Knockers Vs Saints

Lose :: Played on Sunday 27th July 2025

Saints
246-5

Knockers
126-10

Match Report

This inaugural match between 2 sides with nowhere to call home took place in Dulwich, a chewy green track that had moon balls purring. With the Euros final in the offing, there was lively energy for some competitive action in this 35-over game. Some very big hitting took place and unfortunately none of it came from KCC.

Saints won the toss and went in to bat. A stolid gorgeous George returned 5 overs for 6 runs, a crime that no wickets accompanied that but it set a lovely momentum for others to follow. Gabe was told about 30 seconds before the 2nd over started that he was doing the honours and fired down a lovely spell of aesthetically pleasing bowling; at least, that was the case up until he released the ball with a few short ones getting the treatment to the short leg side boundary. Seam position looked great from point, though.

The Saints openers offered very few chances but Gabe and George had asserted an energy and impetus that we carried well for the rest of the innings. Basham bowled mystery mediums, provoking effusive debate about no balls on height. Gabe took a stunner off one that definitely was before others were questioned as Ali struggled with the “please bowl it ideally on the track or short of that below the waist” directive. On we pressed and the appo openers strode towards 50 each, Mike ‘Simon Jones’ Sharpe threatening with a few pacey deliveries but unfortunately not quite finding his rhythm. The first opener retired on 50* and the other stuck around for a couple more lusty blows after making his, resulting in a stumping for now-wickie Ali off Adil’s guile.

Adil got his second wicket with a caught and bowled which brought out the Saints skipper who retired not long after, making 51 (24), Adil, Marsh and Horner suffering some whacks in the process. The final few overs were a mix of dots and boundary balls and the Saints ended on 246/5 off their 35. Big kudos going to Jonners and Dêbütånt Paddy for relentless shifts in the field while being denied a bowl by the skipper.

A solid tea later, the batting order was halfway thought through and Adil and Gabe got their kit on. Adil greeted their opener with a 6 back over his head and this brief whisper of hope was all it took to ignite some optimism in the ranks. Gabe got bowled a couple of minutes later.

Ali came out next and for a few overs he and Adil set about the chasing task diligently. With those 2 getting their heads down, we had a good sense of building towards a late innings surge. Alas, some accurate tweaking and seaming was our undoing, as well as some exceptional grabbing which first took Ali as he began to go through the gears. Seb came and went to a pearler at deep square and JJ realised too late that none of the oppo were worthy of beholding Excalibur for more than a couple of balls, he too fell to a catch. Ted joined a bunkering Landers in the middle, the required rate somewhere towards 10 at the time. Watching Matty vaingloriously plant his front foot towards several balls before shouldering arms, Ted counted a slightly climbing rate.

Matt eventually fell to a dreamy on-for-the-oppo-Horner catch on mid off and Paddy leapt out, seeking glory with Excalibur™️ in hand. 4 more balls was all it took for the noble sabre to yet again deny the opponents any runs in its name, run chases be damned; a spooned catch doing the damage this time. The question remains begged of finding they whosoever may be worthy of invoking lore of the round [pitch] and our very first Excalibur©️ boundary. Ted couldn’t find a consistent middle and fell on 32 with a comically long way to go for a tense finish. Prof graced us with a 13-ball quacker which Mike saw as a challenge and raised him a golden, leaving gorgeous George on an average-boosting 1* with Knockers 120 runs shy of the chase.

There is probably a lesson or two in there for bowling line and length but we can park that until an AGM chinwag for sure. A great day out with the Lionesses winning and an oppo keen for more next year and our eyes are firmly planted on the Musker vs Landers battle for top spot in the batting numbers.

 

Batting

Batsman	How Out	4s	6s	Runs
Adil Omar	caught	3	1	28
Gabe Musker	bowled	0	0	0
Alistair Basham	caught	3	0	16
Seb Horner	caught	0	0	7
Matt Landers	caught	3	0	22
James Johnstone	caught	0	0	0
Ted Marsh	caught	4	1	32
Paddy Holland	caught	0	0	0
John Mitchell	bowled	0	0	0
Michael Sharpe	bowled	0	0	0
George Randell	not out	0	0	1

 

Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts
George Randell	5.0	2	6	0
Gabe Musker	4.0	0	41	0
Alistair Basham	6.0	0	38	0
Michael Sharpe	4.0	0	29	0
Adil Omar	6.0	0	45	2
Ted Marsh	7.0	0	38	2
Seb Horner	4.0	0	38	1