Sunday Friendly
Stoke D’Abernon 215 for 7 declared (46 overs)
Harrow Wayfarers 217 for 4 (36.2 overs)
Harrow Wayfarers won by 6 wickets

A first half-century since July 2010 for Chris Finch and more runs for Giacomo Gray but Stoke’s Sunday XI fell to defeat at home to new opponents who travelled from High Wycombe; chasing down Stoke’s below par total thanks to a superb century by Buckfield.

Stoke batted first on winning the toss and Dan Douthwaite was in boundary hitting form early crashing four of them, but seemed less inclined to take other singles on offer. He faced a ball he probably shouldn’t have had one of said singles been taken, and was bowled playing across the line to a straight one from Hallam for 14 who ran in hard up the hill.

Nico Spreeth and Finch made steady progress against accurate new ball and change bowling. The former was bowled for 23 by first change Bennett when looking well set. Finch was joined by Gray who played some good shots to show why he had been so successful the previous day.

The pair added 96 runs at a decent pace, but the run rate didn’t increase as much as hoped after Gray’s dismissal who was bowled by Bennett behind his legs for 34.

Finch edged his way, literally, to his fifty and then found the same area of the Stoke Rec a further three times in the space of two overs to the amusement of everyone apart from bowler Buckfield; but Buckfield would have his revenge when Finch danced down the wicket to give the keeper the easiest of stumpings. His knock of 63 included ten fours.

Stoke needed an injection of pace to the scoring rate but were pegged back by some decent change-bowling, although frustratingly a number of singles that could have been taken continued to be declined. This put pressure on the new middle order batsmen who were forced to surrender their wickets in the pursuit of quick runs. The running then became more desperate, Jerry Dharmasena was run out by a direct hit from Hallam, and Rod Thomson hit to the fielder on the circle.

Alastair Curran, Baz Medlycott and Harry Ross did get the total past the 200 mark with a variety of shots and more aggressive running; but a score of 215 for 7 was considered below par on a very good pitch.

The inadequacy of this total was evident within an hour of the second innings. Although Alastair Curran tempted Ihalagedera into a rash shot, well caught by Dharmasena over his head at mid-on; No.3 Buckfield was purposeful from the off, running a number of singles and punishing anything loose.

Medlycott Jnr and first change Douthwaite bowled well without luck but the fielding effort wasn’t as keen as was normally shown by Stoke sides and a number of runs were leaked via a variety of misdemeanours.

Douthwaite did remove Eridisinghe for 29, (73 for 2), but had little answer to Buckfield who scored his runs all around the wicket against the change bowlers who did their best on an unresponsive pitch.

Buckfield was helped by No.4 Baron who survived an early dropped catch at slip to hit 46. Their decisive and ultimately match-winning partnership reached 136 when the returning Douthwaite bowled Baron.

Buckfield brought his century up with a four that went through the boundary runner’s legs, but he checked out on 105 taking on the short boundary only to be well caught by Finch off Gray. His knock included fifteen sweetly struck fours, but arguably his aggressive running and loud calling was the reason why the runs were as good as chased down in ten overs fewer than Stoke had faced.

As the light started to fade, Gray and Douthwaite extended the innings with some dots against youngster Laxton and Ranatunga; but the winning runs a four leg-byes down the leg-side to the vacant fine leg area, arrived with the best part of seven overs to spare, both not-out batsman walking off having not scored a run.

The visitors came a decent distance to play but hung around for a decent time afterwards. Hopefully we can find a space in the calendar for another fixture next year. Next week Stoke are scheduled to face Ewhurst at the Rec.

Scorecard Link : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11676548