Kind words (and lots of them) from the Islington Lions:
Islington Lions v Paddington Rabbits, 30/09/2018
After rain and Camden's withdrawal first time around, the Derby match with Islington had been rescheduled for late September. However, with just under a week to go, skipper Steve Henn acquired a headache as Camden warned that, once again, they were unable to field a team. It being too late to cancel the Wray Crescent pitch, this prompted frantic strings of text, whatsapp and facebook messages and lingering uncertainty, before it became clear that a game could go ahead - with Paddington Rabbits stepping in for Camden. It would, therefore, be Islington's longest season: made up of 10 games spread across 171 days, from spring to autumn and taking in the joint-hottest summer on record.
There were further concerns as illness and injury claimed 3 of Islington's certainties and, with none of the maybes able to come through, a team of 9+ Lions became 6. Paddington too had their difficulties with numbers - but, with the weather dry and both teams keen, a game was set up and everyone sent out into the field to make up the numbers. On another positive note, the footballers vacated the pitch quickly and with a minimum of fuss. There was no official toss, but Rabbits were happy to bat first. The Wray Crescent grass looked trimmer than usual. This, alongside the reduced fielding coverage, hinted - correctly, as it turned out - at some good opportunities for the batsmen.
David Kerry and Paul Hollingsworth got things off to a solid start, in the face of a rapid opening spell from Farid Saleh. However, the first wicket fell at the other end, to the ever-persevering Russell Butchers, who found an angle to get through Kerry's defences, after a bright and breezy 17. Islington's bowlers had the hardest time against Dan Fryer, who scored heavily square of the wicket, placed the ball beautifully and unleashed some majestic strokes amid a brilliant 54 - the highest individual effort against the Lions this year. The end eventually came off Henn's bowling, with a big hit to leg miscued and taken well, out in the deep. The recipient - Sam Fryer - would also put in a fine unbeaten shift with the bat, notable especially for some glorious drives down the ground.
Jon Bishop, opting for spin this time due to a knee injury, also made an impact, ending Hollingsworth's dogged effort. Kerry and Hollingsworth both got another go and the former became Henn's second wicket, to a toe-on-the-line stumping, completed by David Clifford. At the end of the 20th over, though, Rabbits had a very useful 141 on the board.
Paddington's opening bowlers, Sam and Dan Fryer, immediately started to generate a good deal of pace and movement (and the latter would also demonstrate an impressive ability to alternate between right and left-arm delivery, pace and spin). In the face of this testing examination, Islington's batsmen initially responded well, with David Clifford quickly getting the six runs needed to pass Dan Gargiulo's season record of 147, and Butchers cracking a couple of wider deliveries for four. However, it became advantage Rabbits when Dan Fryer produced a massive off-cutter to pluck out Butchers' middle stump.
At this point, happily, Islington's middle order stood up to be counted. Farid Saleh, showing good touch with the bat this season, looked solid while putting the bad ball away emphatically. At the other end, Paul Rimmell got stuck in well and did the same. Rabbits eventually ended this excellent partnership and then seized the initiative right back, as Kerry bowled Saleh and Rimmell was stumped off Hollingsworth's spin.
With Bishop unable to bat due to injury, Henn now represented Islington's last line of defence while Clifford returned from retirement, as Rabbits appeared strong favourites. However, Clifford continued to bat like a champion in utter control of the situation. Henn rode his luck on occasion, but struck some authentic boundaries, blocked the good balls and happily gave Clifford more of the strike. As the tense endgame developed, Clifford - clearly 'in the zone' - unleashed a glorious volley of boundaries and then scurried two more for the winning runs, with just two deliveries left in the game, concluding a heroic half-century and ending the season with a (new) Islington record 200 runs, average 50. We at Islington hope the opportunity for a similarly fine-spirited and entertaining match between the two sides presents itself next year.