5 Questions with Sahil Kher...
Now in his fifth season with the club, Sahil ‘King Julien’ Kher has made a reputation for himself as a prolific run scorer at the top of the 1st XI batting order. Now in his second season as Club Captain, Sahil took a break from his quest to mastermind a 1st XI promotion back to Division 2 of the Middlesex County Cricket League to answer our usual five questions…
How and when did you first join the club?
I first joined the club after the now infamous message from Alex Brennan in September 2014. I'd just come off a season with South Hampstead where I'd met some nice people and played some alright cricket, but the social side was non-existent and the club was going through a bit of churn at the time. Alex, true to his job, messaged to say that "really didn't want to tread on any toes" (the season wasn't even over yet!), and that I should think about moving to Acton to play Div II cricket. I'd enjoyed my two games against Acton that year, and got a pair of 30s, and the Park Club looked like a great place to play cricket. I'd also witnessed Tom Forsdike in all his glory, and distinctly remember asking Al Manning at drinks why their young seamer was being so stroppy. Seeing them laugh and take the mick out of each other was a sign that Acton was a good place to be (and I was obviously very drawn to General's very middle-class post-match chat). Fast forward three months, and I was at an Acton CC social watching Shola do a charity boxing gig, and two months later, I was getting castled by Eugene Berger in my first game for the Acorns.
What have been your Acton high points?
We've had a bit of an up and down time of it during my five years at the club in terms of our league success, but the future is looking bright. That's been very evident in our two semi-final campaigns in the Middlesex T20s, both of which have probably been real high points during my time at Acton – the first time I got runs in most rounds, the second time I did the square root of naff all but was captain! Consistently beating the Teddingtons and Richmonds is where I want the club to be, and those two campaigns were signs that we were moving from a position of resorting to gallows humour every time we played the big sides to now having the quiet confidence that we have more than a punter's chance every time we play them. We've beaten Stanmore, Richmond (twice), Twickenham (four times!), and Teddington as a squad now in the last 2/3 years, and the 2s are doing very much the same thing now. I'd love a win at Ealing away in the near future. I also enjoyed the cat and mouse of a proper promotion chase last year, and that feeling of equal parts pride and gut-wrenching disappointment was a reminder that cricket actually still has meaning! Although nothing will come close to matching a promotion if we can pull that off…
Off the field, there's too many good moments to list – end of my first season singing Angels badly with 50 club members in the Aeronaut garden, ladder-gate from my first tour, Manning being conned into running out to bat when a wicket hadn't fallen at Heathfield Park, and Mitch every single time he's had a drink. Oh, and how can I forget the time we played on a Sunday and fielded with 4 slips and a 3 fly slips for Shola. An iconic image.
Beyond that – and I'm getting increasingly prone to sentiment – I can't stress how much of a family this club is. It's always taken all sorts and shapes in, and I'm so fortunate that I've managed to find a place to call home for the last five years.
What are the biggest changes you've seen at the club in your time here, and what are the differences from your clubs in India?
Taking the latter question first – I was lucky to play my youth cricket and early senior cricket at one of the establishment Bombay clubs (the MIG Cricket Club), and it's fair to say we were pampered playing on what was then a List A ground. This showed on the field, as we attracted a lot of first class players and had internationals playing for us every other week. Some of the away grounds however were no more than a torn canvas tent and muddy floor. You really did learn to get on with it, and some of my best memories are of hot summer days playing in the swirling dust with the man ostensibly standing at leg slip playing a completely different game of cricket. Those who've been there will know how chaotic things can get, but it just forced you to knuckle down, ignore the movement behind the bowlers arm, and just try and get bat on ball. However, it really does put into perspective how lucky I've been since to play at some wonderful grounds around the world in the last few years (not that it's going to stop me moaning about Tamils).
Tricky ground setups leads me on quite nicely to Acton. I feel like the changes have come apace during my time here. Leaving the Park Club was weird, and having a new home has been interesting to say the least! It's been a lot of work across the club from a lot of unsung heroes, and a surprising amount of anxiety over whether people have a place to go for a wee during a game. But it's all building towards a better time, and it's been nice being able to lounge about our own little space and enjoy the sunshine without having to pay 6 quid to a grumpy barman. I'm excited about life in our new clubhouse, and feel it could really propel us to the next level. The other ongoing change (and certainly not one unique to us) is the role the cricket club plays in people's lives. We need more members stepping up, of course, but the next stage of our development for us as the "leadership group" (for the lack of a better word) is recognising that we are now a full-fledged organisation now and approach it with that mindset. If we are offering a social hub for people to make home and feel a sense of loyalty towards, we'll have to adapt and put some proper systems in place to ensure we stay relevant in their lives. It's the only way to attract new people through the door. With our location, and the people we've got at the club, I don't see why we couldn't do that over this winter! The important thing is that we are all pulling in the same direction – not a lot of clubs can say that.
Who has been your toughest opponent?
