What wasn’t holy was how cold it was at the ground, a contrast to club day a week prior where the weather was comparable to Ibiza like the weather last Sunday resembled arriving at Dunkirk for war. But Plough On we must!!!

I arrived at the ground at around 12:36pm, sneakily driving behind Elena not to startle her, I was greeted by Suri who wasn’t meant to play but stepped in for a last minute drop out. Again thank you Suri for stepping up! We exchanged pleasantries, made jokes about club day the usual agenda and plough propaganda. Yanni appears like a bear giving everyone in the team the fattest hug as usual. Once getting acquainted to the ground we go off to get changed and I remember Leon is the skipper which means I need to hide my hat from his daughter who loves stealing my hat. Leon then informs me that ‘she’s busy looking for easter eggs’ which gives me relief and comfort, finally a Sunday where I’m not bullied for my hat result!

The toss was done and Leon won but put us in to bowl first, at the time and thinking about it in reflection the best idea. So we open with Giordy and a ringer who really should be a plough in Tom Law, one of Elena’s mates and a fine cricketer (P.S Elena has joined the Plough ponzi scheme in recruiting players, her application was accepted by Giordy and renumeration will be provided).

We opened very well no wickets and only 40 runs given in 10 overs. Few fours coming from both bowlers in that opening spell and a maiden from Giordy we was already off to a good start!

In at first change comes Ean Smith and Joey Anderson, boy this where we started cooking with gas. Ean hitting sensational lines, putting the ball in areas only Jimmy Anderson could dream of. Joey on the other end turning the ball on an Astro wicket in biblical fashion, Joey was so good that he placed the ball on first wicket in a spot that even the bat thought it was good idea to leave the ball. He of course bowled the bat in which Tom then says ‘There’s two types of leave a good one and a bad one’, technically there’s three we all forget about Annual Leave haha.

Ean eventually gets a wicket and wow what a wicket. A miss timed thick edge in the sky going towards third man is brilliantly picked up by Elena, she was searching and searching for the ball. Miraculously she takes the catch almost behind her, we of course go apeshit running to Elena with jubilation and elation. We have them already two down 8 more to go, we was thinking on this day the plough win here. Joey bowling from the other end again has a wicket caught masterfully by Theo Burns one handed, yes you read that right he caught it one handed so smooth and perfect.

The Plough on a wickets roll three down and still a few overs until drinks. Joey again taking another wicket caught by Tom Law, which Elena was ecstatic as she was going to get a performance bonus from the Plough Ponzi scheme. Before we got too excited it was drinks. Four wickets down the opposition on 101 runs it was setting up for a tasty 2nd half of the game.

The drinks were good especially the squash, it wasn’t too diluted, just right. It had ice in it though which erm... especially with the weather we faced not needed as we played our game in a refrigerator but never the less we was happy with the oppo providing drinks. To add the hospitality provided by the oppo was exceptional and personally we should face them again.

Anyway I’m slowly noticing that I’m going off topic let’s get back to the game, Joey again resumed bowling and Yanni took a blinding take stood up at the stumps for Joey’s fourth wicket of the day! To be honest Yanni has improved massively since I’ve first met him in 2022, faster hands, better reaction time. It’s almost as if he’s ageing backwards, I need to ask him where he’s found the fountain of youth. ‘I’m getting old’ says the 28 year old who’s typing this behind the keyboard. Anyway back on topic Yanni took a catch where the batsman took a fat heave only of it to be a light edge for catch. Five down and Joey bows out with figures of 8 overs, 0 maidens, 45 runs and four wickets, take a bow son take a bow! I almost forgot to mention Ean Smith also ended the day with 4 overs, 0 maidens, 35 runs and a wicket his for this season. Get in there lad!

In comes in Elena to take Joey’s spot to bowl. Giordy screams ‘we’re here for the spin magic!’ and boy we was in for a treat. First ball Elena already is on the spot making it already difficult for the batsmen to get runs. We didn’t have to wait too long as Elena took a wicket where she somehow made the batsman play a drive shot found the splice and spin in the sky for it to land in Yanni’s hand for a second catch in the day.
On the other end in comes in Iskandar Eaton, another spinner but also possessing the prowess of a swiss army knife. He as well had a great start like Elena, just putting it on a spot as always wicket to wicket stuff. Both spinners plugging away, runs were scored but still the Plough still in the game searching for another breakthrough. Just as we thought we was the wickets have dried up Iskandar gets one caught by Suri and quickly on the next ball another caught by Tom. Iskandar finishing the over on a hat trick next ball on the next over, phenomenal stuff. Unfortunately for Iskandar the hat trick didn’t materialise, the bat blocked it how boring never the less we Plough on!

To end the innings Giordy came back on and got reversed scooped for the first time in a game, fair play to kid for having balls in doing that. The shot was perfectly executed and well timed. Sometimes in life you get hit or a bat plays a masterful stroke it is what it is. A couple fours and sixes to his name to end the spell which is expected when the retired opener came back on. Moving on Elena got the last wicket after being hit for a few fours and sixes by taking a caught and bowled off her own bowling. Tea time! Wimbledon set 249 so 250 for us to win, 9 wickets from us was an impressive effort from the team. Also the outfield was basically a wrestling ring, super firm leaving a few of use with bruises. The tea of course was up to standard with a selection of sandwiches and tea.

