After an opposition cry-off last week, Stoke D’Abernon’s 1st XI finally kicked off their 2010 season, and secured an eleven run victory at the Rec in a 40 over encounter over Ashtead’s 2nd XI that was played in a great spirit.
New Stoke skipper Siddhartha Lahiri won his first toss, and gave his openers Brian Berthoud and Will Patrick first use of the newly laid square. Steady progress was made against opening bowlers Morris and Neil-Hall, Morris’s first five overs yielding just four runs; but the breakthrough came in the 7th over when Patrick turned for a second run only to find Berthoud having settled for a single and was lost to a run out for just 5.
Tim Handel arrived at the crease and gave first change bowler Siddiqui a debut to forget as his solitary over went for 27 runs; clearing the fence on the full three times. Handel hit a fourth six and another two fours in his 27 ball cameo that came to an end when he was bowled by Sanderson for 34. 71-2.
Debutant Berthoud continued to accumulate runs all around the wicket, and was joined by Tom Frost who opened with a flurry of boundaries. Together they added another 88 runs in just 14 overs; Frost completing a second half century in the space of six days before falling to Sanderson for 54 from just 50 balls faced, a knock that included ten fours.
In his first appearance of the season, Gavin Gresse helped Berthoud rotate the strike. Berthoud started to become more expansive and reached 75 before edging seventh bowler Wint to keeper Feeney.
Lahiri then chose to blood youngsters Sonny Cott and Nick Embling. Cott’s first ball in senior cricket was guided through the vacant third man area for four, and his technical ability was there for all to see until his progress was cut short on 8 he fell leg before to Sanderson.
In the final over Gresse was bowled for 15, Jake Lavender provided the comedy moment of the innings when unselfishly running himself out to leave Lahiri hastily padding up to get to the crease for the final ball of the innings…at the non-striker’s end. Embling chipped the final ball of the innings over the infield for 2; closing the innings on 211-7; Sanderson, (8-2-27-3), and Morris, (8-3-14-0), being the pick of the bowlers.
In reply debutant Lavender hit good lines early, beat the bat repeatedly and gave both openers the hurry up. At the other end Adrian Mills gnawed away outside off stump and made the first breakthrough when he found Gavin-Brown’s edge; Frost completing the formalities with a one-handed grab low down.
Lavender took a deserved first wicket for the club when Fitzgerald was pinned leg before by a full ball. Mills bowled his eight over allocation in one spell, and bowled much better than his figures of 8-2-32-1 suggested.
Ralph Coleman replaced Lavender and found good areas in his first run out of the season. His first four overs yielded just six runs, and in the penultimate over before drinks he castled Neil-Hall for 17, although much of the ‘credit’ was down to the pitch as the ball shot along the ground off a length.
Lahiri introduced himself into the attack and after a tame opening over he was soon back in the groove, launching himself to take a one-handed return catch to dismiss No.3 Tyson for 30; then Siddiqui was pinned leg before for just four later in the same over.
Unable to keep the new captain out of the game, Lahiri then showed good hands at backward point to give Tim Handel his first wicket of the season. Five bowlers used, all took wickets. Good signs.
At 98 for 6 Stoke were very much in the pound seats, but a spirited partnership between Sanderson, (44no), and Feeney, (46), edged the visitors closer to the total; forcing Lahiri to shelve plans to use Cott’s leg breaks and revert to his senior bowlers and himself. With the asking rate coming down every over, Lahiri finally broke the partnership when Feeney was bowled. Morris, (10no), found the fence a couple of times in the closing overs to post an even total of 200 for 7; stumps drawn by home umpire Drew Patrick who stood at the bowler’s end for all eight overs.
Credit to the Stoke fielders who raised their game to cover the loss of Embling to a thigh injury for the entire fielding effort. With reinforcements arriving in the week, Stoke travel to Old Rutlishians next week in good spirit for their final warm up match before the league programme begins.
Scorecard Link : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11003262