It's a tricky one because we've not been in a single division for long enough to build a serious rivalry with a team. Ealing in our T20 games have always been tough, but I personally seem to have always struggled against Bush! They've had some handy cricketers and my record against James Kidson = played 10 balls, out 4 times. It's clearly in the family as I managed to miss a straight one from his brother last week. It's been interesting/frustrating watching them move into the Prem. The gap is not that huge, and I'd like to close it quite soon. More recently (and we've only played him a couple of times), Aparajit Khurana at Brentham was the first bowler in a few years to make me and the rest of the boys feel like we were waving Cheerios as bats. Similarly, Jalpesh Vijay in our first game against Crouch End last year was simply magnificent. I felt a strong sense of helplessness trying to shuffle the bowlers around - I knew the game was up when he started playing Jambo like a loopy spinner (he is at least 5 mph quicker than that).
Finally, what's your all time Acton XI?
My all time Acton XI (with only the one overseas). It's a small pool for all the right reasons! As a club, we don't seem to lose many players, which means that a lot of the names and faces that drew me into the club 5 years ago are still around. I'd go with the below side, all of whom I've played with:
1. Maduranga Soyza
Madu was the dream overseas. A lovely bloke, an excellent bat and a gun fielder. From my perspective, he should/could have been scoring a hundred a week, and the only black mark to his name was that he scored too many 50s. What a problem to have.
2. Matty Reeve
I've enjoyed watching Matthew really blossom in the last 12 months after what seemed to my like a small crisis of confidence in 2016 and 2017. A ridiculously talented man on and off the field. Such a big part of the team even in his grumpy times, although I suspect there are a few who have less flattering things to say about his fashion taste these days. Big things in store for him in the next couple of years in all facets of his life!
3. Andrew Curtis
Just the one season for Curto at ACC. He was brilliant with the bat - even when he didn't hit his own high standards, and it's a shame we weren't able to offer him what he wanted out of a cricket club (and perhaps vice versa). And pleased to see him doing well now at Weybridge…through gritted teeth. Easily the best rig at Acton that year too!
4. Yasir Mehmood
Don't need to justify this, do I? Even if Yogi's consistency has dipped recently, he remains devastating on his day. He played a couple of innings last year (and the year before, and the year before, and the yea…you get my drift) that took the breath away. No one can do what he does.
5. Steve Rae
Steve-o's numbers don't justify the solid, reliable presence he brought to the team in his two seasons at the club. Real gentle giant, and he's sorely missed at Acton.
6. Alex Manning
General is the glue that holds it all together, and arguably the most underrated player at Acton. His keeping has been very good, his batting increasingly reliable in an unfamiliar spot for him down at 7, and he's even trying out some new bits of chat (Report card: "Needs work"). He straddles all of Acton's many colourful worlds, and that is what makes him invaluable to this side.
7. Alex Brennan
My first Acton captain and now my go to weapon, and for someone who's taken 40+ league wickets every season for the last 5, still flies under the radar in the league. An absolute rock for the club now as the DOC. His bowling has added a new layer every season I've played with him, and he's even fielding sort of properly now! At his best, a very handy bat as well, and I'm hoping he rediscovers that string to his bow this year. Pips Matty to the captaincy of the grumps XI.
8. John Reeve
The first time I played against John, I thought it was a joke. I then proceeded to pat 15 balls back in a row. The first time I played with John, I was ready to chase leather. The batsman proceeded to walk past the second ball he faced. He has winkled out so many good batsmen in my time at Acton, preying on their ego, knowing that they will make a mistake. A real competitor, and a shame I missed his prime as a batsman (although feel like I've relived every great innings of his…). Mr Acton now off the field – if only he didn't bollock me every week!
9. Alex Fell
A wonderful young bowler, good fielder and very capable bat. One who's left with the club's blessings, but Number One will come back to Acton one day hopefully with the same ambition that led to him leaving, and I have no doubt he'll be a big part of our move towards becoming a Premier League club, both on and off the field. His brother has pushed him close for this spot though!
10. Raj Raikar
Raj has really taken the club by storm – bats, bowls, fields and is a real real winner when he has "cricket mode on". Great things ahead for him this season and I look forward to him representing Acton with distinction for many a year. Potential to become an Acton legend, and one of the best all-rounders in the MCCL if he keeps working hard.
11. Scotty Kojak
What a cricketer he's made himself into, and a testament to how much one can better in the amateur game if they just stick at it. Shodds has became arguably our best T20 bowler (which always plays a big part in our summer), and his league record is getting better and better. Pretty much the perfect club man in all respects. Things he could get better at though – playing drinking games, supporting a decent football team, and organising a leaving party that actually means something (I jest…please never leave us, Sarge).
Special mention to James Hunt (a true force of nature), who is still being a winner at 21 40, senior Fell, who's grown so much in the last two years, and *whisper it* Tom Forsdike if we were picking players on their potential alone.