On 16 July, the Baltic Exchange Cricket Club had the honour of hosting the touring side of the Singapore Cricket Club at Blackheath Cricket Club. The sun was shining as the Baltic Exchange captain of the day, Charlie Russell (SSY), went out to do the toss with the captain of the Singapore Cricket Club. We won it and elected to bowl first.

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Baltic Exchange started proceedings with an aggressive field, which remained throughout the overs bowled. We opted to keep our leg slip despite it having never proved fruitful in the past (pictured below). Well, this was the day that all changed. Ralph Melhuish (A.M. Nomikos) and James Harris (IFCHOR GALBRAITHS) opened the bowling for the Baltic Exchange, the latter being very economical and the former taking the big early scalps.

Melhuish dislodged both openers, taking wickets in his second, third and fourth overs. His first two wickets were caught at leg slip by colleague Ben Regan. Having never had any success at leg slip, the Baltic Exchange took two wickets from two overs in that area. After the opening spell, the Singaporean touring side found themselves in a bit of trouble with the score at 42-3.

First-change dibbly dobbler Will Bowden (Sterling Shipping Services Ltd) took a scalp in his first over, a signature Shenfield Fours off-cutter finding the inside edge and gratefully held by wicketkeeper Benjamin Pusey (SSY). His bowling partner was Harry Walker (Thoresen Shipping Group), who, despite not taking a wicket, bowled well, going for just 22 in his five overs. Will Bowden finished with figures of 3-1-10-2, his final over being a wicket maiden.

Ben Regan had clearly been doing some DIY in the morning and had some glue left on his hands, as everything was sticking. A mistimed drive was struck to gully, and a diving Ben Regan held on to a fantastic catch.

The next bowlers to enter the fray were Jonathan Hala (ExxonMobil) and Charlie Russell. This was Jonathan’s third cricket match, and he bowled five overs for just 22 runs. Russell returned figures of 2-0-8-0. SCC were looking to rebuild; however, skipper Russell threw the ball to SSY duo Robin Hudson and Anthony Grenfell, who further compounded SCC's problems.

Robin bowled well, taking two wickets in his three overs. In fact, he was on a hat-trick ball, having taken two in two, the second being struck hard at short midwicket and stuck in the hands of Jonathan Hala.

Singapore Cricket Club had a few partnerships, but none that lasted long enough to build a significant score. Their largest partnership was 35 for the 6th wicket, followed by 32 for the 8th wicket.

Skipper Russell decided that the time had come to introduce the Baltic’s premier spinner, Ben Regan. He took three wickets in 2.3 overs and wrapped up the Singapore innings. The pick of the bunch was a full-blooded sweep shot, somehow held by Bowden at leg gully. A fantastic fielding performance from the Baltic left the Singapore Cricket Club all out for 148.

After a short break for a lovely tea, we opened the batting with Baltic Exchange Chairman Hindley Guy (Howe Robinson Partners) and Jonathan Hala (ExxonMobil), an old-fashioned partnership with Yin and Yang. The straight bat of Guy complemented the baseball-style power-hitting of Jonathan Hala.

Hala scored 28 from just 13 deliveries and propelled the Baltic to 37 from just 4.1 overs before being dismissed with a thick edge to fly-slip. He also hit his first six in his cricketing lifetime, the first and only six of the innings.

Grenfell was next in to bat and equally decided not to hang around, scoring a quickfire 6 before popping one back to the bowler. All the while, Guy Hindley was frustrating the Singapore bowlers with his dogged, “you have to earn my wicket” approach.

Ralph Melhuish (A.M. Nomikos) batted at four for the Baltic and showed that form is temporary but class is permanent. Despite not playing much cricket, he racked up a score of 35 from 41 deliveries, which included seven fours.

Benjamin Pusey (SSY), after being so good with the gloves, only conceding four byes, was unfortunately dismissed cheaply, leaving the Baltic Exchange on 57-4 from 7.2 overs. We were well ahead of the required run-rate but had lost several wickets.

Luckily, we were batting deep on this occasion. The partnership of Robin Hudson and Ralph Melhuish put on 66 runs for the 5th wicket until Melhuish was eventually dismissed. Harry Walker (Thoresen Shipping Group) scored a quick 14 before being stumped, all the while Robin Hudson ticked along at the other end. He finished up unbeaten on 42 from 52 deliveries.

Our skipper Charlie Russell (SSY) hit the winning run, reaching the total in just 24 overs.

A match full of “firsts” was, in the end, deservedly won by a fantastic all-round Baltic display. Another good event in the books and a match enjoyed by all.

After the match, the Singapore Cricket Club kindly presented a Man of the Match award to Robin Hudson and a plaque to the Baltic Exchange to show their appreciation for hosting them. We have agreed to replay the match on their next tour to England.