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Scorecard

Woodham Mortimer Cricket Club FIRST XI v Purleigh on Sat 04 Jun 2016 at 1.00pm
Woodham Mortimer Cricket Club Won by 1 run

Match report Wow, what a corker! Shades of Edgbaston 2005, as the 1’s went head to head with local rivals Purleigh, with victory coming from the narrowest of margins off the final ball of the innings in a pulsating encounter.

Keen to field first, Purleigh skipper Cheek won the toss and duly inserted the hosts. What a crucial toss that appeared to be as Cheek, together with opening bowler John and change bowler Wilson made inroads into the 1’s top order. With only Ollie Glasson (23), who had looked in good attacking form until getting beaten by one that kept low, making double figures, with just 15 overs gone the hosts found themselves in the perilous position of 39-5.

A collapse was averted as in form Roger Marshall together with skipper Kev Wright began to build a partnership to claw the 1’s back into the match. With a heady cocktail of patience, counter-attacking and more than a sprinkling of good fortune, the pair ensured that no further wickets fell. At drinks (23 overs) the score had moved to 74-5, though still much work to do.

With the visitors bowling well, and the pitch offering support, batting continued to be a challenge but Marshall and Wright persevered, taking their partnership to 50 and the total into three figures in the 31st over. A Wright cover drive off Bowles brought up the skippers 50, though the bowler had his revenge a couple of overs later, deceiving the batsman with a slower ball that beat the defences of the home skipper, who departed for 55. 134-6 (39 overs) - the stand of 95 bringing the home side back into the game.

In the remaining 6 overs, Roger, together with Gav Cook put on an enterprising 31, as the 1’s went past the 150 mark, and finished with a creditable 165-6 at the close. The glue to the innings, Roger undefeated on 46, so close to a well-deserved half-century.

After a ludicrously tremendous tea (thanks Craig & Fiona – or should that be the other way round?) the chase got underway - was 165 going to be enough?
Despite missing regular skipper and opening bat Freegard, it appeared to matter little as Cheek and Ryan got off to a relatively quick start, making their way to 50 and beyond without too many problems.

The introduction of Craig Marshall into the attack finally earnt the hosts their first wicket and a shift in the momentum of the match, as the aggressive Cheek holed out to Mark Beames at long –off, the Aussie taking a tremendous diving catch. Craig, together with brother Roger started to gain greater control and Craig was rewarded again at Bowles clipped to Wright at deep-ish mid wicket, Purleigh 83-2 at drinks.

Energised by the break, Craig bowled Cann (5) and finally removed Ryan, trapping the opener in front for 22. Tom Payne joined in the action as the visitors struggled to cope with the shift in momentum. Taylor mistimed a drive and was well caught by Toby Pateman. Game on – 99-5 from 30 overs, the match was in the balance. Tom followed that up with the dismissal of John (9). When George Verlander returned to the fray to clean bowl Ryan (15) the task for the visitors looked ever more challenging, with 50 required, three wickets remaining and overs evaporating.

Still, with Wilson, a thorn in the 1’s side in a previous encounter at the crease there was still hope. Any hope should have been extinguished at Wilson got an early life when dropped at long-on, how costly could it be? Very. Wilson found an ally in Skinner and kept the visitors in the hunt. A profitable 42nd over suddenly brought the victory target into clear view, 19 from the final 18 balls.

Into the penultimate over, another life for Wilson, dropped on the cover boundary, before repeating the shot and going one better, the ball sailing over the boundary for six, much to the delight of the Purleigh players.

The equation going into the final over was simple, Purleigh needed five to win. A cool head was required, and up stepped George to bowl the last six balls. Ball 1 was squirted behind square for 2. Three needed from five balls. Then, the drama. Wilson clipped ball two just out of reach of Ollie Glasson at mid-wicket – but in his attempt to run a second, dropped his bat, and Wright, lurking behind Ollie threw accurately to ‘keeper Gav Cook who gleefully removed the bails with Wilson’s dive for the line in vain. Two from four with crucially the key man back in the pavilion.

Ball three – dot. Ball four - further drama as T. Oliver went back to try and clip the ball to the legside, but went back too far and trod on his stumps, 164-9. Two from two. Ball five - Verlander beat the bat of last man J. Oliver meaning the match hinged on the final delivery. Two to win , one to tie. With the field closing in, Verlander again beat the bat of the visitors no 11. Gav Cook took the ball cleanly behind the stumps and as Skinner tried to scamper a single, Gav won the footrace to whip off the bails and secure victory by the narrowest of margins. Cue wild celebrations to end what had been a fantastic match.

An excellent and long overdue victory over Purleigh, who will be tough opponents for most in Div 3. A third win on the spin for the 1’s and in a league where everyone appears to be capable of beating each other, despite being in sixth position, we are just 15 points from the summit, currently occupied by Chadwell Heath. Next stop, a tricky trip to second placed Eastwood under the stewardship of Colonel Brazier.

Woodham Mortimer Cricket Club FIRST XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 14w 2b 3lb 
for 6 wickets
20
165		        
Rod Brazier lbw b John 4 20 1 20.0
Ollie Glasson b John 23 37 3 62.16
Manoj Tripathi lbw b Cheek 4 8 1 50.0
Mark Beames b Wilson 2 12 16.67 1
Toby Pateman lbw b Wilson 4 15 1 26.67 1
Roger Marshall Not Out  46 93 4 49.46
Kev Wright b Bowles 55 61 7 1 90.16 1 1
Gavin Cook Not Out  7 18 38.89 2
George Verlander  
Craig Marshall  
Tom Payne  

Purleigh Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
M. John10.0324212.002.40
A. Cheek10.0237137.003.70
C. Wilson10.0135217.503.50
D. Cann4.012300.005.75
L. Skinner8.002400.003.00
A. Bowles3.0018118.006.00

Purleigh Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
4w 12b 3lb 
for 10 wickets
19
164 (45.0 overs)		     
A. Cheek ct Beames b C Marshall 37
S. Ryan lbw b C Marshall 22
A. Bowles ct Wright b C Marshall 8
D. Cann b C Marshall 5
M. Ryan b Verlander 15
J. Taylor ct Pateman b Payne 2
M. John b Payne 9
C. Wilson run out (Wright/Cook) 41
L. Skinner run out (Cook) 3
T. Oliver hit wicket b Verlander 0
J. Oliver Not Out  0

Woodham Mortimer Cricket Club FIRST XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Kev Wright7.04800.001.14
George Verlander10.0143221.504.30
Roger Marshall9.032800.003.11
Craig Marshall10.013348.253.30
Tom Payne9.0035217.503.89