CRICKET – The Almoayyed Ford Awali Camels returned to winning ways with a narrow victory against hosts Addington CC in their 31st annual summer tour in England.
The legendary Kent village club provided the splendid setting for a tremendous feast of festival cricket in a stonking T20, in which the result was not settled until the penultimate ball.
Three-hundred-and-ninety-seven runs were smashed around this bucolic oak and chestnut-lined paradise of a cricket ground.
Celebrity guest players had been invited to enhance proceedings for the swelling crowd of expectant aficionados.
In a curious twist, Nepal international Sohail found himself selected for both teams, with neither manager knowing that the other had invited this explosive batsman.
Not only did Sohail double his kudos by batting for both sides, he neatly shared his contributions by scoring exactly 50 for each team.
Only one Camels bowler in Fergus Shaw conceded fewer than 10 an over.
The wily veteran took the valuable wicket of another Nepal international, Vee Chatri (31), and by conceding only 19 runs in his three overs, probably won the match for the Camels.
Sixes and fours dominated the scoresheet. Sixteen fours and nine sixes flowed from the bats of the Addington heroes.
Skipper Tom Wooding tried eight bowlers, and there were wickets for golden oldies Steve Turner and Guy Parker, but these only brought more big hitters to the crease.
Brad Deamer (30*) and ‘Clogger’ Slater (50*) swaggered off the pitch, leaving the Camels the prospect of scoring 10 an over to win.
Camels openers Adil Hussain and ‘Killer’ Kellham rushed the score to 82 before the best catch of the day – a one-handed, diving effort by local hero Zobbie that removed Adil.
Kellham retired on 50, and the Camels were up with the run-rate.
Things slowed a bit with the departure of Pat Quinn (25), and Dave Starkie (one) was cruelly run out before he could launch his assault on the bowling.
Mumtaz now joined Sohail, patiently watching the Nepali pick off sixes and fours to all corners.
But Mumtaz was just waiting for his moment to steal the show, and with 10 still needed off the last over, the stocky Bahraini batsman smote three mighty fours to the longest boundary to bring up the 200 and win the match.
Local Addington supporters cheered from the grandstand and said they’d never seen such cricket played with so much gusto and élan.
Unsurprisingly, the Camels were invited back for a ‘revenge’ match any time in the future.
The Camels now move into their final game of their summer tour this year.
The venue is the erstwhile Kent County ground at The Mote, home of Mote CC.
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