Mill Hill Village Cricket Club, Sunday 16 July 2023.

Gentlemen of West London 183-8 (32.3 overs: Amit Deverathippa 3-36, Pradesh Deveraj 3-38, Raghavendra C R 2-37) beat St Anne’s Allstars 182 all out (34.4 overs: Raghavendra C R 66, Steyn Grobler 48) by 1 wicket.

Report and photo by Pete Cresswell

The quick summary (credit Sheahan Arnott):
There once was a game in Mill Hill
A battle of wits and of skill
After runs from Raga and Steyn
We bowled through the rain
And fell short by a single good pill

The long version:
On Sunday the Allstars returned to Mill Hill for the first time this season, to take on our friends and oldest remaining rivals the Gents. With a field full of cows on one side, a garden centre on another and trees all around hiding any sign of cityscapes, it was hard to believe we were in London.

Unfortunately a couple of late injury withdrawals meant we were playing 9 vs 10. Quickly we sized up the very green wicket on the north side of the block, and realising it’d make it too easy for some to hit the ball downhill (over the fence and stream) and into the next county (Hertfordshire), we shuffled a couple of strips over to a slightly used strip that still played pretty well all day. At 1pm skipper Cresswell called correctly and, with only 4 Allstars present, quickly opted to bat.

The skipper strode out with Sanjay Dindyal, and the pair started off cautiously against some accurate bowling from Sanjay Patel and Nilesh Dubey. Dubey broke though in his 5th over, getting Sanj LBW for a handy 21. Cresswell followed suit quickly after, flicking Parvatheneni to square leg.

Pinch hitter Pradesh Deveraj holed out to Pavan Kota in Parvathaneni’s next over, while Matt Biss was unlucky to get a ball that popped off the shoulder of his bat. That left us 56/4 at drinks and in need of some acceleration.

Amit Deverathippa perished caught hitting straight after drinks, meaning Raghavendra joined Steyn Grobler, and launched an assault on the bowling, smashing 66 before being stumped, the pair adding 88 in 10 overs to bring some respectability to the card.

Barathwaj Nagarajan joined Steyn for a short partnership that ended in a mix up and Steyn’s run-out for an excellent 48. That left Barathwaj, Sheahan Arnott and Pradesh (batting twice as lowest scorer) to add another 20 before Dubey bowled Pradesh in the last over.

A short rain delay extended tea slightly, before the Gents began their chase. With Sheahan containing at one end, Ranjith Chatharaju took 5 boundaries off Pradesh in his opening spell before Pradesh had the final say, rearranging his stumps in the 7th. Pavan Kota came in at 3, looking to build on the century he scored in last year’s fixture. However to his disbelief he nicked off to Pradesh’s slower ball for 6.

Amit and Sanj took up the attack, Amit bowling Hemin Patel to reduce the Gents to 57/3. Raghavendra then took a good catch at long on to remove Ratnakar Sudireddy off Amit, who then trapped R. Patel in front for 0. At 75/5 the game was interestingly poised.

Skipper Cresswell then gambled on Barathwaj’s leg spin, only for Puli and Sanjay Patel to go on the attack, adding 65 in 6 overs. The game turned again when Pradesh took a great catch off Raghavendra to remove Patel. Ragha then removed Gulati to another first ball lbw, and at 141/7 things were back in the balance.

Puli and Parvathaneni batted well though, and the loss of our original ball to the Mill Hill shrubbery did us no favours. They’d all but gotten the Gents home, when an inspired field change by Cresswell paid off, Amit catching Parvathaneni off Pradesh as soon as he moved into gully. That left the final Gents pair with 5 runs to get in 4 overs – but they managed it in just 9 balls, running some well-placed singles.

Another incredible game and a fantastic effort against strong opponents – we’re closing the gap on the Gents a little bit each year, and one year soon the 42-11 Trophy will be ours. Next Sunday – we’re back in North London as we face Railway Taverners at Highgate.

Matfield Green, Sunday 9 July 2023.

St Anne’s Allstars 210-8 (35 overs: James Morgan 103* ret, Amit Deverathippa 56, Justin Bowden 4-28) beat Matfield 184-9 (35 overs: Reece Overy 58, Amiya Ranjan 3-16) by 26 runs.

Report by Garreth Duncan- Photos by Amit Deverathippa, Shanmugam Sama and Pete Cresswell

How could we ever top that? The drama at Barnes Common the previous Saturday had taken us to heights we never thought possible (and added many years to the age of those watching). Matfield’s ground has long been easy on the eye, but their team have brought us down to earth with a bump in the past. But this time, we excelled ourselves further by beating them for the first time – a tense at times, but ultimately comfortable, victory to make it three wins in a row.

