Well, it happens to all great international sports teams on a winning roll. The All Blacks, Manchester City, Novak Djokovic, Lewis Hamilton have all enjoyed unbeaten runs, but even they eventually drop their guard, or finally meet opponents savvy and good enough to pip them.
So it was, for the Awali Camels in their second tour match at one of the strongholds of North Wales cricket: Mochdre. Sandwiched between the mountains of Snowdonia and the Menai Straits, the pretty and bustling ground basked in gorgeous sunshine as an appreciative and sizeable crowd turned out to watch their heroes face the all-conquering Camels.
Mochdre skipper, Aussie pro Brad Kilow faced a fellow down-under veteran in skipper-for-the-day Doug Perrins. Despite the Camels fearsome record and bowling attack boosted by the arrival of Steve Tuner, Matt Rees and Toby Haslam, Kilow opted to bat first after winning the all-important toss.
“Win the toss, win the game!” he chuckled loudly as the two rejoined their waiting teams. How right he nearly was!
Mochdre got off to the best start imaginable. Opener Will Evans, fresh from a huge century the day before in the Welsh Cup, cracked 36 runs off just 20 balls. That, after being dropped at slip by bucket-hands Charles Forward off the first ball of the game.
Camel paceman Tom Wooding trapped Humphreys lbw for 2, but the score had already reached 39 after just 3 overs. A shout went around the ground, eventually picked up by Perrins, “Bring on Turner!” and sure enough, the aging trundler did what he almost invariably does – he clean bowled Evans with his second delivery, and had Opie caught by Wooding off his fourth.
The Camels were back in the battle … or so they thought.
Mochdre bat long and deep. Indeed, the professional Kilow batted number 11! Yes, wickets fell regularly, but in they came, one after the other, smashing fours and huge sixes off all bowlers.
Two sixes off the luckless Perrins were big enough to temporarily halt a junior football tournament in the adjacent park, the players and crowd scattering as the ball whizzed through. Seven of the eight bowlers took wickets, but only two, Guy Parker and Wooding, conceded fewer than 8 an over. The Camels were up against it!
The Camels’ solid reply faltered at 24 off 4 overs when Matt Rees (10) played all round a Sardar straight ball. Wooding, often a match winner, fell third ball finding mid-off with a clean but uppish drive. Forward battled to 30 but fell to Kilow’s occasional seamers.
Momentum was maintained in an entertaining stand between Dan Viles (41) and Huw Caffrey (40), but with the target for an outright win fading with every dot-ball and fall-of-wicket, it was left to Dave Mason (13 not out) and Haslam (11 not out) to steady the ship and guide the Camels to their first ‘non-win’ in eight matches.
Still, they’ll be happy enough with the fighting draw as they face their next opponents, Conwy CC, in what promises to be a fast and furious T20 encounter at the historic Conwy Bowl.