7th August 2010 - Match Reports.
BGCC 2nd XI vs Colwall 2nds.
BGCC 3rds vs Old Elizabethans 3rds.

On a humid day with the threat of showers ever present, the Green were actually quite pleased to be invited to bat first on a hard and dry North End Lane wicket. The Colwall team got near-instant reward when home skipper Doughty wafted at a wide on in the first over and was well caught in the slips for no score. Tom Clack, fresh from his first team outings, joined Wheeler at the crease and both were quick to punish anything too short, too full or too wide. Wheeler (120) in particular smacked the ball hard and straight and sent good deliveries flying to all parts. The visitors rotated their bowlers frequently and were finally rewarded when Clack (31) perished. Fiaz entered the game and supported Wheeler well by rotating the strike and punishing the occasional bad ball. Wheeler reached his hundred in rapid time before slowing and then finally falling having been dropped a number of times. He had faced 92 balls hitting 21 fours and 2 sixes and changed the shape and nature of the game before finally being removed. Scullion (0) and Hooper (4) fell in quick succession whilst Brewer, batting down the order played some excellent shots. Young Hennessy (E) belted the ball to all parts including two big sixes in making his superb 32 runs. Brewer scored 48 including 9 fours before he fell just two short of his maiden league fifty leaving Hennessy (G) and Hunt to face the last couple of balls. Hennessy took control immediately and scored a run through the covers before Hunt fell for 3 to bring the innings to a close and Hennessy not out for the thirds successive time. 315 runs were scored in just 50 overs leaving Colwall a tough task under darkening skies.
After an amazing tea by Mrs B, ‘H’ and their teatime team (easily the best in league we all agree) the Green took to the field confident of making life hard for the visitors. Hennessy (E) (5-0-36-1) and Clack (7-47-0) took the new ball and found the going mixed. Leighton struggled against the pace whilst Bishop took on the challenge keeping the scoring rate over 7 an over. As the drizzle started Hennessy slipped Leighton a short ball which he top edged to third man where Fiaz took a very good catch. After a 40 odd minute rain break the second innings was reduced to a 40 over affair, effectively ruling out a Colwall win and allowing the Green to attack more than they might have. Scullion (8-4-11-2) bowled exceptionally well beating the bat on numerous occasions without the luck he might have wished for. Rich Jeynes (3-0-29-0) entered the attack for a short period before Hooper began to work his spinning magic. Hennessy (G) was given the role of partnership breaker and game changer and she did not disappoint. She had two dropped catches off her initial over before picking up two wickets in two balls to change the face of the game. Hennessy’s final figures were a very impressive (5-0-34-2) and gave the Green a very good chance of winning a game which looked like ending in a draw. Hunt (2-0-14-2) replaced Hennessy and took a further two wickets having had a tough time in the field further making the odds of a win stack in favour of the home side. Hooper (9.4-2-58-3) also picked up vital wickets and so it went that in the final over of the game the home side needed one wicket to win and the visitors needed a handful of runs to secure the losing draw points. The runs were reached with three balls gone leaving the simple equation: a wicket wins the game; no wicket leaves both teams with a similar-ish point allocation. Ever confident Hooper tossed up a big spinning, looping delivery, which the batsman played all around before the ball crashed into the stumps sparking jubilant scenes of celebration amongst the Green players.

Well done team for obtaining our first 24 point win of the season in difficult and testing conditions. Mistakes were made, particularly in the field but we all can be proud with how we fought and worked together throughout the game. Lets take this momentum to Redditch next week!

