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A heavy deluge saved Barnards Green from a
tricky session as their Birmingham League campaign hit its first major
roadblock in the form of an impressive Tamworth outfit. Winning the toss and
again taking an early wicket with Talbot dismissed for 14 by McEwan the
Green sensed another strong start with the ball however an excellent innings
by Burrows(71) who was excellently supported by Orton(30), Flower(30) and
Maddox(23) led to the home side having to toil in an innings that suffered
three rain breaks. McEwan was again in the wickets taking 4-60 and Smedley
showed some form with his seventeen overs conceding just 52 for two wickets.
Sloppy fielding including five dropped catches hurt the home side as the
visitors posted 250.
Despite a watchful start from Adam Dovey(23) none of the Green batsmen
really got going. The first wicket fell on 25 with Golder dismissed for 9.
The home side then proceeded to lose five wickets for just twenty runs when
rain intervened with Poole and McEwan both on zero. With a break in the
skies play was minutes from the resumption after a long delay when a fatal
deluge hit North End Lane and rendering further play impossible. The Green’s
emotions mixed at this point as with twenty five overs needed to constitute
a game they would have faced a testing eleven over period needing over six
runs an over for a winning draw but more likely a battle for survival. Next
weekend the First Eleven travel to Cathedral City Lichfield for another
tough fixture. With Brewood picking up points the Green slip to second in
the table for the first time this season.
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The Green fielded first and did a good
enough job, bowling Canon Frome out and restricting them to just 150
runs. Once again an excellent all-round performance in the field
particularly from youngsters Sam Daffin & Andy Banks and Adam Price
returning to league cricket after a lengthy absence.On
paper The Green had plenty of batting to chase down the total but, as
everyone well knows, the game is not played on paper.
With the exception of Robin Longmore who smote 42 before holeing out at
long off The Green's batting was woeful with four players getting ducks
and only two players reaching double figures.Green skipper Steve Hunt
was far from amused as his merry band trouped off wet, cold and
humiliated and then had to suffer further misery taking down the sight
screens in the pouring rain.Congratulations to Canon Frome. You applied
yourself better than we did and deserved the victory.
Lessons will be learned from this one not least that cricket is a game
played as much in the mind as on the pitch.
Brockhampton vs BGCC 2nds.
Having begun the season well,
Barnards Green second eleven were outclassed in all areas by a strong
Brockhampton side on Saturday. Visiting skipper Judd Doughty won another
toss and was pleased to ask his opposite number, Watkins, to bat first
on a flat but slightly damp looking deck.
The Green nearly got off to the perfect start when James Scullion
(12-2-58-1) encouraged the opener Critchard to drive loosely at the
first ball of the game but was unlucky to see a dolly dropped at point
by a player who shall remain nameless. Ryan Scullion (6-2-24-0) again
bowled with pace and accuracy and nearly found the edge on a number of
occasions. The home side made steady progress picking up ones and twos
on their way to 38 before the first wicket fell to a sharp one-handed
catch at slip by Doughty off James Scullion. Georgia Hennessy (6-0-22-0)
replaced the younger Scullion and bowled an accurate spell where the
batsmen played and missed with frustrating regularity. Hennessy also put
in an excellent display in the field including pouching a catch. Lewis
Hooper (13-1-56-3) and Tom Clack (13-2-66-1) bowled the mid-part of the
innings and did a decent job of restricting the scoring opportunities
whilst picking up wickets here and there, restricting the home side to a
total of 237 for 6 in their 50 over allocation – a score which looked
about par at the tea interval. It proved later to be an excellent score.
As expected both teams enjoyed a banquet of home-made cakes, hotdogs,
cookies and sandwidges in what was an excellent tea, rated highly by
even the fussiest of eaters (some players even took doggy bags back into
the dressing room!)
The Green innings began very slowly, and very badly, as the Brockhampton
opening pair of Price and Herbert bowled some very tight lines
restricting Doughty (4) and Mark Hooper (6) and then Ashlea Brewer (1)
and Steve Metcalfe (0) to single figure scores. From 14-4 Tom Clack was
able to add to respectability to the score by punching 13 runs before
being bowled by one that nipped back from Price. Tom Banks (14), fresh
from his travels partnered Dan Metcalfe (20) as both looked to rebuild a
crumbling innings. Both had their luck but both also played some
excellent shots and frustrated the home side as they looked to finish
off the game before the expected rain arrived. After playing two
glorious straight drives Metcalfe perished, to the medium pace of
Critchard. Banks followed suit, being bowled by the leg spin of Mokler.
A bright and breezy 11 by Ryan Scullion was the only remaining highlight
of the Green innings before Hooper (2) and James Scullion (1) were
brushed aside. Hennessy was left stranded on (0*) following her mid week
132*.
Whilst the Green can take away plenty of areas to work on, they should
learn from the bowling of Brockhampton – they bowled in dangerous areas
and, supported by some excellent fielding, gave precious little away.
The home side were a good bunch and fully deserved to pocket a full
complement of 24 points from this fixture. |
