Regent's Dream Over
THERE IS no reason why Regent's Park College should be especially good at cricket. As PPHs go, it has no reputation for sporting excellence, in the way that perhaps Osler and Green might be associated with rowing, and Westminster with top level football. Unless I have missed something, cricket is not considered one of the key strengths of the Baptist movement, and while the empasis on a "community life" might just potentially give the edge when it comes to making tea and cucumber sandwiches, there are few indications that Regent's are going to be a side to be reckoned with - there are less than fifty men to pick a side from.
Somehow a cricket team has just happened. Take eight or nine talented undergraduates, a couple of those "extending" their time at the college, a West Indian from cricket-less Blackfriars, an SCR member and one or two other random guests (though all strictly legal I'm 'assured') and you have the Regent's Park Cuppers squad 1999.
The college sport scene changes quite a lot, but colleges with more, indeed many more students to select from, are always good for the academic minnows to beat. The nature of the victories that carried Regent's this far had an air of convincingness about them, that began to make team members, supporters and neutrals alike start to wonder just how good the team really was. Many of the players would have not so happily admitted that they had given silverware a thought. So too, apparently had Balliol.
Batting and bowling form had both come into play during progress past Wadham and Lincoln in previous rounds, and coming into the game after a thumping win over a weakened Christ Church 1st XI, confidence was naturally buoyant.
Put into bat, Regent's set about their task efficiently enough, South African Andrew Halliday and skipper Paul Robinson opened solidly, Halliday's knock of 33 proving to be Regent's best. However, once Robinson had departed, bowled by Balliol captain Andrew Jones, the Regent's effort began to stumble. Former captain Steve Cowburn, followed up an unbeaten century on Sunday with a one shot innings of 4, before off-spinner Satish Selvenathan got one through the gap, and the same bowler accounted for the experienced Tim Bradshaw. Further batting disappointments followed, and with Halliday run out, it was left to 'fast' bowler John Harris-Bass and keeper Tom Evernett to shore up the lower order with an unbeaten 21 and 23 respectively. Regent's Park reached 153-7 in their 40 overs assisted by 19 'World Cup' wides, and despite some tight Balliol bowling, which in the case of PJ Denning went unrewarded as he finished with 0-18 from his 8 overs.
A solid batting performance, but the Regent's bowlers had not counted for the batting prowess of Paul Durban, who after fortunately mistiming a lofted pull shot into space, went on to hammer a spectacular 92 not out, as Balliol cantered to their target for an 8 wicket win with 14 overs to spare. Balliol captain Jones regards Durban, alongside Denning and spinner Glen Scrivener as the key to his side's chacnes as they face favourites Worcester in the semi-finals on Friday. "They've got a great squad but I think we can give them a beating," said Jones defiantly. The Regent's bowlers, at least, will not cast any doubt on their chances.