2nd XI complete double over Hampton Wick Royal to consolidate 2nd place

Surrey Championship Division 4 – 2nd XI competition
Hampton Wick Royal 2nd XI 124 all out (46.4 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon 2nd XI 125 for 5 (38 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon 2nd XI won by 5 wickets

Stoke’s second string consolidated their second place in the table with an efficient bowling & fielding performance and a generally trouble-free run chase.

Andy Page won another toss and set his bowlers to work, and they were off and running straight away when the first ball of the match, delivered by Ralph Coleman, kept low, went past Golbourn’s bat and hit his off stump.

Thereafter it was the Gary Harkett show, with Nico Spreeth providing another great support act.

Harkett removed Ahmed, (5), and the well-organised Hirsh, (21), leg-before; before keeper-batsman-captain Stephens and Jackson added 47 runs. Accurate bowling and great fielding led to 22 overs being bowled in the first hour. The pair were split when Harkett, who changed ends after Coleman, (11-5-24-1), was given a rest; pressured Stephens, (27), to sky to cover where Keith Watson made good ground.

Spreeth castled No.6 Soppitt for a duck, then Page took a great catch at short cover to account for Wright. 100 for 6.

Watching this succession of soft dismissals, Jackson fought hard, got himself in on a pitch that was tricky to bat on as it posed different problems at both ends, and started to move the field. Spreeth’s last two overs made his figures, (12-2-48-2), look worse than how he bowled.

But it was Harkett’s afternoon as he ran through the tail. Kannan lost patience and was stumped by Malcolm Dickson; Charlton chipped lazily to Alistair McMillan at mid-wicket; Cabraal was bowled second ball and Ilyas missed a straight one and was leg-before. Harkett returned his fourth best figures for Stoke; 22.4-7-46-7. Jackson was left stranded on 57 not out with nine fours.

In reply Stoke had plenty of time, (they bowled 46.4 overs by 3.20pm), and plenty of overs, (minimum 54), to secure the points.

Peter Phipps hoiked horribly across the line to a short ball that kept low; but Nick Lo invested good time getting used to the pitch and in partnership with Spreeth moved the total to 43.

Having survived a chance at cover, Lo was bowled soon after for 29 by first change Charlton; and Spreeth, who had his scoring opportunities restricted, edged to the visitors’ captain standing up. 53 for 3.

More youth was then at the crease in the shape, (or rather height), of James Lander and Dan Gluckman. Lander got going with his trademark shot through the covers, the boundary runner probably only had ten yards to move but was well beaten; and Gluckman gave good support until he edged returning left-arm spinner Cabraal, (18-3-35-3), to the keeper having made 15.

Despite a lack of time in the middle, Lander found the fence five times and made it to 26 before slashing change bowler Ahmed’s third ball to slip; but this would be the last success the visitors would have as Dickson, (19 not out), and McMillan, (7 not out), knocked off the remaining 31 runs – 24 extras including 14 wides were gratefully received – in the presence of the returning 1st XI players.

Next week Stoke have their longest away trip when they travel to Dulwich to face Alleyn & Honor Oak.

Scorecard Link : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11769264