Now time to bat. We was meant to open with Suri and Iskandar but Suri was suffering from an ankle injury so in came in at 2 Ean Smith! The opening pair started a bit slow getting their eye in, the first runs on the board came from Iskandar who wanted to run a few quick singles before he cut away a four to the boundary. Ean on the other end isn’t known for his running which led to the bench to shout ‘RUN’ every time a single was on to ‘help’ Ean know when to run, pretty amusing to watch from an outsiders perspective but from our end we just wanted as many runs as possible.

While umpiring Suri came off the pitch complaining he could have hit the opening bowler for a few (should have opened the batting lad ?) . Iskandar then kicked into 2nd gear by nudging 2’s, getting 4s and leading the batting but just as he go into his stride disaster. Iskandar did the kiss of death and the ball landed into the keepers hand for Wimbledon’s first wicket, in their defence Izzy was dropped a few times in the process. Izzy using all of his nine lives to fall at the sword for 22 runs in 36 balls, good effort and it left Ean to bat with the skipper Leon Parks.
Leon started strong with a 2 on his first ball, blocked a few then went for another 2 runs. It seemed like the skipper was building a captains innings here but the classic missing a straight one happened again. Unfortunately Leon was given out LBW, in came in Bakary at 4 getting the batting promotion. Good see Bakary take on the challenge and push himself to bat higher up, he started well blocked a few, looked technically good. Bakary got a four with a cut shot which boosted him with confidence, I can’t wait to see how he bats in the coming months. Bakary was bowled for 10 runs, a promising innings from him and one for the future.

Next up was Theo Burns to bat with Ean. Ean was looking like an early contender for carrying his bat as he finally exploded with runs, a couple of fours really started to bring the game back into our favour. Ean and Theo looked good together running quick singles a couple of fours in-between, Theo taking charge and looking good for a 50. We’ll see if he gets his first 50 later on but coming back to Ean his innings was finally over as he was caught for 32 runs off 64 balls, a very good effort from the block master formally known as Ean Smith.

Now Suri who meant to open came in 6, he started quickly by blocking the first ball then smashing the next one for four… where have I seen this movie before? The crowd was loving every moment of it… well Si The Chairman who arrived after driving past the ground about 10 times loved so did our club secretary Matt Spencer! Quick side note I would like to thank Si and Spence for coming to our game and to help umpire as well top plough for doing that!

Back to the game and Suri is on a charge here, 2s, 3s galore. Attacking batting at its finest and great to watch. Suri was looking a million bucks, playing traditional shots and some IPL shots, the fight back was on for the Plough. Each over the Plough was getting a step closer to achieving the goal, but again disaster struck. Suri gets caught on 25 off 22 balls, a valiant effort from the man especially batting with an ankle injury and pushing for quick singles, it’s crazy what adrenaline can do. One minute you’re in pain next minute it disappears all for the Plough and to get a sniff of victory. The dedication and desire is what makes The Plough so special.

We Plough On! Next in at 7 is the spin king Joey Anderson, off getting a four fer earlier in the game could he perform magic with bat. Joey and Theo at the crease looking to bring it home for the Plough with Joey starting quickly with a 4 straight off the bat, Theo hit a few fours in between and retired at 50 making it his first every 50 for the Plough. His stock rising in the eyes of our fantasy owners, Theo hit his first 50 in 33 balls with eight yes EIGHT fours what a bat he’s become since joining the club. I remember first meeting Theo and seeing him struggle to get bat on ball now he’s confidently hitting runs on Sunday’s he keeps doing this Saturday cricket will be in his sights. In at 8 was the Greek/Aussie giant, the cult of personality, the safest hands Yanni Baveas!!!

Yanni had a great day keeping taking two catches, could he carry on the form with the bat this time, well it looked promising. Blocked a few to get his eye in, then smacks a four… Game On! Yanni and Joey were looking to bring it home with every ball up for grabs, and it was looking likely. It was a good cop bad cop scenario, Joey being the bat cop in attacking every ball while Yanni being a good cop, blocking and going for quick singles. This ideology was working but unfortunately Joey was caught at the boundary for 20 off 13 it looked over for the plough at this point, we still needed at least 60 runs in the last 5 overs. It was possible but seeming unlikely until Tom Law came on. Already off the bat Tom took the challenge by scoring quick runs with Yanni, as the machine looked to kick into action Yanni was bowled for 14 off 20 balls which meant we was truly into the tail. In at 10 was Elena with Giordy waiting at 11 hoping he didn’t have to bat in this weather. Elena played the roll of backing the on strike batsman perfectly, blocking when needed and rotating strike as well she performed fantastically.

Tom Law was laying down the law hitting fours, twos like it was nothing and Wimbledon were starting to get worried. The Plough almost pulling off the Easter Sunday miracle and it was looking on. Tom even hit two sixes to bring the target even closer but unfortunately the Plough scored 235 and fell short by 15 runs. It was a valiant effort from all, so close yet so far. Nothing more we could do as a team on this occasion.

Personally I was just happy to see everyone again it wasn’t about that stats, the wickets, runs it was about the comradery and making memories with good friends. I hope to see Tom Law back at the club some day what a bloke he fit the Plough essence perfectly and is a fundamentally a good cricketer. Elena please keep up the Plough Ponzi scheme we need more players like that again. Theo Burns enjoy that 50 mate there’s more to come and I said to you on the car home keep up the good work and century is yours!

Thank you to Leon for organising and skippering the match (sorry for the match report delay ☹), thanks to Iskandar for doing the stats and uploading them we greatly apricate your efforts. Lastly thank you Ploughmans what club this has become and long may we grow until next time!

Match report from Giordy Diangienda