The Kent weather forecast had been changing all week, and we arrived with the clouds not yet cleared. Shanmugam Sama, captaining the Allstars for the first time, lost the toss, and Matfield asked us to bat first, no doubt hoping to get the most of the moisture on their usually immaculate pitch. Justin Bowden struck quickly, with Pete Cresswell edging to gully in his first over. But James Morgan, making a timely return to Allstars cricket on one of his favourite surfaces, survived some early alarms, and with Matt Biss providing excellent support, they saw off the openers and added 77 for the second wicket. With the drinks break looming, Matt charged at Simon Knott and was stumped. He seemed frustrated at missing out on a bigger score on a good surface- but he had played the perfect foil for Morgsie who had already passed fifty and looked good for more.

We still needed to up the run rate, and did so in stunning fashion as Amit Deverathippa immediately got to work with some powerful hitting down the ground. Marcus Meredith was smashed out of the attack, and Josh Gregory also took a battering as Amit sped to his first fifty of the season off just 30 balls. Gregory got his revenge as Amit soon skied to gully, but he’d taken the pressure off Morgsie and allowed him to continue on his way. With three overs to go, he reached a richly deserved hundred – his third for the Allstars – and completed an excellent cricketing day in the Morgan family, his son Dylan having also reached his highest score as dad proudly watched on in the morning.

Morgsie’s retirement, and the return of the openers, brought a late clatter of wickets as we pushed for quick runs in the closing overs. Raghavendra was bowled as he aimed a big drive, Amiya Ranjan hit a mighty six before losing his stumps, and Sam Macdonald crashed a boundary before picking out long-on. Our final score of 210-8 looked about par, but with the weather improving and the pitch now fully dried out, we’d have to bowl very well to defend it.

Amidst all of this, the third Ashes Test was reaching its denouement, and frequent updates on England’s run chase were shouted out to those in the middle. As we settled in for Matfield’s fabulous tea, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood saw England over the line to huge cheers in the pavilion. It was now our turn to bowl, and Amiya gave us the perfect start as he pinned Heady LBW in his first over. Vivek Seth had settled onto a really good length at the other end, and was really unlucky to go wicketless as a series of catches – none of them easy – went down in the deep. Meredith, in particular, was living a charmed life – but it was Pradesh Deveraj, cleverly mixing it up with well-disguised slower balls, who finally got the breakthrough as Meredith edged him to Sam behind the stumps.

At the drinks break Matfield were roughly level with our score at the same stage, and both sides had all to play for. Reece Overy looked in really good touch as he went to his fifty, and with Jack Sheer supporting him well, they were handily placed with 12 overs to go. Amit, mixing up pace and spin with ease, broke the stand as he bowled Sheer with a beauty – but at the other end, skipper Shanmu was settling into a really good spell which set us on the path to victory. He got the vital wicket as Overy pulled to Vivek at square leg, and then followed up by dismissing the dangerous Sunny Deevi as Pradesh held on to a skier at point. Hal Cooper has been a thorn in our side in the past, and was starting to find his range – but it was Amit who struck the next blow as he rattled his stumps.

Matfield may still have fancied their chances with 48 needed from the last five – but the return of Amiya firmly closed the door, as he took two smart caught and bowleds to remove Horton and Gregory. Pradesh finished the job in the final over, grabbing his second as Knott was trapped in front.

So the 2023 Allstars continue to go where none has gone before, and we celebrated victory (and nursed a few bruises) in the Star Inn. Matfield are a really nice bunch of guys, as we look forward to next year’s visit. But next up, as the Stone Roses sang, this is the one – as we face our old friends and rivals the Gentlemen of West London at Mill Hill on Sunday. Their secretary, our great pal Andy Burman, has been watching our progress with interest on social media. Can we reclaim the 42-11 Trophy for the first time since 2019?

Barnes Common, Saturday 1 July 2023.

St Anne’s Allstars CC 178-9 (34.5 overs: Raghavendra C R 100*) beat Mighty Wanderers 174 all out (31.1 overs: Nick Charlton 58, James Knight 54, Sheahan Arnott 4-22 including a hat-trick) by 1 wicket.

