Chiswick House & Gardens, Sunday 4 August 2024.

Gradcasts 150-7 (28.5 overs: Imran C 48*, Dave Haselhurst 43, Mathan Olaganathan 3-19, Sanjay Dindyal 2-5, Gren Thompson 2-19) beat St Anne’s Allstars 149-9 (30 overs: Gren Thompson 43, Harshad Keskar 42, Ed Duncan Smith 3-26) by 2 wickets.

Allstars Debut: Mathan Olaganathan

Report by Garreth Duncan – Photos by Jimmy Scott, Phani Sainath and Garreth Duncan – Video by Phani Sainath

Our series with Gradcasts so far couldn’t be a bigger contrast. Our first three games so far read: record Allstars victory; narrow Gradcasts victory; another record victory for us. After such a sequence, it somehow seemed like it could be their turn again today – but in a fabulous game of cricket, we gave it everything before they finally sneaked over the line with just seven balls to spare.

Chiswick House is one of the most stunning venues we’ve played at – complete with impressive electronic scoreboard – and it was a delight to make a return after over a decade away. I won the toss and decided to bat – but It quickly became apparent the pitch was uneven, some balls rearing up and others shooting through. But that didn’t stop us getting off to an excellent start, as debutant Mathan Olaganathan, who’d responded to our latest call-out for players on The Fixture List, and Harshad Keskar, making a welcome return to Allstars cricket after injury, began positively. On a fast outfield, the boundary count mounted up quickly, as they put on a run-a-ball opening stand of 31.

Left-armer Adam Dunkley broke the stand by bowling Mathan, but Harshad continued to hit boundaries while giving the opposition field an occasional tempter, and he was well supported by John Kingston as they put together a well constructed half-century stand for the second wicket. Gradcasts secretary Gavin Collins slowed the rate with an accurate spell, and their debutant Imran also kept it tight from the other end. But John’s dismissal brought a clatter of wickets as Ed Duncan Smith (no relation to the MP – or to myself?) was settling into a good spell. First, Harshad was caught, and then Phani Sainath and Kiran Chitajallu quickly followed. With just ten overs of the alotted 30 remaining, we were 87-5 and still had work to do to set a competitive total.

Gren Thompson, who’s been in excellent form for us this season, and Sanjay Dindyal, making a welcome first Allstars appearance of the season, first repaired the damage and then hit the accelerator. Sanj was just starting to get motoring when he was brilliantly caught at gully. Nathaniel Hill played a nice shot before losing his stumps, and then Jimmy Scott took a nasty blow to the forehead off a bouncer and was forced to retire. Iain Wilson was unlucky to be run out at the non-striker’s end as the bowler got a fingertip deflection onto the stumps – but Gren was in imperious touch by then, and I helped him add a quick 18 for the last wicket before he was bowled by the final delivery. Our final total of 149 looked just about defendable.

With the pitch still playing tricks, bowling at the stumps seemed the best way. Buoyed up by his batting, Gren gave us the perfect start as he bowled Mark Haselhurst in the first over without a run on the board, and soon followed up with another as he knocked Duncan Smith’s stumps over with a lovely inswinger. Mathan was also getting into a great rhythm at the other end, and in an excellent first spell for the Allstars, he bowled both Olly Coulson and Dave Lamb to leave Gradcasts in peril at 25-4.

We knew Gradcasts would have some quality somewhere, and by then left-hander Dave Haselhurst was into his stride, hitting powerfully through cover and straight. Sanj, despite sustaining a knee injury the previous day, was working up a really hostile spell, and he took the next wicket as Rich Murfitt played on to make it 46-5. Imran had looked class with the ball and in the field, and I didn’t need my favourite singer to tell me – I knew he was trouble when he walked in. He quickly settled at the wicket, and with Haselhurst still finding the boundary, the run rate began to mount – but Sanj just would not give in, and he dismissed Haselhurst with a brute of a bouncer which he skied to Harshad behind the stumps. Gradcasts were 86-6, and the game was still wide open.

Skipper Collins looked a good batsman too, and with Gren’s final burst unable to break the stand, the target ticked down. Harshad took his pads off to have a bowl, with Jimmy bravely taking the gloves having recovered from his injury. But still we couldn’t find a way through, and Imran and Collins continued to take Gradcasts towards victory. With just two required, Mathan completed an excellent debut with one last great effort as he pinned Collins LBW in his final over. After the amazing finish against Railway Taverners last year, we never believe a game is lost until the final run is scored – but Geri (not very Spicely) Morris took Gradcasts over the line as he steered the next ball down to third man.

But this was a superb effort by the Allstars and an excellent game of cricket, of which we can be very proud of our efforts, and everyone was in excellent spirits at the end. The Gradcasts are a great bunch, and with our series now tied at 2-2, we’ll look forward to seeing them again next season to see who can edge ahead once again. We have the highlight of our Family Day at Barn Elms to come on 18 August – but first, we’re back in North London as we contest the James Abrahams Trophy against Mighty Wanderers on Sunday.