Zed's Diary
Follow our new A Team skipper through the trials and tribulations, heartache and pain. during his first season in charge

ACCRINGTON A v GUJARKHAN (10th May 2003)
The first match of the season was eagerly awaited against a new team in the league that contained many a familiar face.

Accrington A too had a new look team in (5 newcomers), especially since two of its most committed old war horses decided to hang up their boots (Nigel Stockley aka Geoff Boycott, decided to dedicate his time to his 'adult website' and Mick Donners, who decided to go on a lifetime search for shoes big enough to fit his 'elf' like feet).

The captaincy was nervously taken up by none other than my self trying to fill in those huge feet of Mick Donners (who so ably led Accy A for many a year).

The match began on a sprightly Saturday afternoon at the King Georges Park, with myself losing the toss against the opposition captain (they call him Botham.....nobody knows his real name, I don't think he knows his real name...but the adopted name was taken all the same on the account of his streamlined body frame).

What a start it was to the match and the season for Accy A with Gujarkhan reeling on the back foot in the first 10 overs of the game on 40-5 and then 70-7 by the 16th over . However this domination was short lived, for what followed after that by a certain Nadeem Ashraf was pure unadulterated belligerence with the bat.

The opener managed to nudge, cut, drive and hit over the top to a chanceless but magnificent hundred. Gujarkhan were bowled out but not before Mr Ashraf led them to 187, with himself being unbeaten on 108*. Accrington A were beaten into the ground by one man and the ground fielding led to us flattering the oppositions total with 35 extras.

The only consolation for us, was the fact that the warriors of old Tom Pendergast (4-64 from 16 overs) and Imran Hussain (4-36 from 9) led from the front, with myself and the new comer Abbas taking a wicket a piece (1-7 and 1-34 respectively).

Accy started their reply in disastrous style when the opening 3 wickets fell without a run being scored,the writing already on the wall. It was then Alven Burrows decided to play the anchor role and the debutante Dave Hargreaves launched the recovery (the latter was particularly aggressive on the oppositions bowling, launching a flurry of cover drives for a quickfire 20).

Together they took the score past the sanity mark of 50 in the 14th over. Nevertheless Accrington A again managed to have a collapse, when Dave Hargreaves was unluckily run out, Alven followed (9) him back to the dressing room, and then Abbas Akhbar (11), myself (0) Mark Ashton (1), Mohammed Arshad (2)...the dressing room door didn't get a chance to shut!!!.

But again the old pros Imran Hussain (14) and last man Tom Pendergast (12) gave the the Accrington innings some substance when they took the score past 100.

The final score was 101 all out, with us having been beaten by 87 runs. In conclusion,with the captain being an optimist there were many positive things that came about from the first match and many things learnt.

Accrington A in the end were beaten by one magnificent innings from Nadeem Ashraf (Gujarkhans remaining nine batsmen managed about 46 runs between them) and their own complacency when they had the opposition on the back foot.

This is disappointed but upbeat Zed Hussain signing off .

Don't miss the other instalments
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8