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Rusty OCs fail to compete
Esher 157 beat Old Cranleighans 142 for 9 by 15 runs (40 overs/side)
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Abeed Janmohamed hits out
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Our season started where it will end in more than four-and-a-half months' time, at Esher and in front of a chuntering John McDermott, OCCC President and Esher CEO (a title reflecting the changing times we live in but not resulting in any improvement in Mac's dress sense). Bereft of several familiar faces who preferred Bailey's stag weekend in Budapest to the delights of New Road, we were grateful to a late cancellation by the Frogs to allow Abeed Janmohamed and Mike Chetwode to boost our ranks.
Simon Copleston, entrusted to captain on the day, put Esher in and handed the ball to Chetwode, starting his 26th season with us. For once his winter fitness regime of doing nothing involving breaking sweat appeared to let him down as only one of his first six deliveries pitched, but he soon settled down into his usually parsimonious rhythm. Gavin Christie made the breakthrough, courtesy of a dreadful attempted pull by Khan, the overseas pro, and when Chetwode bowled Atkins, the other opener, Esher were 35 for 2 and looking shaky on a wicket which was hard but unpredictable.
But Oplando led a decent enough recovery with a gritty 58 not out, but none of the last six batsmen managed more than 5. Chetwode polished off the tail, finding an extra yard and some hitherto absent accuracy when confronted with the hapless George Morris, and even Richard Seeckts and Martin Williamson got wickets. Janmohamed, after a battering behind the stumps, handed over that responsibility to Scott Nye and took 5-1-5-1. Chris Porter found his line and length and took 7-3-19-1. The highlight for the fielders, however, came early on when Copleston and Seeckts raced to the boundary and the older and less aerodynamic man won by some distance.
An asking rate of under four an over was far from hard, but we managed to make it just that. Bob Hume (19) and Mark Shapland (6) struggled to get going, and although Janmohamed (26) and Copleston (10) got us to 66 for 2 at after 21 overs, the next 10 overs produced 35 runs and we were up against it. Porter bludgeoned 27, but it was too little to late, and only a last-gasp slog by Chetwode got us within respectable reach of the target.
Esher 159 (38.2 overs, Oplando 58*, Fletcher 38, Chetwode 3-20)
Old Cranleighans 142 for 9 (40 overs, Porter 27, Janmohamed 26)
Esher won by 15 runs
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