Report by Garreth Duncan – Photos by Amit Deverathippa and Pete Cresswell

The James Abrahams Trophy is named after our club’s favourite KC, and has been contested between Mighty Wanderers and our club all the way back to 2003. We are very well matched with Wanderers, and over the last 20 years, the Trophy has frequently changed hands, with thumping wins for both sides and some nail-biting contests. But this one must go down as the greatest of them all, as in a scarcely believable manner, a magnificent hundred from Raghavendra took us to victory with just one ball to spare.

We arrived at Barnes to cloudy skies, and all agreed with our pitch inspector and captain for the day Sheahan Arnott that the wicket looked pretty green. Mighty Wanderers captain James Knight won the toss and chose to bat first, but given the conditions, we were far from unhappy to be bowling first. We got off to an excellent start, Pradesh Deveraj striking in his second over as he knocked Tjasink’s leg stump out of the ground. Pradesh quickly followed up with another, as Amit Deverathippa took a well judged catch at mid-on, to leave Wanderers 15-2.

Nick Charlton and Smith repaired some of the early damage, and with the Barnes Common outfield as fast as ever, anything that pierced the infield was running away for boundaries. The fifty was raised – but skipper Sheahan soon found the right length, and broke the stand by bowling Smith. Next over, Gabriel Radomic was run out in a comical mix-up, both batsmen ending up at the same end. Jimmy Scott then bowled Cass with a grubber, and just before the halfway point Wanderers were 77-5 and we looked in firm control.

The fall of the fifth wicket brought Wanderers’ skipper Knight to the crease, and together with Nick Charlton, he pulled Wanderers right back into the game. Both were particularly strong hitting in the V between mid-off and mid-on, as well as putting away anything straying leg-side, and the inevitable Barnes Common ball-searching delays began. Visibility wasn’t helped by trying three different colour balls – white, orange and then pink – and the game looked to be rapidly running away from us.

But our first golden moment of the day was to turn the game back towards us again. Sheahan returned at the railway end, and produced a pearler of a delivery to trim Knight’s off bail – and next ball he did the same to Rigby. With that ball ending his over, he had a nervous wait – but the first ball of his next over was full and right on target and detonated Grant’s stumps. It was Sheahan’s first ever hat-trick, and the fifth recorded in our club’s history (although your statto secretary thinks there’s been at least one more) – well worth him turning down a ticket for the Lord’s Test. Sheahan wheeled away on a celebration run, ripping off his shirt a la Freddie Flintoff in Mumbai – but his day wasn’t finished, as next over he took a blinding catch at mid-wicket off Benaka Karanth to end Nick Charlton’s long vigil. Amit finished the innings by cleaning up Jono Charlton, and we faced a target of 175 – well within our reach, though we knew we’d have to bat well to get there.

But our long history with Wanderers tells us they are always strong with the ball, and Tjasink, who’s always bowled well at Barnes Common, struck an early blow by bowling Pete Cresswell in his second over. At the other end, Jono Charlton was serving up a real mixed bag of full tosses, wides and short balls – but Dave Halladay, making a welcome return to Allstars cricket, was unlucky to get out LBW to the one straight ball Charlton dished up, missing an attempted sweep as it kept low, and after 4 overs we were 14-2.

Now it was our turn to consolidate, and Raghavendra and Barathwaj Nagarajan initially took few risks as they saw off the dangerous Tjasink. They were just starting to open up when the Barnes Common pitch played one of its old tricks, a ball from Grant popping up on Barathwaj which he gloved to Knight behind the stumps. Grant struck again in his next over, Jimmy Scott getting a good bit of bat on it but finding the leg gully fielder. Amit soon departed as he chopped a ball from Smith onto his stumps, and when Sam Macdonald, who’d kept wicket superbly on this difficult surface, suffered the same fate three balls later, we were 61-6 and in big trouble. But having recovered from a similar start against The Min last weekend, we could still believe in victory.

Raghavendra remained untroubled, and began to up the tempo as he passed fifty – but he needed someone to stay with him to give us a chance of winning. Benaka helped him add 34 before Taylor knocked his stumps back, and then skipper Sheahan’s long run of not-outs finally came to an end as he too chopped on to his wicket. Iain Wilson provided doughty support as another 20 were added, but when he was also snared in Wanderers’ leg-trap, 46 runs were still required. The run rate wasn’t an issue – but one more wicket and it would be Wanderers’ day.

Raghavendra was continuing to look a class apart, and Wanderers were happy to give him the single while surrounding Pradesh with fielders. But for someone claiming never to have batted in a proper game before he joined the Allstars, Pradesh looked remarkably unflustered, hitting a couple of boundaries of his own while running hard and being unafraid to take twos to keep the scoreboard moving. With four overs remaining, 22 were required and all results still seemed possible.