 

On a Saturday when the weather forecast predicted heavy showers the Green thirds entertained their contemporaries from OE's who were rooted to the bottom of the league.
The wicket showed signs of the recent wet weather and skipper Spencer had no hesitation inserting the visitors on winning the toss, the opening bowlers were teenagers Jack Cullity and Ryan scullion they bowled well but with little luck as openers Norton and Downwood   got the OE's off to a steady start, in the eleventh over Scullion had Downwood caught by Thompson for 10 with the score on 46, the two teenagers were replaced by more senior bowlers in the shape of Ian Scullion and Roger Thompson, these two used their experience to contain the batsmen and after 23 overs OE's were on 73 for 1, Scullion senior then struck twice having the dangerous visitors skipper Norton well caught behind by White for 49 then having Hills caught and bowled for 16, after 30 overs the visitors were 104 for 3. at this point home skipper decided a change of pace was required and introduced himself and golden arm Jon Lewis he was not disappointed Lewis struck twice in his first over having Wilkins caught by Cullity for 10 then bowling Chapman for a duck, Bolton survived a caught behind  not walking even though he hit the ball twice ,he then struck out hitting six fours in his 34, he was out bowled by Spencer who then had Bates well stumped by White for 4, Graham Baddeley took a fine catch in the deep to remove Pete Johnson to give Lewis his third wicket, the returning opening bowlers soon wrapped up the innings with Cullity clean bowling Johnson snr and Young. The OE's total of 179 looked to be just under par due to another fine fielding display by the Green.
After another excellent tea courtesy of H's girls, openers Yorke and Baddeley strode to the wicket, Yorke was bowled by Bates for 1 , Jason Brewer was plumb LBW to Rees for a duck 6 for 2 and big trouble for the Green, soon it was 20 for 3 when Baddeley was caught off the bowling of Rees for 18, a minor recovery between Lewis and Ratcliffe took the score to 66 when Lewis was also caught off the bowling of Rees for 16, Ryan Scullion strode to the wicket to join Ratters this pair looked in little trouble as they punished any loose deliveries and ran sensibly the Green looked as if they were strolling to another victory, with the score on 152 for 4 and only 28 runs required the game was turned on it's head when the returning Harry Bates first had Ratcliffe LBW for a fine 49 then clean bowled Thompson first ball then on hat trick ball he clean bowled Cullity, a fine spell of bowling by the young left arm bowler, the Green were in further trouble when White was also adjudged LBW in Bates next over, at 156 for 8 Ian Scullion joined his son Ryan and this pair thankfully saw the Green home Ryan Scullion not out on 37 and Ian Scullion not out 16, a two wicket victory and another 20 points for the Green.
A good game where the Green made hard work of chasing down a low total , only fine batting from veteran Rattcliffe and Scullion jnr saved the Green from the embarrassment of losing to the bottom placed club. For OE's Harry Bates finished with 5 for 46 including a well deserved hat trick.
Although the Green's captain's ethics are to play hard but fair we should be giving any benefit of doubt when umpiring to our  side unless it is an easy decision like that of Jason[I like my car ] Brewer, after going through the seasons scorebook we have had 12 LBW's given against us and only 3 given by the opposition obviously we have either got flaws in our batting technique or our umpires are being not given the right instructions by the captain.


Old Elizabethans 4ths vs BGCC 4ths


 

J Hall 19

D Price 37

 

E Wilson 0

N Pett 0

RW Brown 36

R Wall 5

R Lewis 11

M Perkins 13

S Hunt19

J Mackintosh 1

Z Hunt 0

 

 

 

 

 

The Green got 155 when they should have got 230 at least.

Poor batting.

 

 

 

 

 

Summary

OEs’  SLOWEST BOWLER took five wickets – all caught as batsmen tried to force the pace

 

Green’s 3 slow bowlers went for  67 runs off  20 overs

Green’s 2 seam bowlers went for 73 runs off  22 overs 

OEs won.

Perhaps there should have been more slow bowling?
Perhaps Green's bowlers were not hungry enough.
 They should have been. They bowled after tea!

 

 

 

 

 

 

N Pett 2 for 51

R Lewis 0 for 22

J Macintosh 1 for 36

D Price 0 for 21

S Hunt 2 for 24.