SCC won by 7 runs over 40 over match
SCC scoring 215 for 3
LCC scoring 208 for 5

Comrades! How special is this blog? It is very special! We won a 40 over match at Stoke Row but for various reasons, there was a slight odour that clinged to the result, caused by a small crack in the understanding of our motto. The following match was a tight and fascinating 20/20 tie and then time led us south to Sussex and to Lindfield Cricket Club – the village being my birthplace and home for many years until lured to London. Our annual fixture at Lindfield then, is laced with history, happy memories and challenge, for they rarely put out a poor eleven.

Our captain for the day was Comrade Commissar Captain Jontin (who also labours under the pseudonym of Jonathan Savitt). Again, an appointment that was most weighty in its nature, for last year, his captaincy at the same fixture was only half complete as the weather swept us away. Would that happen this year? Well it felt a little uncertain but rest assured, we got the game completed.

Completed? No, that doesn’t sum up the match at all! WE WON – WE BLOODY WON!! And we did it the hard way too. We batted first and notched up a good total for us. Then we fielded, lost direction and then had to pull ourselves together to stop them reaching our tally. Superb comradery, captaincy and determination – I salute you all comrades. So from here I want to hand the job of match reporting to our skipper, Jontin:

“Comrades. I would like to thank each and everyone of you for an outstanding effort at Lindfield. This was indeed a fine cricket match played in exactly the right spirit. To win in increasing gloom made it all the sweeter. Despite some minor ‘whipping’ required in my aristocratic capacity as captain – when after 20 overs the oppo were 126 – 2 – the reaction was extraordinary with all players participating in preventing the opposition gaining success. I am sure Yuri will highlight some of the outstanding individual performances when he finds the moment to offer a match report. But Dagliev for his record breaking ton, Hooperov for a well timed additional half century were exceptional. In the field everyone performed but special mention to Chipmonski for removing their youthful bludgeoning opener. Soldya for 6 beautiful overs plus a catch at a timely moment. Cobramovich for smashing mints everywhere.”

Cobramovich likes to mints

“In addition Yankerov for again bowling two outstanding spells and Yuri who I never lost faith with, Robski behind the stumps in total gloom was a marvel. But for me the entire spirit of the SCC was summed up by Sewlski who did everything humanly possible in the field to prevent runs along with Charlie in with boundary defying brilliance.”

“…and then there was myself. It is simply enough for me to say to all of you a gracious thank you for a wonderful few hours of cricket – before the heavens opened after the match had concluded. Let cricket be the winner maybe….but certainly the Soho Collective.”

We salute you comrade commissar captain, Jontin!

Do Svidaniya!