Halverstown won by 3 wickets.
WHITE CITY 198-7 dec.
G. Oborne 41
A. Massie 41
J. Oborne 37
---
D. Ruddock 2-24
TP 1-15
B. Hobbs 1-17
HALVERSTOWN 199-8
J. Threadgold 47
M. Monteiro 38*
M. Ruddock 26
Match report by Des Drumm
3 wickets sounds a bit of a whitewash, but in fact this declaration game was a white-knuckle ride to the penultimate ball. The game was 20 overs after 6pm (subsequently changed to 6.15pm by White City as we went out to bat), and it went all the way. A fine day (amazingly) with blue skies (for the most part) saw a game of cricket that any other this season just pales against.
White City won the toss and chose to bat- on a real wicket for a change and one in excellent condition at that. They were quickly 2 for 2 and after 5 overs just 5 for 2 with Danny Ruddock and Monty pinning them down. Things looked black.However, 60 was added before the next wicket fell and they hit a purple patch as 6 consecutive batsmen hit double figures, most notably George Oborne and Alex Massie with 41 each and James Oborne with 37. We bowled well enough, but were finding wickets hard to come by. When they declared at tea they had scored 198 off 40 overs.
Bill Coles proposal of the extra 15 minutes- a sporting gesture rather than a blonde moment- was agreed to by Peter Oborne and eagerly seized on by me, but to be fair we had allowed for that possibility and it resulted in us getting in 39 overs for our innings.
Iain Walker and Kevin Threadgold started solidly, but it was John Threadgold’s sparkling 47 that gave us hope. 74 for 4 with 19 overs left, then red-hot innings’ of 22 and 26 from Danny and Matt Ruddock left the game finely poised. 166 for 8 with 5 overs left and only Monty to really get us home. Do we bat for the draw, which would mean us retaining the cup, or go full-blooded for the win? The win it was.
The grey-hounds at White City would have been green with envy at the running of Monty and me as we took chances a kamikaze pilot would have considered reckless. We shaded it, just, running two off the penultimate ball and for Monty to be, for the second year running, the golden boy who brought us home at the very, very end.
Wins don’t come much more exciting nor -in retaining the White City Trophy , presented “In Memory of Alan Ruddock” and with all the three Ruddocks playing such a vital part (Cameron with his excellent fielding and 1 for 21)- very much sweeter.
It was good to see Alan’s father at the game and thanks to Jackie Ruddock for her wonderful hospitality after the game -and of course to White City for the great, sporting game.
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