Ley Hill v Chelsea Nomads, 13th July 2003
Tom Holman
This was another fine win for Paul Green's Sunday men, who have now not lost
since the first day of June. But the show was stolen by Hertford King who, in a
savage display of hitting not seen by a Ley Hill player for many years, broke
the club's record for the fastest ever century. King hammered 100 from just 59
balls, beating by two balls Nick Lee's effort against Ballinger in 1997. The
amazing effort led Hill to a thrilling three-wicket victory that had looked very
unlikely before he strode to the crease.
Earlier on in the day it had been business as usual, as Hill toiled in the
blazing sunshine as their opponents filled their boots against some wayward
bowling and feeble fielding. Chelsea Nomads, among the most popular of our
opponents, racked up 231 for 7 as a succession of foppish visitors tucked in to
the extensive buffet laid out by Ley Hill. Opening bowlers Scott Peterson and
Jon Lown went wicketless, but Paul Green then picked up three wickets to stem
the flow. His subcontinental spin-twin Uncle Tanver grabbed two scalps, but
several more wild, bug-eyed, arm-waving appeals went unanswered by the brave
umpire. Kash Shakoor took two victims too, but the victory target of 232 seemed
a long way off at tea.
Prospects of victory subsided further when Ley Hill found themselves 53 for 4.
Chelsea Nomads' resident star of stage and screen Struan Roger did the damage by
seeing off Keith Strickland and Paul Humphreys, with Az Shakoor and Ian Webb
soon following. But that was just the cue for Hertford King. The man who has
brought some much-needed class to Ley Hill since joining at the start of the
season tore into the Chelsea Nomads from the off, racking up his first fifty in
just 29 balls. Ley Hill are normally on the receiving end of treatment like
this, but King's hitting was a joy to watch and quickly pulled the team back
into the run chase. His second fifty took 30 more balls and no Nomads bowler
could find a way of halting him. After one of the most entertaining innings ever
seen on Hill's field of dreams he eventually fell for 104, with just 20 more
needed to win. John Lown picked up 33 at the other end, before Nigel Hill,
clearly inspired by King's fireworks, added a handy 13. Uncle Tanver and Kash
Shakoor steered Hill over the finish line, the whole chase taking just 36 overs.
King celebrated in style by buying every player a drink in the bar afterwards, a
gesture which many of his team-mates would do well to note. A historic day!
Chelsea Nomads: 231 for 7 (Green 3
for 60, Shakoor 2 for 28, Tanver 2 for 54)
Ley Hill: 233 for 7 (King 104, Lown 33, Humphreys 24)
Ley Hill won by three wickets
Man of the match: Hertford King, of course
Clown of the match: Ian Webb, whose solitary run with the bat followed a
particularly feeble effort to catch a skier in the field