Salix entered its 34th season this weekend, which feels faintly ridiculous considering several members of today’s side have been around for almost all of them. Irwin started his 32nd Salix season, CK somehow reached his 25th Salix season game whilst still claiming to be “just helping out”, and we welcomed three debutants in Zaf, Rob and Salman. Special mention to Rob, returning to cricket after more than 20 years away from the game.
As has become tradition, the season began away at Islip. There are a few things you can always rely on for the first game of the year:
- 90% of the side not having touched a bat or ball since September. Nets remain, in theory, something other clubs do.
- Full punctuality existing more as an aspiration than a realistic objective. A local cycling event meant we started the match three players short, which at least gave the impression we were in mid-season form already.
- Nobody knowing where the keeping gloves, scorebook, or indeed who exactly was keeping wicket. Following Krutik’s deeply inconsiderate move to the USA over the winter, the keeping role appeared to have been left to fate and mild panic.
This season we’re trialling rotating captains, and for the opening fixture that honour (or burden) fell to your match reporter. Winning the toss, Salix elected to bat. Not necessarily because it looked the obvious cricketing decision, but mainly because several members of the batting line-up were still somewhere behind a peloton on the A-road into Islip.
Islip had already played once this season and it showed. Their opening bowlers kept things tight on a slightly damp pitch, bowling proper early-season “make them play at everything” lengths. Ali opened alongside debutant Zaf, but the first wicket fell in just the third over with Zaf trapped LBW by one that kept a little low.
Rob arrived at the crease for his first innings in over two decades, and also his first experience batting in a helmet. Unfortunately, modern protective equipment proved no match for a decent straight ball, and he was bowled shortly afterwards. At 14-2 after eight overs, Salix were already contemplating whether 80 might be competitive.
Fortunately, CK and Ali steadied things nicely. They absorbed the pressure, rotated the strike, and gradually got the scoreboard moving. The highlight being what was believed to be Ali’s first ever Salix six — and not a mis-hit over cow corner either, but a proper clean strike over the longer boundary. Independent verification is still pending, but the moment will live long in the memory regardless.
The pair added 59 in 14 overs and gave Salix a platform. Naturally, at precisely the point things started looking comfortable, cricket intervened. A change of bowler removed CK with just his second delivery, and shortly afterwards Raj arrived at the crease announcing he hadn’t picked up a bat in seven months. Suspicion around this claim increased dramatically when he launched his fourth ball for six with alarming ease.
Unfortunately, momentum didn’t last. Ali departed for a well-made 33, Faizan picked up a duck, and Raj — perhaps finally showing signs of rust — holed out trying to keep the scoring rate moving.
Syed and Salman, on debut, briefly revived the innings with some excellent stroke play and sensible running between the wickets. For a short period there was genuine optimism about reaching something around 160. Naturally, this optimism proved misplaced. Salix then suffered a fairly classic lower-order collapse, losing the final four wickets for just 10 runs to finish all out for 130.
Not brilliant. Not disastrous. Very “first game of the season”.
Before we took the field, there was one further development. Syed, previously known to Salix primarily as an opening fast bowler, announced that he was now officially a wicketkeeper-batsman. A bit like Prince changing his identity, the artist formerly known as Syed “Opening Fast Bowler” Ali will now apparently be known as Syed “Wicketkeeper-Batsman” Ali. In fairness, he did a commendable job behind the stumps on what is never the easiest ground to keep wicket on. Perhaps I should have simply announced a few years ago that I was now a competent cricketer, but sadly I lack both Syed’s confidence and talent.
Defending 130, CK and Raj opened the bowling well. There were plenty of plays and misses, several caught-behind appeals but no luck. The breakthrough finally came in the seventh over when Raj bowled one of the openers.
Salman entered first change and immediately impressed. Bowling with genuine pace and excellent control, he repeatedly beat the bat and looked dangerous throughout. His third over brought another wicket, leaving him with figures of 3 overs, 2 maidens, 1 wicket for just 1 run — which is frankly far too competent for a Salix debut.
Bowling changes came regularly as we tried to keep pressure on Islip’s batting. Zaf and Faizan both bowled well and picked up wickets, while the fielding overall was sharp considering most of us were still rediscovering where our knees used to work.
Ultimately though, we were probably 30-40 runs short. Islip paced the chase sensibly and made good use of the shorter boundary, which at Islip carries the additional hazard of also functioning as a ball disposal system. By the end of the innings we’d lost three balls in total — never ideal when trying to preserve the new one for more than eight overs.
Despite the defeat, there was plenty to be pleased with. Three debutants all contributed strongly, while Faizan — only in his fifth Salix appearance — continued to settle in well. Contributions came from bat, ball and field alike, and the team spirit remained excellent throughout.
As ever, Islip were fantastic hosts and it remains one of the most enjoyable fixtures on the calendar. Hopefully next season we’ll return and remember to bring both a few extra runs and perhaps fewer cyclists on the approach roads.