22nd May 2010 - Match Reports. |
|
BGCC 2nd XI vs Coombs Wood. | Harvington 1st XI vs BGCC 3rd XI |
On a scorching hot Saturday visiting side Coombs Wood CC were asked to bat on a straw coloured wicket at a magnificent looking North End Lane ground.Opening the attack Ryan Scullion (8-3-26-0) and Brad Adams (7-0-35-0) bowled with genuine pace troubling both of the visiting batsmen without finding the luck required to remove their 73 run vigil. Young Jack Cullity (5-0-25-1) and James Scullion (7-0-33-1) traded places with Scullion and Adams and continued the excellent example they set bowling tight lines and probing areas picking up a wicket each as the Coombs Wood innings began to wobble. Lewis Hooper (13-1-44-0) took over from Cullity and bowled an impressive spell containing and then preventing the expecting onslaught from the visiting batsmen. Tim Clarke (8-1-40-5) benefited from Hooper’s ‘ball on a string’ routine and began to take regular wickets preventing the scoring rate from rising much above 4 runs an over. The visitor’s innings ended on 229 for 9 in their 50 over quota. The home batsmen of Judd Doughty (37) and Andy Wheeler (101) opened the Green innings chasing a total which most around the ground felt was perhaps 50 runs light on a decent track surrounded by a lightening quick outfield. Wheeler continued his impressive form bludgeoning the attack with attractive and ugly blows in equal measure. Doughty playing a supporting role nudged ones and twos and the occasional four before perishing to an Ahmed slower-ball, having put on 126 runs with his partner. Wheeler, in complete command, knocked in his new 3lbs+ bat by repeatedly pushing the ball into Orford Way and peppering the car park multiple times. Clarke (59) showed his class supporting Wheeler before he finally perished for a fantastic ton including 20x4’s and 3x6’s off just 58 balls. Veteran Adam Greaves (20) finished the innings with a flurry of boundaries to bring 20 well earned points to reward a slick home team effort recorded in just 26 overs of the second innings. Well done boys, a top all-round effort! Barnards Green IVs vs Harvington 2nds |
The Green thirds travelled to Harvington on probably the hottest day of the year, the team resembled something out of dads army and those who were young enough to run were hampered by injuries , the team ought to be sponsored by a local doctors surgery, after losing the toss the green were asked to field. Harvingtons local born openers Delport [south Africa] and Gage [Australia] took a liking to Rich Browns medium pace and raced along at 10 an over until Ian Scullion trapped Gage LBW for 34,he followed this up bowling Powell for 5, Delport was joined by home skipper Price and together they took the score along to 137 when Chris Hill[MJ] took a superb one handed catch to dismiss the dangerous Delport for 79. With the heat taking its toll on the Greens fielders the Greens skipper turned to Roger Thompson and the evergreen Jason Brewer to try and keep the Harvington score from being out of reach, Brewer bowled 9 overs for 38 keeping a tight line and restricting the scoring, whilst at the other end Thompson bowled 10 overs for 49 taking 2 wickets, a good effort especially in the conditions, after 45 overs Harvington had reached 259 for 7 and declared thinking they had scored enough to force the victory.The Greens reply got off to a solid start with openers Ian Scullion and Adam Croad putting on 76 for the first wicket Croad was caught behind for a solid 29 quickly followed by weary bowling hero Brewer for a first ball duck, Kevin Ratcliffe soon followed for 3 then Scullion was bowled by Delport for 33, a flurry of wickets brought Marin Heaton to the crease, the Green legend who had not played for 5 years through a serious ankle injury looked as if he was back in his prime playing glorious drives and cuts putting to shame the regular batsmen, Lee Hooper was bamboozled by Delports spin and bowled for 9, this brought the enigmatic character Chris Hill to join Heaton, between the pair of these experienced batsmen they frustrated the home bowling attack for 20 overs adding 87 runs until Hill was LBW to lee for a patient 17, this was followed by Brown bowled by Gage for a duck followed next ball by Spencer also bowled by Gage, young Dan Hunt was last man in with the score on 180 for 9 and seven overs left for the green to survive, this final pair looked in no trouble safely negotiating the remaining overs and pushing the score along to 197 for 9 at the end of their allotted 55 overs, Heatons fine effort of 75 not out denied Harvington a much sort after win, and also denied them maximum winning draw points, Harvington gained 16 points and the Green a hard fought 8 points. Pick of the bowlers for Harvington was once again those two local boys Gage 5 for 47 and Delport 3 for 25. Well done to dads army and especially Green legend Martin [Ena] Heaton on a truly remarkable innings. Bromyard 1st XI vs Barnards Green 1st XI Determined to bounce back from an embarrassing defeat to newly promoted Bewdley Barnards Green made the trip across the Herefordshire border to face top of the table Bromyard. With the ground bathed in sunshine home skipper Oliver had no hesitation in making first use of an excellent looking wicket and dispatched his openers to don the pads.Their innings could barely have started in a worse fashion as Bullock found his off stump cart wheeling to just the second ball of the day from fired up Jamaican Andre Russell. Determined to keep the flow of wickets from both ends Phil Harris bowled with pace and swing and was soon in on the act capturing the wicket of Saeed for just 5. Russell edged ahead in the wickets stakes trapping Oliver on the crease as his stumps also cart wheeled before Harris ripped through the Bromyard middle order with great aplomb. His second wicket trapped ex Birmingham league Anderson on the crease LBW and he quickly dispatched Mbane with a brilliant off cutter and had Whittenbury caught by wicketkeeper Binks. With Harris leading the wickets 4-2, Russell upped his game to rip through the Bromyard card in a hostile and sustained display of fast bowling finishing with figures of 6-22 off just 8 overs. Harris finishing with 4-20 from his 7 overs and Bromyard closing their innings on just 46. After a quick change around the visitors found themselves reeling at 10-3. First Golder was caught playing round his front pad LBW to Mbane for 1. Hooper departed LBW to a Saeed in swinger for 1 and Rhodes nibbled at an Mbane away swinger to be caught behind for 8. Enter Andre Russell who with support from Clarke(4) and Harris( not out) clubbed a brutal 35 from just 13 balls including 5 maximums to race the Green to victory in just 7.2 overs.The visitors happy to pick up maximum points on the road but still showing signs that their fragile batting needs serious work if they are to climb the table. The home side shell shocked from an excellent bowling display. This week is a bank holiday double header with the 1st XI facing Colwall at North End Lane on Saturday and Droitwich away on Monday. |