1st XI kick off 2011 season with win 28 run win over Streatham & Marlborough

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Stoke D’Abernon 204 for 9 (40 overs)

Streatham & Marlborough 176 for 9 (40 overs)

Stoke D’Abernon won by 28 runs

Both sides failed to build on good positions at their mid-innings drinks breaks; but in the end it was Stoke’s blend of older heads and a keen younger generation that saw them home to a 28 run victory at the Rec.

There were 1st XI debuts for Alex Bond, Tom Subba Row and former Essex captain Paul Prichard, (http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/18622.html); the latter facing the first ball of the 2011 season, the earliest start to a season in Stoke’s history, after acting captain Jack Raimondo lost the toss.

Prichard and Raimondo made good progress against opening bowlers McGill and Cruttwell, moving the score to 44 by the end of the 8th over before Raimondo, (15), steered first change bowler Murphy’s first delivery of the season to slip.

James Whitmarsh looked fluent from the off and a further 53 runs were added in ten overs before Prichard’s progress was cut short on 34 when adjudged leg before. Drinks were taken shortly afterwards with Stoke handily placed at 103 for 2.

Whilst Whitmarsh continued to find the fence with regularity, the middle order struggled as Will Gudgeon, James Trower and Subba Row were all bowled for single figure scores – Subba Row was unfortunate to be dismissed off the seventh ball of the 28th over delivered by Sarwan, (6-1-26-2), who bowled with a lot of heart. Murphy bowled his eight over allocation right through and returned figures of 3 for 35.

Whitmarsh compiled his highest score in senior cricket, (63 from 82 balls with ten fours), but was sixth out with the total on 165 when he fell to the first of two stumpings by debutant McBain off Bharath, leaving the Stoke lower order with work to do.

Rob Davis hit 18, and Toby Tarrant clubbed a brisk career best 21 to edge the score towards the 200 mark, the landmark passed as Andy Page nursed the tail through to a final total of 204 for 9 at the end of the agreed 40 overs.

After a huge tea Streatham & Marlborough’s openers Ellis and De Ruyter made a brisk start, posting the 50 by the end of the 8th over and taking their partnership to 65 before second change Ralph Coleman nipped one through De Ruyter’s defences.

Coleman conceded just six runs in his first four overs, and in partnership with Prichard the flow of runs dried up, but a further breakthrough before drinks proved elusive, and the visitors were in the box seat by the 25th over with the score on 125 for 1, 66 of these runs having been scored by Ellis who nine fours and two sixes.

The breakthrough was made by sixth bowler Page who accounted for Ellis when Whitmarsh followed up his batting display with a tidy performance behind the stumps, and kept his eyes on a delivery that hit just about everything before appearing in view where a leg-slip might have been.

Page’s pace was ideal for the conditions. He took a second wicket when Murphy was bowled trying to cut a ball that was too close to him. Page’s second wicket was sandwiched by a quick double from Tarrant who made a good comeback from a nervy opening spell, trapping No.3 Benge leg before for 28, then forcing McBain to play on. 139 for 5.

Page returned figures of 8-1-24-2; and Tarrant completed his eight over allocation with the two wickets at a personal cost of 50 runs.

The squeeze on the scoring rate meant that 63 runs were now needed from the last nine overs, and although the returning Coleman gifted five wides with the first ball of his comeback spell, he found his range by the end of the over, and crucially McGill’s edge.

Bond was another Stoke bowler to make a successful comeback into the attack; two wickets in his sixth over helped return final figures of 7-0-25-2, due reward for his consistency. Visiting captain Eldridge was castled for 11, Sarwan holed out to Raimondo for a single; and the game was as good as won when Bharath swung horribly across the line to give Coleman, (8-1-26-3), and the umpire the easiest leg before appeal and decision.

Young Streatham and Marlborough No.11 Knapp followed up his earlier promising spell with the ball by playing out the closing overs; but Stoke duly triumphed by 28 runs to kick off the new season with a hard-earned win.

Next week, Ashtead’s 2nd XI come to the Stoke Rec, new Club Captain Matt Gottschalk taking charge for the first time.

Scorecard : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11192931