Barnards Green cricket Club

BARNARDS GREEN CRICKET CLUB

MATCH REPORTS

26th August 2013 - Match Report.

BGCC 1sts vs Shifnal

Bank Holiday Monday saw BGCC 1^st XI host Shifnal CC in the second of the weekend’s BDPCL matches.

Shifnal skipper Ed Home won the toss and chose to field so he could get the benefit of the slightly overcast conditions. Johnathon Mountford in particular was difficult to play and had both the Green openers Adam Dovey and Mark Hooper dropped at 2^nd slip in the opening overs. The opening partnership lasted until the 10^th over when Adam Dovey was caught by Dan Cotter at extra cover off Mountford for 12. Alex Hepburn joined Hooper with the score on 30 for 1. He took the score past 50 in the 13^th over with a driven four before edging one to keeper Tom Shaw off Richard Oliver for a run-a-ball 18.

Alex Milton and Hooper played patiently as Shifnal rotated their bowlers and turned to spin with Mick Frost and Tom Collins. The 25^th over saw both the 100 up and the 50 partnership. The Green batsmen found Frost hard to get away but it was Collins who made the breakthrough as Hooper was caught and bowled one short of his half century. Kev Golder joined Milton and upped the pace with some hard hitting including a giant six over cow corner and a controlled hook for four to bring up the 150. Collins then struck again with his second caught and bowled, to dismiss Milton for 38.

New batsman Captain Andy Ford joined Golder in attacking the bowling; he too hit a huge six well over the head of long-on, off Sam Cotter. He had rushed to 20 when Cotter got revenge – having him caught by Tom Collins on the deep mid-wicket boundary. Ash Brewer took the Green passed 200 in the 43^rd over with a delightful guided four though third man. Golder took 14 off a returning Mountford to reach his fifty off only 46 balls. The score had reached 215 when Brewer (11) became the third Green batsman to be caught and bowled as he skied one off Oliver. Just 4 balls later Golder was clean bowled by Oliver for 53 to leave BGCC 217 for 5 with 5 overs remaining.

Jon Dovey continued where Golder left off well supported by Liam Smith. He hit a selection of boundaries off both Mountford and Oliver – including an effortless flick off his legs for 6 to bring up the 250. Dovey finished the inning 32 not out off only 17 balls – including 2 fours and 2 sixes. His partnership of 45 with Smith (12) took the Green to 261 for 7 off the 50 overs.

In reply Shifnal raced to 50 in the 8^th over with Richard Oliver and Tom Shaw hitting runs off all the seam bowlers. The score reached 100 and Oliver his fifty in the 18^th over as Shifnal continued well ahead of the required rate. The introduction of spin with Blair Kingsland and Andy Ford slowed it a little. But it took a moment of madness from Shaw to bring the first wicket. He set of for a run only for keeper Brewer to gather and throw to Ford who took the bails off with Shaw (43) well out of his ground. 136 for 1 became 159 for 4 as Oliver watched his partners disappear back to the pavilion. Ford had James Shaw (4) caught by Hepburn at mid-on then Hepburn dismissed both the Cotter brothers – Dan lbw for 9 and Sam clean bowled for 8.

Shifnal needed 103 to win off 18 overs as Tom Collins joined Oliver at the crease. They had added 21 when Kingsland had Collins stumped by Brewer for 14. The Green spinners stemmed the flow of runs and the required run rate started to climb. Oliver reached his 100 off 112 balls and Shifnal passed 200 in the 41^st over. Jack Edwards was 6^th man out when he was run out for 9 by a smart stop, pick up and throw from Alex Hepburn at mid-on. This left Shifnal needing 55 off 7 overs with 4 wickets remaining – their hopes resting firmly on Oliver carrying his bat.

New batsman Johnathon Mountford and Oliver hit several boundaries each to bring the target within sight – 17 needed off 3 overs. Jon Dovey returned to the attack and gave the Green hope as he clean bowled Mountford for 13. But Mick Frost and Oliver saw Shifnal home with 1½ overs to spare. Frost hit two straight fours to end 11 not out, before Oliver hit the winning 6 over long off to take the score to 267 for 7. Oliver carried his bat ending with 138 not out including 14 fours and 2 sixes. BGCC claimed 7 points and Shifnal’s 20 points almost guarantee that they will join BGCC in playing Div. 1 cricket again next year.