Strongroom too strong for old foe
Highgate Wood, 5/16/2015
Strongroom won by 77 runs
Strongroom: 188-6 [J.Rahman 45*)
Jesmond Jaguars: 111 [J.Sugden 43, J.Rahman 4-17]
View the Scorecard
One player on each side stood out, with Jaguars’ Sugden and Strongroom’s Joe Rahman both taking wickets and top scoring for their team with 40s. For Jaguars, Sugden played a lone hand with the bat, while Strongroom put in one of their better team batting performances in recent times to rack up a total probably 30 runs or so above par. We also had sufficient bowling depth to defend this comfortably, though the game was more competitive for the most part than the scoreline suggests.It wasn’t an easy start. James Schneider started in positve fashion but Jaguars soon dropped into a probing line and length and bowled plenty of cutters and slower balls on a slow pitch with variable bounce. Sugden saw James off with a good slower ball, Dave G with a yorker, and Jules with an lbw despite a typically good stride out onto his front foot. This left Strongroom at a precarious 38-3 after 12 overs. Jon G and Vinay then combined in a crucial partnership, steadying the ship and then slowly picking up the run rate. At 20 overs drinks we were 64-3 with plenty to do. Jon and Vinay both fell to spin when they looked well set and in preparation to make an assault in the last 10. Then came the next crucial Strongroom partnership, with Harry and Joe combining excellently with scampering between the wickets and crisp shot making to stretch the Jaguars’ bowling and fielding. These two put on 69 in about 10 overs, setting up a daunting total. Tim Moore smashed his first Strongroom ball for 4 and looked a good prospect.After the break Strongroom’s opening bowlers were accurate and testing. Tim bowled very tightly, giving away a miserly 7 runs in his 6 overs. James and the pitch tested Dave P as well as the batsmen as several fast shooters flew past the keeper for byes. James made an early breakthrough and then took a catch off Grant to remove the other, obdurate opener. Our fortunes took a slight pre-drinks wobble as Sugden took to some uncharacteristic waywardness from Grant and then to Vinay’s first over as he replaced him. At 20 overs Jaguars were 61-3 and the game was in the balance.Jaguars came out after drinks with a postive mindset, making more shots and pushing the field with keen running. Vinay took a while to settle into a rhythm and for a while the balance seemed to shift towards Jaguars as they picked up 30 runs in the first 4 post-drinks overs. The next few overs proved crucial. Vinay found his mojo and bowled a couple of very tight overs and Joe piled the pressure on at the other end - the next 5 overs saw Jaguars two highest scorers out and only 10 or so runs added.The remainder of the game saw Joe and Vinay tighten their grip and pick up the last wickets. Joe picking up a couple of bowleds with some full and flighted gems. Joe’s second spell was 5-2-7-3 and Vinay took 2-12 in his last 5 overs.Always a pleasure to play Jaguars. And it was a beautiful sunny day in the park.
Written By: D.Gower
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