 PB, Kota 8, S. Patel 7, Gulati 6 PB Ten years on from 2009, when the team had an influx of talent and lost only twice, the Gents played with good spirit, had fun, celebrated and commiserated together. Opponents, the best judges, remarked upon the high standards of behaviour on and off the pitch. The dignity of members was impugned in social media less often than feared, nobody flounced off during a game, fields were moved without permission fewer than ten times a match and there was only one brawl. Several players had their best seasons. A long campaign in which the Gents honoured every fixture started in brisk temperatures of 9C at Marble Hill Park and ended 23 weeks and one day later as autumn closed in on the North Downs at Hale. Longer seasons are a modern trend, to early October in some clubs. Twenty years ago, the season ran from the last weekend in April to early September. The Old Tenisonians groundsman cancelled the home game with Bricklayer’s Arms, the only casualty to the weather in a dry summer. Retention of captain and vice-captain always helps to lend a settled air. A squad similar to that of 2018 responded, 11 playing in at least half the games. Caveney and Dubey made their 100th appearances. Forty-one played in all, debutants including the luckless Corbett, whose season was terminated by injury, Z. Ahmed from Wycombe House, Reddy, the first international to play for the club, Sirikonda and Pavithran. Francis was in better health and it showed. Oruganti and Small made welcome if brief returns. Seven new teams were played including the rebranded Tigers. There were visits to three wonderful new grounds; Byfleet, Teddington Town and prospective landlords Wycombe House. The Tigers match was played on their first XI pitch, a sign of how far both sides have come in recent years. Baker Street Irregulars, in total disarray, Gubbays and Wimbledon United cancelled but replacements were found, the Gents subletting United’s Cottenham RG for the visit of the chaotic West London. Expect more change in 2020 as the Gents try to resolve the vexatious problem of their home ground. With a dry summer and true pitches it was no surprise that there was a proliferation of runs. Gents batted first in 17 of the 24 matches, a contrast to 2018 when they set a target in only five out of 19. Total runs (4,623 at an average of 193) and individual scores of 50 or more (25 by 12 players) were records. Two batsmen scored over 500 runs, a first. Kota hit six 50s, Namilikonda a century and four 50s, Gulati a century and two 50s, and Kumar and S. Patel two 50s each. Five batsmen enjoyed their personal best aggregates, indicated PB above. Basker remained an effective opener, A. Ahmed batted well when injury allowed. Caveney enjoyed little luck but took one of the catches of the season at Teddington Town. Gents bowlers paid only 4.1 runs per over in 2019 compared with 4.8 in 2018. Not since 2012 has an opponent failed to make 200. Three bowlers ended on 25 wickets (H. Patel took 16 from August when the pitches turned more) and four recorded personal-best tallies. Snelling took his 400th wicket, which was filmed, H. Patel his 300th and Kumar his 100th. Eighty catches stuck out of 104 fielding dismissals, second only to the 105 in 2009 when one fewer game was played. Namilikonda took the most catches and the most fielding dismissals ever with Sudireddy, a good find as glovesman, only three victims behind. It took a good side to down the Gents so the five who did so should be applauded. Millfields bowled cannily on a difficult pitch to defend 103; Kempton were indebted to a talented overseas professional Australian, Jarod Little; St Anne’s spinners were a revelation; Clapham In had the best-balanced bowling attack faced for years; and Winchmore Hill Tigers took risks with their batting order, chasing with acumen and conviction. Battersea Eagles and QMC Pak were only closed out by narrow margins. S. Patel led sacrificially, batting only nine times and rarely bowling. His 57 at Teddington Town was the innings of the year, turning the match on its head after a collapse from 89/0 to 135/8. H. Patel led well in the absence of the captain and Dubey and Kumar worked hard as treasurer and chairman. Dubey captained once to good effect. The support of Francis and Toft among others was inspirational. AGM confirmation You are cordially invited to attend the 2019 Gentlemen of West London CC Annual General Meeting and Awards Evening, which will take place on Saturday 30 November at The Bulstrode Bar, Lampton Road, Hounslow TW3 1JG, starting 7pm. This date is not convenient for everyone, but was the one when most could attend. The club will sponsor food from the Asian menu, including vegetarian options. The Bulstrode Bar is next to Hounslow Central tube (Piccadilly line). The previous venue, Club 182, is no longer fit for purpose. Thanks Mr Sudireddy for organising. Steve Bignell will be Returning Officer, assisted by the incorrigible Dave Bender (left, seen dancing a jig of delight after his slip catch for Judd Street Tigers in 2018). There will be much to discuss and celebrate, but the business of the day will as ever be conducted with decorum. See you there. Agenda, call for Committee nominations, voting forms, etc. will be issued in due course. Club news The Club hopes to play more games at Wycombe House in 2020. It will be impossible to play every home match there because their Sunday Middlesex Development League lasts from late June till early August, but rest assured we will do what we can. Home games will be split between Old Tenisonians and Wycombe House in a ratio to be determined over the winter. It is not cheap to play for the Gents and it is the Committee’s duty to provide the best possible venues. We are pleased to report that the 2020 card will include trips to two excellent new grounds, Binfield CC, where Stuart, Joel and Theo Snelling now play, and the beautiful Kempton CC in Sunbury-on-Thames. Salix away at Chiswick House is inked in for 20 September. Kempton and Salix will be home and away. We are planning more double headers in 2020. They will take place at the beginning and end of the season before and after the Telugu T20 leagues are played, which is from early May to early August. The 2018/19 accounts show that the Club made a loss over the season (the Baker Street Irregulars cancellation was a disaster and there were fewer memberships paid) but still has funds to take us into 2020. If you owe match fees the Treasurer will have been prompted you to pay, so please do. Please permit our sharing two personal highlights from an eventful season. Against Kempton, non- playing H. Patel invaded the pitch to move a fielder. The captain spotted this and moved the traumatised chap back. The next ball went straight to him and was comfortably fielded. Six weeks later, veteran guest from Brick Chris Locke inspired the Gents at Teddington Town with a diving stop at third man to prevent a four. Several Gents converged on him, picked him up and dusted him down, and three runs were saved. Incidents like these stay in the memory long after the results are forgotten. Great days. Battersea Eagles were kind enough to say that the game with the Gents was their best match of the season. Their marathon campaign extended into October, the new cricketing September, and comprised 26 games. Skipper Khalid Harris Khan scored 949 runs with nine 50s, and took 38 wickets. Finally, at the end of a season tinged with tragedy, we had some good news. Welcome Albie Charles Newcombe to the world. Lucky to have him We praised above the five batsmen who scored their maiden 50s in 2019 but now let us give credit to the man who gave them the opportunity. It is correct to describe as noble a cricket captain who bats and bowls less than his ability merits. Such a leader bats low and doesn’t often bowl in order to give opportunities to the next generation. Every once in a while he has a bat and blasts a 50 to keep the youngsters on their toes. Some may argue that because he is a senior, talented player, Sanjay Patel owes his team more time at the crease.