Despite putting in a good shift in the Harris Garden on Friday, The Dinks juggernaut marched on with a hard fought and highly satisfying victory at home to Richmond.
Captain Baggs won the toss and set his bowlers to work in what were helpful overhead conditions. Hannah and Pollock, fresh from the Shepway Station White Tie Ball, were given the responsibility of leading the attack. Both started well, offering very few scoring opportunities to the Richmond opening pair. A couple of early opportunities went array but the bowlers patience was rewarded when Pollock (1-26) made the breakthrough in the 9th over. Hannah (2- 29) then responded quickly and found himself on a hat-trick after two gorgeous away swingers were edged through to Bennett-Baggs, leaving Richmond at wobbling 29-3.
After finally making a bowling change, Richmond threatened to take control before Munday entered the fray. Richmond's Number 4 had already taken 20 off the over but decided he needed one more. Munday had different ideas. He picked up cleanly at mid on and thew down the stumps at the non-strikers end, allowing the batsmen to continue his run back to the shed. From there Teddington never really took their foot off the gas. Harris (1-41) and Munday (1-37) picked up a wicket a piece, before Austin rolled back the years with a second direct hit of the day. Finally, after 32 overs, Captain Baggs decided he should give the part timers a bowl and threw the ball to Swan (3-21). Unsurprisingly, Swan, who had been told in the 31st over before that his services were not going to be required, angrily mopped up the tail and Richmond were dismissed for 160 from 44 overs.
After tea, Teddington looked to carry their momentum into the second innings and started brightly with Austin (13) crunching a few early boundaries though backward point. However, once the Richmond attack found their rhythm, batting became tricky. With the ball hooping both ways, Teddington found themselves 40-3 and in need a partnership. Meek (19) offered some resistance before Kennedy (23) and Pollock (24) looked to counter attack against Richmond's very own Andre Nel. Richmond's self proclaimed "quick bowler" decided to test Pollock out upstairs and when he awkwardly fended one away, the red mist descended. After a heated exchange, Nel called for a short leg and Pollock called for his tennis racquet. Pollock proceeded to fly swat the rest of the short pitched bowling back over the bowlers head for three boundaries of as many balls, much to the delight of the Bushy Park faithful.
With tempers flaring, Richmond wrestled back the initiative with a few quick wickets, leaving Teddington staring down the barrel at 110-8. However, with two old heads at the crease, all was not lost. Bennett-Baggs (34*) and Swan (11*) took the sting out of the occasion and began chipping away at the target with some measured batting. With victory getting closer, Swan was getting more expansive. Captain Baggs therefore decided it was best to do the work himself and began declining singles. Then, with just two needed Swan found himself back on strike and calmly edged the winning runs straight through 1st slip, sparking wild celebrations and cries of 'well bowled big lad' on the boundary.
While the Dinks continue their title charge next week at Acton, this might not be the last Bushy Park sees of Andre Nel this month. He admitted after the game "I'll probably play 1s next week" which so happens to be away at Bushy Park again.