7 Man Strongroom fight to the death.
Victoria Park, 7/3/2006
East End Cavaliers won by 4 wickets
Strongroom: 102 all out (R.Woolhouse 50*)
East End Cavaliers: 102-6
View the Scorecard
8 a side Victoria Park cup
A depleted Strongroom headed for Victoria Park for this mid-week 16 over knockout cup competition. Debutants were made by Rich Willcock, Harry Parker and with Rich Boote who offered to play last minute, Strongroom avoided chucking in the towel by fielding 7. Harry’s 6 year old son made up the 8 and despite not electing to bat, had to retire after the first innings due to tiredness.
Skipper Dave Gower tossed up and was relieved to win it; fielding with only 5 players present at 6:40 would have given the opposition a big early advantage. Opening with Rich Woolhouse, the regular openers played at a steady tempo – an early run rate of 4/5 an over was achieved but the partnership ended with Dave attempting to up it and offered a caught behind for 1.
This brought in-form Luke to the crease who fell victim to a ball that was pitched short, then died on the crease. Luke rocked back while the ball pea-shooted his middle stump. He hit 8, which brought Richard Willcock to the crease. With few runs on the board, a substantial partnership was needed but he too fell to a ball (duck) from the same bowler at the same end that hit the astro-turf, maybe cut back a little but hardly left the floor after bouncing.
Bully was next in and survival was imperative. The second change bowlers were in full flow but the defensive fielding positions meant that Strongroom were able to hit a run a ball. In some instances, a forward defensive brought 2 runs. Very few 4’s were hit through a large shaggy outfield and as the score edged into the 90’s Rich was made to retire having hit 50. With 9 balls remaining, Harry Parker walked to the crease with the order to swing the bat.
The opening bowler returned for the final over and a lunging drive from Bully resulted in an edge, bringing his innings to a close on a valuable 24. Richard Boote batted out the last few balls and with the light fading it was difficult to judge whether Strongroom were in a strong position at this point.
Bully opened the bowling with Rich Woolhouse. The opening batsmen seemed hungry and confidently cut, pulled, and the balls found the boundaries. Nevertheless Woolhouse quickly found a nagging line and temporarily strangled the batsmen at one end. Bully bowled a loose opening over, the opening batsmen smelt a chance and promptly dispatched anything short through mid-wicket where a solitary fielder stood.
With the run-rate increasing, Gower took the bull by the horns and brought himself on 1st change. He bowled some accurate medium pace and was unlucky not to get a close LBW decision towards the end. having an alert Luke standing up to 3 bowlers was useful – he snapped and snaffled anything that got through, threatening to stump anyone who dared venture from the crease. Woolhouse bowled his allotted 4 overs and R.Willcock took the end. He bowled medium off-breaks into the wind and was valuably economical, forcing a skied drive to Woolhouse at mid-off who held the ball as it fell behind him.
A flurry of wickets brought in Ramsey in the 14th over, with 9 runs needed from 13 balls. Bully took the ball for his final, and Strongroom realised that they might be in with a chance. Alas it was not meant to be. A wide one feathered to third man brought 2, along with a leg-bye for one and suddenly the slim chance was gone.
Strongroom competed but the extra man was always going to swing the game away from us. They bowled with a consistent pace and were unafraid to hit the ball and take chances which offered little risk considering the gaps in the field and experience of playing on an astro turf wicket. Woolhouse excelled once again, but as was the case the previous week in Hanger lane, Strongroom were in need of an additional spear-head bowler and a little more luck in the batting department. Nevertheless, lady luck may be in town when Strongroom return home next week, hungry for victory after losing their 3rd game in 2 weeks.
Written By: C.Willcock
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