Run-chase goes to plan!
Hampton Wick, 9/26/2009
Strongbroom won by 6 wickets
Crossbats: 202-8 [Winch 46]
Strongroom: 203-4 [O.Moore 89, A.Chataway 45*]
View the Scorecard
Although the scorecard suggests an easy victory, the actual outcome during our run-chase wasn’t clear until the start of the final 10 overs, during which a couple of wickets could easily have made the contest much tighter. As it was, our batting order responded well to the ‘plan’ set out for them, and another well earned victory was ours.
Crossbats unsurprisingly opted to bat first on a particularly dry surface, on yet another sunny and pleasant September afternoon. This ground was directly adjacent to the more impressive Hampton Wick ground (with pavilion and fenced boundary), and looked a bit scruffier in comparison, especially with the good helping of conkers and horse chestnut leaves scattered around the outfield. Anyway, back to the cricket, and a slightly disparate Strongroom XI took to the field. Missing several of our core regulars who had helped make this such a successful season, it wasn’t clear how the team would ‘gel’ in this game. Ujjal and debutant Praneet opened the attack, with Ujjal scootering down the slope from the top end, and the small yet chunky Praneet bustling up the slope. The first breakthrough didn’t take long to come as Ujjal clean bowled Spiro for 2, there then followed the first of several stubborn partnerships where Crossbats effectively counter-attacked on what was a smallish ground with a fast, hard outfield. Praneet bowled four tidy enough overs, but then spent the rest of the afternoon vomiting violently into a hedge and took no further part in the game. Overall, Ujjal and Oliver Moore were the pick of the bowlers in terms of accuracy and economy, with Joe bowling a better second spell to claim three wickets. The fielding was ragged in places, and the spirit was sometimes flat, not surprisingly with some of our more vocal members absent. At 160-odd off 31 overs a large total was in the reckoning, but some tidy death bowling saw Crossbats restricted to 202-8 off their 40 overs. James Schneider did a sound job behind the sticks.
Tea: A very decent, traditional English tea.
As far as tactics were concerned, the plan was for our top 5 batsmen to occupy the crease and deliver the bulk of the runs required in chasing down the 5-an-over needed. And so it proved! It’s rare that laid plans are successfully effected, but this was one fine example where it did occur. Crossbats bowled very well for the first 20-25 overs, with pacemen Van Vuren and Dunbar both causing problems with movement and uneven bounce. Will Feinnes was well caught at point, but Oliver Moore [89] and Schneider [35] laid a solid platform with some sensible and often stylish batting. Oliver went on to register his highest score for Strongroom, and was unlucky to be ran out and thereby miss out on his first century. His innings was full of composure and excellent timing, as well as some meaty shots where the bowling was loose. With Oliver’s dismissal in the 33rd over there was always the chance of a mini-collapse, but special guest Adam Chataway [Jesmond Jags captain] helped strongroom stay steady with a resourceful and staunch 45* that ultimately took us past the Crossbats target of 203. Crossbats had bowled really well in places, and after 30 overs we still required 60-odd to win, but a couple of expensive overs of slow bowling inevitably swung the final result towards us.
Written By: J.Gower
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