Sunday XI v Ruislip Victoria - 15th June 2014

M & B made it two Sunday wins for the season with a convincing 166 run win over Ruislip Victoria, albeit in which proved to be the most boring game of the Sunday campaign so far. After being asked to bat by the opposition M & B made Ruislip pay for their decision. Openers Raoul Cheema and William Cunliffe made hay whilst the sun didn't shine on an overcast day at Bray. Both openers took advantage of the many loose offerings served up by the Ruislip bowlers, which was topped up by a generous supply of extras, for good measure. Cunliffe was quick to get into his stride playing a number of well timed drives as well as prompting the normally slow Cheema through for a number of quick singles. It was good to see Cunliffe make a score and hopefully this will boost his confidence albeit he is unlikely to face many weaker attacks this season. As normal Cheema made a slow start but eventually caught his partner up with copious boundaries courtesy of his drives, pulls and cuts. He should have been dismissed on 78 but the fielder spilled a regulation catch. In the end Cunliffe was first to perish for 78, which included 10 4's, not before the first wicket partnership had posted 202 in 29 overs though.

Unluckily for Ruislip Cunliffe's departure only bought to the wicket, 1st team captain, Brett van Niekirk, playing his first Sunday game for a couple of years. Van Niekirk actually increased the scoring tempo, in particular when Ruislip brought back opening bowler McIntyre for a second spell, whether he had stiffened up or not, he couldn't seem to either pitch the ball, or when he did on a good length. Van Niekirk pounced to the tune of 28 dispatching the over for 28, 464464, which included a six over long on which came back off the river net and hit the fielder on the head and a flicked six over the clubhouse boundary, which miraculously missed all the people landed and bounced through the open bar sliding doors, ending up at the foot of the bar. In the end Van Niekirk departed for47 in 7 overs which included 5 4's and 2 6's.

As always Cheema marched remorselessly on to his second Sunday hundred of the season. It was to everyone's surprise that he didn't carry his bat as he was out caught in the slips for 115 in the 38th over, after striking 17 4's and a six. The innings brought his Sunday tally to 318 in five knocks at an average of a 106. It was pleasing to see Cheema actually scoring some runs in the league the previous day for the first X1. It was strange to see Ruislip bringing on their best bowler near the end, with Krunic bowling three over for 6 runs and 2 wickets in an M & B total of 287 for 3 in 40 overs.

Although skipper Armstrong thought he had enough already his opening bowlers Ambar Moorthy and Arul Appavoo were quick to press home the advantage. Moorthy bowled a full away swinging line, which accounted for the Ruislip opener early on, caught behind by Dixon whilst attempting to drive through the off side. Appavoo castled the other opener with his nagging left arm round angle, jagging back at the right hander. Change bowlers Amit Giri and Atif Amin continued to keep a strangle hold on the Ruislip batsmen, although their endeavours went unrewarded, courtesy of their butter fingered colleagues. Cunliffe and Van Niekirk spilled catches in the slips off Giri, Van Niekirk's being a regulation catch into the bread basket, which was particularly galling based upon the fact that he had claimed to have taken a screamer in the slips the day before. Dixon was the guilty party in Amin's case. At the half way stage the contest was as good as over, even though Ruislip were only two wickets down, the introduction of the spinners brought immediate results though. Having been starved of scoring opportunities by the seamers the Ruislip batsmen looked to go after the spinners but with disastrous results. Senior Sunday spinner Chris Butler snared two victims in his first over and three in all in his five over spell of 3 for 17. Fellow spinner Thomas Noakes captured two scalps as he got appreciable spin and bounce off the wicket. His five over spell went for only 6 runs. Armstrong had the luxury of bringing on alleged leg spinner Cheema for his assorted bag of filth. In the end Pike and Panchoo hung around to post 40 for the 8th wicket and use up time, as Ruislip Victoria ended up at 121 for 8 off their 40 overs.