Little Baddow Cricket Club Sunday NECL XI v West Bergholt on Sun 30 Apr 2006 at 1.00pm
Little Baddow Cricket Club Won 105 runs
A hard, flat track and a bright spring day at Riffhams so Steve chose to bat when the coin toss was favourable.
Stuart and Rob began watchfully and in the absence of any swing or seam movement they soon began to build momentum. The first 50 came up in the 11th over and the hundred in the 19th and when drinks were taken after 22 overs we were handily placed at 118 without loss. When Stuart popped up a simple catch to mid-wicket for 71, Andy continued the stroke making until having to retire with a back injury. Steve made a quick 38 before skying an attempted big hit with the score on 224 in the 37th over and with Rob still playing well we looked set for a huge total. Unfortunately, Rob also skied one going for a big hit for a fine 95 and more wickets fell as the new batsmen went for their shots. The innings closed at 284 for 6.
The visitors also began watchfully and the first wicket fell in the 9th over with the score on 32. Opener Copson, having been dropped twice in the early overs, then decided that attack was the best form of defence and 70 runs came from the next 5 overs. Whilst such a scoring rate was unlikely to continue, at 102 for 2 after just 14 overs we began to wonder if our total was a little light.
The game turned however when Mickey took 2 wickets with consecutive balls, followed by the introduction of Alex Franklin whose flight and turn proved too much for the middle order. Wickets fell regularly, though the scoring rate stayed on target and the total at the end of the 22nd over was 151 for 8. Young Alex then took the vital wicket of Copson, stumped for an aggessive 93 and despite a stubborn last wicket stand, the scoring rate fell dramatically and the last wicket fell in the 30th over at 179.
Alex returned the highly impressive figures of 3 for 13 from 7 overs, including several overs at Copson who had destroyed everyone elses figures. The other highlights were 3 stumping and a catch for evergreen Alan Towell, and a superb one handed pick up and throw to the bowlers end from the deep to gain a run put by Mickey. Oh, and did I mention it was Mickey who dropped the opener twice before he had scored? Just in case you missed it, it was Mickey who dropped the opener twice before he had scored!
Little Baddow Cricket Club Sunday NECL XI Batting
284 for 6
West Bergholt Bowling
West Bergholt Batting
179 for 10
Little Baddow Cricket Club Sunday NECL XI Bowling