The Buccs got back to winning ways on a new ground against The Nomads at North London CC on Sunday.
A good toss to win on what first looked like a bit of a pudding wicket and with a hint of that fine rain in the air; The Buccs chose to bat.
Vic Kandampully and Ollie Metcalfe both started well and after 15 overs a healthy total of 94 was already on the board for no loss. Vic unluckily fell for 43 to a deft catch down the leg side by the keeper after attempting a 20/20 style ramp off The Nomad’s spinner Ireland. Enter the in form Hobbo, fresh off the back of an unbeaten ton the week before. Ollie continued to deal in boundaries alone, reaching his fifty without troubling the scorers with any 1s, 2s or 3s.
Ollie and Hobbo continued to pile on the runs; some particularly powerful pulled flat 6s over mid-wicket from Metcalfe saw him quickly go on to make his first hundred for The Buccaneers and really put the pressure on The Nomads. Ollie eventually fell for 107 after miss-timing a drive to mid-on. Hobson did not relent and continued to score freely before being caught with a sharp catch to dismiss him for 87. Dilip and Crispin took up the reins and kept the scoreboard ticking, Dilip falling for 27. At 311 from 42 overs, The Buccs thought they had enough on the board and decided to declare 4 wickets down.
After a hearty tea and a medicinal ale, The Buccs took to the field to try and get a result. Metcalfe Senior opened the bowling with newcomer Richard Hobbs at the other end. A tight first couple of overs led to the fall of the first wicket, as the pressure of the run rate got too much for The Nomad opener Ramjag, trying to hit a ball that wasn’t there to be hit ending up caught at mid-wicket. The other opener Liversidge found his feet and started to score more freely with The Nomads beginning to make a comeback. The number 3 for The Nomads (Stokes) also started to pick up the pace until he was brilliantly caught at mid-off by Dilip, a very low and powerfully hit shot.
Hobbs tired after 5 overs of ripping spin and was replaced by The Buccs superstar all-rounder Hobbo. The names were not confusing at all for the scorers. Hobbo made an impact in his first over picking up the wicket of Steele for a duck. Metcalfe then struck again with a sharp caught and bowled to dismiss the dangerous opener Liversidge for 48. Hobson picked up another wicket with his next over, again claiming another victim without troubling the scorers. Hope was restored for The Nomads when Ireland came to the crease batting at 7. He came in and had obviously been just watching the Eng v NZ ODI in the bar as he straight away started pumping the ball to all corners of the ground. The Buccs began to get a little worried, but eventually Ireland holed out to another great Dilip catch at long off from the bowling of Nav Kokri for a swashbuckling 73. Little resistance followed and The Buccs wrapped up proceedings bowling The Nomads out for 187 off 29 overs.
Innings of Buccaneers
V Kandampully 43
O Metcalfe 107
P Hobson 87
D Bharadwaj 27
C Vollers not out 25
N Kokri not out 3
Extras 19
Total 311-4 (42 overs)
Robbins 10-0-69-0
Matthews 4-1-38-0
Ireland 10-1-64-1
Ormiston 12-0-53-2
Paige 2-0-27-0
Smith 4-0-39-1
Innings of Nomads
Liversidge ct & b W Metcalfe 48
Ramjag ct b W Metcalfe 1
Stokes ct b W Metcalfe 16
Steele ct b Hobson 0
Smith ct b Hobson 0
Ormiston ct b Hobson 21
Ireland ct b Kokri 73
Latchman ct b Hobson 10
Page lbw Kokri 11
Robbins not out 0
Matthews bowled Kokri 8
Extras 25
Total 187 all out (29 overs)
W Metcalfe 9-2-50-3
R Hobbs 5-0-36-0
P Hobson 9-1-53-4
S Bose 3-0-31-0
N Kokri 3-1-11-3