Wanderers skipper Knight strangely elected not to use Tjasink’s last two overs – but Grant and Smith were still bowling in good rhythm. Both teams and spectators were gripped by the drama unfolding before them, every run ticked off getting encouragement from the boundary edge, any boundary a bigger cheer. As we entered the last over, three were required – incredibly, almost an identical equation to our first ever game with Wanderers where they got home by the same margin. Raghavendra watched the first ball go by, and then put incredible faith in his partner as they ran a single to take him to 96. Pradesh, calm as ever, found a gap as another run was added to level the scores. Finally, and to the unbridled joy of his watching family, Raghavendra cut Smith away through point to bring up his hundred with the winning boundary.

Raghavendra’s innings rightly belongs amongst the greatest in our history. But Pradesh’s contribution to this remarkable partnership shouldn’t be forgotten. It takes two to build a great last-wicket stand, as cricket history has shown time and again. Where would Stokes have been without Leach? Lara without Walsh? Perera without Fernando?

Mighty Wanderers were very generous in defeat, and should feel very proud of themselves for giving their all in such a great game. We all joined together in our favourite pub the Sun Inn to celebrate as Sheahan took a sip from the second most important small trophy in cricket, and the party in Banbury may well have continued long into the night! But there’s no rest for us as our back to back games continue, as we head to beautiful Kent to face Derek Underwood’s Matfield next Sunday.

King George’s Playing Field, Morden, Sunday 25 June 2023.

St Anne’s Allstars 169-9 dec (Adams 35, Wigg 4-10) beat The Min 130 all out (Damaze 32) by 39 runs.

Allstars Debut: Andrew Lipscombe.

Report by Neale Adams – Photos by Pete Cresswell

So, on the hottest day of the year to date in the UK, the Allstars gathered at King George’s Playing Fields to take the field for our second fixture against The Min. Excitement was high, and so was the temperature. Thankfully, the heat was tempered by a refreshing wind that continued to blow throughout the afternoon across the elevated playing field. Great conditions and a great venue, even if the facilities were al fresco as there was no clubhouse.

However, as the 1pm start time came and went for the timed game, it soon became apparent that the Allstars had unwittingly decided to divide and conquer. Seven of the team had made it to King George’s Playing Fields in Morden, Surrey – but, courtesy of a bizarre sat-nav error, the four Banbury boys (including the match captain Amit Deverathippa) had ventured to King George’s Playing Fields……in Brentwood. Yes, that Brentwood in Essex. Think we already know the recipients of this year’s end of season award for the best sightseeing tour of London and its surrounding counties!

Undeterred, the Allstars Morden squadron hastily put together a batting order – the majority of whom were lower order sloggers. Now, suddenly promoted to the top order, the aim was to stay in play while waiting for Captain Amit and the cavalry to arrive. But the initial outcome was inevitable and not pretty, as the accurate, full-length bowling of The Min opening pair of Wigg and Casey sliced through the Allstars batting order. What looked like a flat wicket did not help the Allstars’ cause either, as many were bowled by balls which kept low. Coming out to bat with the score 0 for 2, Matt Lo steadied the Allstars’ ship, putting a respectable 28 on the scoreboard before he too lost his wicket to the on-target Wigg, who was the star of The Min bowling line up with impressive figures of 4 for 10.

By the time the early drinks break was called, as the Allstars had run out of batsmen, the team were on 62 for 6.  But, as in all good movies, the cavalry did arrive in the nick of time – or around 3pm to be precise.

So once more into the affray, the Allstars retook to the square with Neale Adams and Pradesh Deveraj to see off the openers and take on The Min spinners. Adams eventually left the crease having put together an excellent 35, and thanks to an inspired cavalry charge by Pradesh, Captain Amit, and Barathwaj Nagarajan, 107 runs were added for the last three wickets before time was called leaving the Allstars on 169 for 9. 

Game on.

Raghavendra and Pradesh opened the Allstars’ bowling attack, but a solid start by The Min openers Earney and Beswick got their scoreboard ticking over steadily. Raghavendra claimed the first scalp with a fine delivery in the seventh over that hit Earney’s stumps, sending him back to the clubhouse….or in reality the bags under the shaded trees.

The Min continued on their way, posting the fifty with just one down, and it was not until the 15th over when Captain Amit struck a vital blow, trapping Strawson LBW. As so often in cricket, one wicket brings two – and next over, without addition to the score, Sanjay Dindyal sent Min skipper Beswick on his way in identical fashion. Sanjay was really working up a good pace, and he bowled Gallagher in his next over to leave The Min 67 for 4.

