Any Freddie Flintoff’s amongst the senior setup? As part of the GWR Centenary Week, we have been challenged to play them in a Twenty20 match. STOP PRESS – Ealing Rugby Club defied all the odds to win.
Ealing Rugby Club defied all the odds to win their first ever cricket match against a GWR XI made up of regulars from their firsts, seconds and thirds in a week of cricket to celebrate their 100th birthday.
Ealing fielded first in this 20 over a side match with a side comprising of two under 14s players and quite a few Evergreens, and opened with Matt Lowen (Colts) and Danny (Exiles). The wickets started to come however at first change with Freddie Avis (under 17) taking four, Danny one and Will Magie a couple. A GWR middle order collapse reminiscent of England afforded Ealing the chance to end their spell in the field with some “social” bowling from Evergreens trio Dave Steene, Andy Cleary and Nick Lambert who claimed he was bowling leg breaks but given that none of them bounced we will never know! Apart from the Avis long hops, star of the field was Stefan McCabe (Exiles) who volunteered to keep wicket and coped amazingly well with some pretty wild bowling!
Ealing managed to finish GWR off for 123 setting Ealing just over six per over with the light fading fast, rain coming in and the bar very much open.
Ealing openers Will Magie and skipper Andy Cleary rose to the challenge with a first wicket stand of 70 with Magie hitting a swashbuckling 46 during which he was dropped twice before being bowled. Cleary hit 26 before being given out stumped in a controversial umpiring decision where he had run so many singles there is no way he could have left his crease!
The remainder of the runs were knocked off by master swordsman Paul Lowen (Evergreens), his son Matt who was our best all rounder on the day, and Stefan McCabe who came in the hit the winner with a few overs to spare.
