Elgot’s captaincy debut at Leeds Caribbean

Thanks to Badar Zaman’s late call up we managed to field eleven players for what is one of the highlights of the Romany season, our annual fixture with Leeds Caribbean. In the absence of our captain and vice-captains I took over the Romany captaincy for the first time.

A rather weaker than usual Caribbean side won the toss and batted. They were reduced to 47 – 8 at one point by some excellent Romany bowling on a pitch that had a lot in it for the bowlers. Our old friend Keon Williams, now 16 years old, then led a recovery by Caribbean and was still there at the end. Caribbean were all out for 116 with one ball left of the 35 overs.

Our star bowler was the Romany debutant, Steve Jackson, a stalwart of Studley Royal CC. He bowled a devastating opening spell and ended up with 4-22. Larry Audain took 3-14 to go with his ‘five for’ the previous day for North Leeds. Our rising star, Ben Wyard, a year younger than Keon, took a wicket with his first ball and ended up with the excellent figures of 7-2-18-2. Credit too to our other opening bowler, Jamie O’Neill, who came back to break the ninth wicket stand with a spectacular diving caught and bowled and secured his first ever wicket for Romany.

Romany chased down the target with several overs to spare for the loss of only three wickets. Rob Berkeley opened and was still there at the end with 68 not out. Larry made 20 and Chris ‘Wacca’ Walker made 13 on his Romany debut.

As usual on our visits to the Scott Hall Road ground we were treated to a home made West Indian meal after the match, washed down with cans of Red Stripe and bottles of Becks.

Howard Elgot