A blog of two halves

Low-flying bats – a new hazard for Bush cricketers

Tempers simmered in the heat during Shepherds Bush's clash with Stanmore at the weekend

15 July 2025
By Tim Harrison
Categories:
Shepherds Bush Cricket Club
The parched outfield at Bromyard Avenue
Tim Harrison

Never doubt Premier Division cricketers take sport seriously. After being caught by Shepherds Bush wicketkeeper Idris Otto-Mian for 29, Stanmore opener Travis Norris stomped back to the pavilion in a rage and, as he arrived at the steps, hurled his bat through the air.

It grazed the top of a large umbrella shielding his teammates from the scorching weekend sun, bounced across the parched lawn and landed next to the groundsman's mower.

There was some tut-tutting from the Bush ultras on the memorial benches at the Bromyard Avenue ground, but also a certain amount of admiration that a Premier Division clash between Bush and Stanmore could generate such passion.

Stanmore won the toss on Saturday, and decided to bat. Although fellow opener Shandy Ratnakumaran fell two runs short of his 50 – caught by Luke Matthews off Harvey Jupp's bowling, the visitors were on top form.

No3 Andrew Whaits scored 73 before being caught by Marcus Howard off Alisdair Easton, while Anshuman Rath was not out on 86.

Teddington the week before that, despite captain Easton and wicketkeeper Fin Trenouth being away, soaking up the vibes at Glastonbury.

Opener Matthews was out for a duck, Ikjot Thind managed 21 before being bowled by Tushaar Karia, while third man Nick Appleton was out LBW, second ball, to Sebastian Allison.

Keeper Otto-Mian scored a creditable 39, including five boundaries, while Marcus Howard's contribution of 33 included a six.

But the rest of the batters fell cheaply as the score went from 103 for 7 to 119 all out. Karia got a fifer as Stanmore claimed 12 points from the match.

"Well, it wasn't exactly a snakepit today," murmured one Bush ultra after the Bush bowling failed to seriously trouble the visitors.

On Saturday, the Bush 1st Xl travel to Crouch End for a match which starts at 11am. Bush 2nds host Crouch End at Bromyard Avenue (a 12.30pm start). Last weekend the Bush 2nd team drew their match with Teddington, with opener George Ellaby scoring 92 off 100 balls, including 12 fours and a six.

Marcus Howard's 33 runs included a six
Justin Thomas

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.

Tim Harrison

Tim is our Chelsea FC blogger.

He also writes our Shepherds Bush Cricket Club match reports during the football close season.

Tim has been writing Chelsea match reports since the late 1980s for newspapers and, more recently, websites.

When he first reported on the Blues, the press box was a metal cage suspended over the lip of the old west stand - and you reached it via a precarious walkway over the heads of the fans.

But he has been a Chelsea fan since his father took an excited seven-year-old to watch Chelsea v Manchester United in the mid 1960s... and covered his ears every time the chanting got too ripe.

In July 2005 he wrote The Rough Guide to Chelsea, published by Penguin, which sold 15,000 copies.

His favourite player of all time is Charlie Cooke, the mazy winger who lit up Chelsea's left wing in the 60s and 70s.

When he isn't watching the Blues, Tim acts, paints, writes and researches local history.

Translate this website