Salix defy Strongroom
Glaxo Smith Kline ground, 7/2/2006
Salix won by 19 runs
Salix: 176-5
Strongroom: 158-8 (L.Evans 61)
View the Scorecard
Strongroom were sadly depleted to nine men, including someone playing his first game for 20 years, as this inaugural Sunday fixture proved disappointingly difficult to populate. The game was played on a belting summer afternoon on a fine ground in deepest West London. Salix won the toss and took first use of a very dry, flat wicket.
The increasingly dusty pitch proved to be quite slow and, with a very fast outfield, short bowling was easily punished. Strongroom were made to miss their extra fielders and frontline bowling. Bully bowled a superb opening spell of 7 overs for a measly 15 runs, beating the bat with perfectly pitched outswingers. The Salix openers dug in to form a solid if unspectacular platform – seeing off a fiery Simon Ray at the other end. James Morris pulled up with a reoccurrence of the previous week’s injury and Strongroom’s spin department took a bit of a battering as Salix proved to have a strong middle order. However, Strongroom were reasonably pleased to restrict Salix to what seemed a manageable score.
Strongroom’s reply began steadily enough with Dave Gower and John Baddeley looking comfortable and putting away the occasional short delivery. Little did Strongroom suspect the horror ahead as most of the batting fell away to an almost unbelievable catalogue of regrettable shots. Opening bowler Plumsden bowled with a thoughtful change of pace and picked up useful wickets. With the pitch also proving slower than it appeared the top order fell to a series of close catches.
Simon and Luke steadied the ship and were coasting until Simon chipped a full toss to midwicket. Luke continued to build a superb innings combining watchful defence with powerful boundary hits. Bully proved a good ally to Luke as Strongroom threatened a revival, but once Luke was caught on the long off boundary to some excruciatingly slow lob bowling the writing was on the wall. Jolyon couldn’t quite squeeze enough boundaries and the innings ended with a suitably sad run out. Strongroom certainly batted poorly, but were left to rue the cost of playing with only nine men.
If Strongroom can bring themselves to play the odd Sunday game, then this fixture on one of the best away grounds we have visited can be worth keeping.
There is also a Salix Website report.
Written By: D.Gower
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