Damaze and Wigg put together a decent stand to bring The Min back into it, but it was Allstars debutant Andrew Lipscombe’s time to come to the party, as he bowled Damaze with the second ball of his first over before doing the same to Casey. The Min’s stoic resistance was broken, and we moved in for the kill. An inspired spell by the fearless Jimmy Scott brought him two quick wickets, as Usanga was caught in the gully and Garland hitting his own wicket. Allstars Club Captain Pete Cresswell was ever vigilant behind the stumps. 

With the Allstars sensing a once distant looking victory, a Sunday Bazball fielding set up was adopted aiming to put The Min’s last pair under further pressure. Captain Amit fittingly wrapped up the proceedings by dismissing Grant, taking the bails off with a fine delivery, to leave The Min all out for 130.

The game had ebbed and flowed like the first 2023 Ashes Test – but without the crowds, toilets or overpriced champagne. The Min were gracious opponents and all-round fine fellows, and coupled with a good venue, it was a most enjoyable way to spend a hot summer’s day. Next up, on Saturday, we return to our spiritual home of Barnes Common to contest the James Abrahams Trophy against our old friends and rivals Mighty Wanderers. 

Aston Rowant, Sunday 11 June 2023.

Heartaches 276-5 (35 overs: Alex Poole 129, Andrew O’Kelly 55*, Amiya Ranjan 2-36) v St Anne’s Allstars 1-0 (0.5 overs). No result.

Allstars Debut: Koushik Saji

Report by Garreth Duncan – Photos by Garreth Duncan and Pete Cresswell

Fresh from our maiden victory of 2023 over Superstars, the Allstars converged on Aston Rowant for one of our marquee fixtures, against Sir Tim Rice’s Heartaches. Sir Tim was out of town this time, but on a scorching day, he missed a good fight between his own batsmen and a committed Allstars attack on a belter of a pitch. But lightning had the final say before the Allstars could get going with our reply.

Amit Deverathippa, leading the Allstars for the first time, won the toss and asked Heartaches to bat first. Pradesh Deveraj, after an excellent debut against Superstars, and Amiya Ranjan, making his first appearance of 2023 after a fine debut season last year, opened up for the Allstars and both generated some lively pace in fine opening spells. Amiya struck first with a peach of a delivery which knocked Vishal Lal’s off stump out of the ground, and next over Pradesh thudded one into Fraser Hutton’s pads and umpire Haroon Khalid’s finger went up. After 8 overs Heartaches were 45-2 and we could be well pleased with our start.

Shanmugam Sama, fresh from his fine spell against Superstars, replaced Pradesh at the far end and grabbed the next wicket, Matt Bowes edging to Amit behind the stumps. But by then Alex “Big Al” Poole was into his stride and, with little if any movement in the air or off the pitch, began to put his foot on the gas, hitting in an arc between mid-wicket and long-off. A few half-chances didn’t go to hand – Amiya and I just avoiding a nasty collision as we went for the same catch – and even with several boundary riders he continued to pile on the runs. David Nandi bowled a decent spell without any luck, and skipper Amit took off his pads and had a bowl himself (much to the confusion of Heartaches’ scorer who claimed he hadn’t been informed). Debutant Koushik Saji and I also had a try, but nothing could stop Poole’s serene progress to a well-deserved hundred. Finally, Amiya’s return removed him as he went for another big hit – Amit taking a well-judged catch at long-off.

With Poole gone, we pulled it back nicely in the last few overs – Pradesh bowling well to the field and restricting a tiring Andrew O’Kelly to singles – though enough to see him through to an unbeaten fifty – and Amiya finishing off a cool run-out of Chris Hutton after a mix-up. Having looked like conceding a score in excess of 300, given the conditions we could be well pleased with our efforts in the field.

Having enjoyed Heartaches’ customary sumptuous tea, we were all ready for the chase as Pete Cresswell and Paul Burgin strode out to open the batting. But the storms had been gathering all afternoon, and just five balls into our reply, the first flash of lightning struck, and everyone quickly got off the field. We waited for an hour hoping the storm would pass – but there was still lightning overhead, and at 6pm we sensibly called a halt.

It’s always a delight to play Heartaches, and a shame we didn’t get to have a go at batting on such a sumptuous surface and chasing the target down. We look forward to playing them again next year – but next up, we have a new opponent to play as we take on Commons Old Boys in an evening T20 on Thursday.