Barnards Green cricket Club Match
Reports.
23rd May 2004 Ending in a winning
dr Barnards Green Singles v aw for Barnard Barnards Green Singles v Brintons
s Green |
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Barnards Green 2nd XI vs Worcester 2nds The Green rebounded from last week’s massacre
at Kidderminster, defeating Worcester in a tight game with several surprising
twists. They tried more than once to throw the match away, but squeezed home
in a final half hour of excitement and near panic. Losing the toss, skipper Mark Jones tried
a left/right batting partnership, but Simon Cook was promptly bowled by Riaz
with only 3 on the board. Chris Hill, with some initial luck, survived the
pace assault and added 34 with Steve Freeman (15). After Freeman lobbed to
cover and Heaton was run out by a deflection from the bowler, Hill and Jon
Lewis (24) assembled a partnership of 72. Lewis then chipped a slow full toss
to cover and Hill (55) was very well taken by Smedley off a fierce pull. At
120-5 after 30 overs the Green were struggling again, but Dave Knapper (35)
and Dick Brown (36 no) took them to a competitive total of 208. Stu Fletcher soon bowled Mike Genever,
but father Chris added 130 with Al Levy as Worcester strolled towards their
target. After 30 overs they were easily matching the run rate and had 9
wickets in hand. Paul Knapper, Brian Bartlett and Martin Heaton had tried
hard, but the missed chances and plentiful byes told a dispiriting tale.
Heaton strained a muscle and could no longer bowl. Now, under some pressure,
Jones gambled on Dick Brown’s gentle spinners, and the match completely
turned. Brown bowled Genever for a fine 57,
and stretched for a return catch to remove Levy (69). This looked promising,
but Jones needed another fresh bowler to replace the steady Bartlett. Hill,
far from fresh after his innings and Saturday’s 22-over spell, battled
fatigue and some very odd field placements. He and Brown decided to bowl
straight, a useful surprise tactic at North End Lane, and he took three
wickets in two overs. Dave Cook was well caught by Simon Cook at midwicket,
and Tenney and Addison fell to no-fuss yorkers. Smedley chipped another return catch
to Brown, Harris was run out through Fletcher’s accurate throw, and Ajmal was
bowled first ball. Bizarrely, with the Worcester innings now in shreds, the
Green reached new levels of incompetence, losing the plot in a flurry of
misfields and overthrows. Riaz (27 no) struck some clean blows and Worcester
were still in the hunt through the last over. In a frantic finish, with at
least three captains setting the field, Hill continued to aim vaguely near
the stumps - and the Green scraped home by 6 runs. Barnards
Green 208-7 (45 overs; C Hill 55) Worcester
202-9 (45 overs; A Levy 69, C Genever 57; R W Brown 4-31, C Hill 3-34) Barnards
Green won by 6 runs |
Barnards Green Casuals vs Abberley On Sunday, Newland Sunday Casuals
visited the picturesque ground at Abberley school for a friendly encounter
with Abberley CC. Electing to bat
first on a wicket that deteriorated after the first few overs, Abberley got
off to a cautious start against an accurate opening attack of Jamie Plant and
Sam Beaumont. Plant then picked up
the wicket of Cooper before Savery and Cook started to push the score along. Mat Brookes was introduced and found a
good line dismissing both batsmen and skipper Vernalls in a fine spell of 3
for 27. The introduction of father
and son Dave and Adam Price then saw wickets tumble with young Adam taking an
excellent caught and bowled before enticing Massey into a rash shot well
caught by Beaumont. After 40 overs
Abberley had amassed a total of 184 which appeared challenging on a pitch of
variable bounce. In reply, Newland soon lost Mat
Brookes, caught at cover and namesake Lee Brookes departed for 8 soon
after. Opener Derek Goodman and Roy
Mayo then set about rebuilding the innings and as Goodman started to find the
middle of the bat and with Mayo taking a liking to Massey in particular, the
score moved to 63 before Mayo was caught for 21. Goodman then savaged the Abberley bowling before being well
caught for a fine 77. Newland then
lost a few quick wickets before Marek Wajzer and skipper Robin Longmore came
together. Longmore then set about the
bowling for a whirlwind 18, but when he departed with 20 still required, the
game looked all but lost. However
the tail wagged and Wajzer received ample support from Sam Beaumont and Jamie
Plant, before both perished to Cook.
This brought young Adam Price to the wicket and he proved to be the
calming influence on Marek. With 15 required, the two of them ran sensibly
between the wickets and a glorious cover drive from Adam brought the Green
within 6 of victory. To everyone’s
surprise, Marek then pulled Massey to the midwicket boundary for six and an
excellent victory by one wicket. Next
Sunday Newland entertain Broadwas. |
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