May 27th, 2013MARSHALL HATCHICK TWO COUNTIES CRICKET CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO
BROCKLEY I v EXNING I
EXNING I 150 for 9 BROCKLEY I 151 for 6
BROCKLEY I (19 pts) beat EXNING I (6 pts) by 4 wkts
On what is normally a rather low and slow pitch, and after a substantial amount of rain on the previous two days, the hosts, somewhat ominously invited Exning to bat after winning the toss. This suggested that batting was going to be a struggle and so it proved as the drinks break arrived at the end of the 22nd over with the Exning score on 66 for 4; a miserly 3 runs an over as the opening bowlers, Dean Sykes (2 for 22) and Mark Geeves (2 for 38) stunted the rate as well as seeing the dismissal of the top order, including Tim Catley, who was clean bowled for the second week running by another of last season’s team mates.
Occupation of the crease was the order of the day for the second half of the innings to make sure the 45 overs were used up and ‘cometh the hour, cometh the man’. Gavin Jones entered the fray in the 18th over with the score on 47 for 4 and steadfastly defied, and denied, the later bowling attack of Isaac Reed (2 for 41) and Jack Brame (3 for 38).
Nicholas Lomas and Ben Readman (18) gave able assistance from the lower order, but when the 9th wicket fell in the 43rd over with only 138 on the board and the unpredictable batting ability of Ian Starling as the ‘last man standing’, the odds on another batting point for 150 runs were quite long.
Despite that, Starling defied his age by running ones, twos, and a three(!), and while Jones was slowly progressing towards a hard earned half century, they put 150 up on the board from the penultimate ball, leaving Jones on 49 not out with one ball to face. Sadly, he remained on 49 not out, but at least a further batting point was gained and a challenging target was set for the home team.
After tea, Brockley’s progress was even slower than Exning’s in the first innings as drinks were taken at the end of the 22nd over with the score on 49 for 2. Starling had bowled a miserly 13 overs taking 1 for 25 and Daniel Baigent also grabbed a wicket in his opening spell, but the big difference was that Stuart Fisher, the home team’s opening bat, and the one most likely to hold an innings together, was still at the crease.
And so it proved. With only Geeves (17) getting into double figures to offer Fisher any support, the opener slowly upped the tempo and, yes, he chanced his arm on occasions, but nothing went directly to hand, and he produced some flowing drives as he worked his way toward the winning post, at the same time getting close to the individual goal of three figures.
The Lawson father and son duo of Simon (3 for 41) and Ollie (1 for 32), kept Exning in the hunt for a long period of the game, with the spoils still to be decided even into the 40th over when the 6th wicket fell on 126. However, Fisher finally received some worthwhile support from the injured No 8, Reed, and with a flurry of fours, sixes and scampered ones and twos – belying Reed’s injury – the winning run was scored in the 43rd over; that run giving Fisher a deserved century and his team a 4 wicket victory, leaving Exning as the ‘runners up’ for the 2nd week running.
This Saturday Exning return to home pastures to welcome visitors Woodbridge & Old Woodbridgians, hoping their fortunes will turn to produce a win to keep the wins/loses on an even keel.
EXNING 2ND XI
This Saturday the Club will be travelling the short distance to Nowton to take on their 2nd XI as the Park side endeavour to get cricket re-introduced at this level following the withdrawal of the team from competitive league cricket during the 2012 season.
There are the buds of new enthusiasm to take the 2nd XI back into League cricket within the next season or so, and with a clutch of youngsters now becoming available, the experience gained in such ‘friendlies’ will only auger well for the future.
However, the Club will still welcome new members, young or old, to add competition to the team selection, with the youngsters (under 14 and below) welcome to attend the Practice sessions every Tuesday evening from 6pm to 7pm and the ‘seniors’ (under 15 and above) from 7pm to 8.30pm.
EXNING SUNDAY XI
The Sunday XI was without a game on Sunday, but this coming Sunday they travel to take on Edwardstone, with the match commencing at 1.30pm.
GIBSON CUP
The second of the 1st Round ties of the 2013 Gibson Cup Competition takes place at Exning Park on Thursday (Newmarket Journal – Tonight 30/5) with the hosts, Exning, taking on Burrough Green commencing at 6.15pm. Spectators and supporters are more than welcome.
