In spite of the long dry summer recent rain meant the pitch
and outfield at The Lee were surprisingly green. Captain Gen Oliver’s accuracy
with the toss was as reliable as always and the Strollers were asked to bowl
first.
Starting with a mix of pace and spin, opening bowlers Will
Baylis-Allen and Steve Rogers began well, keeping the batting quiet for the
first few overs, with the first wicket falling courtesy of a sharp caught and
bowled from Rogers, Mike Harris falling for 11 with the score on 33.
This brought Alex Morgan to the crease who started
brightly, timing the ball well straight away. He and Ben Harris, now scoring
well, took the score to 90-1, including several boundaries off Rogers’ seventh over
and seeing off Baylis-Allen’s spell with him finishing with 38 runs off seven
overs.
Oliver took over for the 15th over and a loud appeal for
lbw straight away saw Harris out four short of a half-century. Murmurs of ‘at
least we got another one before drinks’ became a call for ‘one more before
drinks!’ which was duly provided by Alex Diaconu, on Strollers debut, trapping
Adam Crosby in front for a duck, drinks being taken with the score on 114-3.
The very first ball after drinks saw Morgan bowled by
Oliver for 29, the momentum swinging firmly in favour of the Strollers with two
new batsmen now at the crease. A second wicket soon followed for Diaconu, Daniel
Boakes stumped by Aidan Selby while still advancing down the wicket, departing
for six with the score on 128-5. After 24 overs the Strollers were comfortably
on top, Oliver finishing with 5-2-21-2 and Diaconu 4-0-35-2.
Inigo Lendrum and Alastair Macaulay continued to keep the
run rate low, Lendrum picking up the wickets of Harry Rice and Hyder Munir,
both bowled, having been unlucky not to get his first Strollers wicket earlier
when a catch fell equidistant between cover, mid-off and the bowler himself.
Respective spells were 2-28 off five and 1-28 off six, Macaulay bowling the No
5 Ed Boakes for 37.
The closing pair of bowlers Hugh Martindale (0-22) and
Simon Brodbeck (2-10) struggled to prevent runs from accumulating in the final
overs but Brodbeck did finish with two wickets in consecutive balls in the 40th
over, leaving himself on a tantalising hat-trick, and wrapping up the innings
for 224.
An excellent tea was then provided by The Lee, very much
appreciated with second helpings tasting even better having fielded already.
With a seemingly reasonable target of 225, Blair Travis and
Diaconu, with debutant Alex keen to get off to a quick start, opened for the
Strollers against the bowling of Ed Boakes and Luke Dawes.
But it was Blair who got off to a flier, scoring six off
the first over, with Alex falling in the third over caught by Khalid off Ed Boakes
for one. This brought Inigo Lendrum to the crease and he and Blair began to
make steady progress. By the end of the ninth over the score was 62-1,
well on course, Inigo having hit two large sixes into the paddock off Boakes. But
Lendrum departed in the tenth over, bowled by Dawes for a solid 37 runs out of
a partnership of 58, leaving the Strollers on 67-2.
Oliver was next in and he and Blair continued with several
boundaries off Dawes keeping the run-rate healthy. But Dawes was replaced after
his seventh over by the deceptive Muneer Khalid, his gentle spin tempting Blair
first ball into an expansive leg-side heave and bowling him seven short of his
half-century. Muneer’s third ball accounted for Brad Trebilcock without
scoring, bringing Hugh Martindale to the crease to see out the over without
further damage.
Oliver and Martindale kept up a steady run-rate under
little pressure from the bowling and by drinks had reached 118-4, nicely placed
to win with only 107 more required. Runs continued to flow but in the second
over after drinks Martindale dollied a return catch to Muneer for his third
wicket. Aidan Selby followed soon after for two, bowled by Munir off the last
ball of his final over.
Khalid’s final over brought nine runs with Rogers hitting a
couple of boundaries, and with 26 overs gone the score was 153-6 with 72 more
to get.
Harry Rice’s first over went for eight more to Oliver, and
the first ball of Morgan’s over went for
four to Rogers. But Morgan’s next ball accounted for Rogers, caught for 12,
bringing Will Baylis-Allen to the crease.
Baylis-Allen and Oliver continued to score well with Rice’s
next over gong for 13 runs including a six for Oliver, but Morgan struck again
in his second over to remove Baylis-Allen, bowled for 10, leaving the score on
184-8.
Morgan’s third over brought the wicket of Oliver, caught
for 49 and the innings was wrapped up in the next over, with Macaulay bowled
for a duck and the Strollers suddenly all out for 190, still 35 runs short of
the target.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Aidan Selby.
Match fees: Alastair Macaulay. Match report: Hugh Martindale.
