2nd XI defeated at Godalming

Surrey Championship Division 5 – 2nd XI competition

Stoke D’Abernon 2nd XI 153 all out (47.2 overs)

Godalming 2nd XI 154 for 7 (49.2 overs)

Godalming 2nd XI, (9 points), beat Stoke D’Abernon 2nd XI, (0 points), by 3 wickets

Promotion was secured last week but Stoke’s second string lost pole position for the title to Oxted & Limpsfield after defeat at Godalming.

There are times when we don’t know why Matt bothers with the coin toss. He’s won the toss only once since England crashed out of the World Cup. Next week, he should just tell the opposition they can choose what to do without the hassle of walking out to the middle and finding a coin to throw in the air.

Our innings was domiated by one partnership between JT and Johnny, but we struggled before and after that pair came together. The hosts had as accurate an opening bowling pair as we’ve faced all season and scoring runs was very difficult. Horne took the first wicket when he got one to move into Steve who was trapped leg before Ali Mac was bowled by a perfect away swinger’s delivery which clipped the off bail from Milner. Falcon tried to break the shackles, but couldn’t clear the mid off fielder and a few overs later Gav scooped up a catch to square leg off Haine.

JT had hit the first boundary of the innings in the 17th over, but the score was 35-4 in the 20th over when he was joined at the crease by Johnny. Johnny cracked his first ball for 4, but was dropped on his third ball, a drop that ultimately made the hosts’ run chase a lot tougher than it could have been. In the 11 overs that JT and Johnny were together, they put on 81. Johnny was particularly destructive. He had scored 72 here last year and followed it up with 65 in just 35 balls this time around. He brought up his 50 from just 24 balls with one of 5 6s, this one into a neighbouring garden.

The hosts introduced Thomas into the attack and he claimed the crucial wicket in his first over when Johnny didn’t quite get hld of a full toss and was caught on the deep square leg boundary. JT was dismissed by the returning Milner for 38 before Steel ran through the lower order bowling Pagie and trapping Jake and Topgun leg before to finish Stoke’s innings on 153.

Po and Jake took the new ball, but while they bowled tightly, they struggled to get a breakthrough. Early on the hosts were also restricted to less than 2 an over. It was Matt who got the first wicket when he introduced himself into the attack and bowled Osborne for 15. At drinks Godalming were looking fairly comfortable at 74-1, but we knew that a couple of wickets could change that.

The second wicket came shortly afterwards when Wright and Tunna had a mix up in their calling. JT took full advantage and threw in over the stumps from the square leg boundary for Falcon to remove the bails. Wright had been involved in a run out the first time these sides met this season and was now the victim of a run out himself. Ali Mac then claimed 3 wickets to put real pressure on the hosts’ middle order, the third of which was a sharp stumping by Falcon to dismiss Abbott.

With the run rate needed still only 4 per over, Stoke knew their fielding had to be of the highest quality. We made life difficult for them, and saw a chink of hope when Horne skied a catch to Steve off Jake. Milner looked to be in control of the chase but he was caught behind to leave Godalming still needing 4 to win frrom the last 7 balls. In the final over Haine swung and connected, pushing the ball over mid wicket to scamper the winning runs.

A fantastic game of cricket had been played out between 2 closely matched teams. Next week Stoke host Old Hamptonians in our last league game of the season.

Scorecard Link : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=10912355