It was a good toss to lose. When Richmond’s fourth XI captain Sam Skoulding won the coin flip and invited North London Cricket Club’s third XI to bat first this weekend, he was surely not envisioning a 424-run defeat that would end with his team bowled out for just two.
North London racked up a formidable 426 for six in their 45 overs, a brutal run rate of 9.5 per over. Opener Dan Simmons smashed 140, but 92 runs made extras the next heaviest contributor.
In one of the most one-sided games of cricket ever, North London then promptly bowled out Richmond, whose problems can partly be attributed to having just 10 players, for two in 5.4 overs.
Skoulding, batting No 3, was one of eight Richmond batsmen to get a duck. The only batsman to get off the mark was Tom Petrides, who made one from No 4, while No 9 Rafiqul Haque was left hanging on nought not out. The other run was a wide bowled by Tom Spawton, who took figures of three for two. His opening partner Matt Rosson took five wickets without conceding a run.
Richmond CC are based in Old Deer Park, where Middlesex occasionally play T20 cricket, and they regularly produce players for counties, including Vansh Jani, who recently signed professional terms with Warwickshire.
The club have a proud history dating back to 1862 – and count Adam Gilchrist among their alumni – but it is fair to say that Saturday was not their finest hour. As the club wrote on X: “A lot of context but still not a result that we are proud of! Our 2s, 3s and 5s all won though!”
Richmond’s fourth team appeared much-changed from the one who lost a tight game against their Ealing counterparts a week earlier.
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