1 Run Victory at Claygate

Thursday 31st July 2014
Claygate Cricket Week
Stoke D’Abernon 248 for 9 declared (50.4 overs)
Claygate 247 all out (49.1 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon won by 1 run

Last year Stoke edged out their hosts by nine runs. This year the margin of victory was just a single as the sides played out a great game on a warm day.

Claygate professed to having one of their stronger sides out for this fixture and all the Stoke negotiation skills were needed to maintain the tradition of batting first when home skipper Howe won the toss.

When play began Olly Trower and Baz Medlycott batted with caution against Harris and Webb who found some assistance from a slow pitch that didn’t play as well as it looked. Having done the hard yards, Trower was disappointed to guide the last ball of Harris’ spell to gully for 28 with the total on 53.

Medlycott, (23), eventually lost patience and chipped left arm trundler Morse to cover, (76 for 2), bringing Alastair Curran to the crease to join Nick Lo. Curran cut the first ball he faced through the covers for four and looked in good touch, Lo also profited from the bad ball when served up. The pair batted to lunch, both unbeaten on 26 as the board read 127 for 2 after 31 overs.

A fine lunch set things up nicely for the afternoon session, but Stoke squandered their good position. Curran, (28), chopped a ball from home skipper Howe on his stumps, and having hit the match’s only six Lo holed out in the deep off the same bowler for 41 attempting a repeat.

James Trower made 31, opening with five fours, before falling to the first ball from eighth bowler Dear, an horrific pie that could have been hit to anywhere in Surrey, but he missed giving Alan Cope-Morgan, father of former Stoker James the easiest of stumpings.

Billy Zander looked well organised until he got a good ball from Thorpe; and Stoke were light on runs after Hugo Solway and Paddy Wilson fell cheaply, again to Dear who continued to show a lack of grouping on his pitch map…when the ball pitched.

Stoke were a man down and at 206 for 8 Keith Medlycott threw on some whites ready for battle at No.11, but incredibly wasn’t required to bat as Malcom Dickson, (32), and Ralph Coleman, (17 not out), added another 42 runs. Dickson holed out to cow corner to prompt a 50.4 over declaration at 248.

In reply Claygate opener Woods, (son of : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Woods), and Walker added 40, preferring the pace of Hugo Solway to the lack of from Zander. The latter bowled well up to tea, conceding just 23 runs in eight overs, (with two edges through slip for four.) Another edge did go to hand, though, Lo making a one-handed grab to account for Woods for 14.

Claygate were in a position of dominance at 111 for 1 as the right bowlers for the pitch were sought. Storing the memory that Morse’s gentle medium pacers were quite effective in the morning session, James Trower was given a bowl and his Ravi Bopara-esque assortment paid instant dividends when Labacik, (36), was leg-before having been hit on his boot on the full.

The next wicket fell soon after as Walker, (42), cut to Olly Trower at point, the same fielder later putting the gloves on after Medlycott and Zander each had a go behind the timbers either side of tea.

Howe, who scored 140 not out in the 2011 fixture, 1st XI player Thorpe and Dear were next in line, and Stoke needs two of these, preferably all three, out cheaply to stay ahead of the game.

Thorpe mis-pulled a ball from Wilson to Solway, but despite the best efforts of the Stoke bowlers and fielders who were one light throughout, Howe and Dear took the total to 217 for 5 with just a handful of the mandatory last 20 overs bowled so time was not an issue.

What looked a formality suddenly changed into something more interesting and exciting as Medders Snr’s input on field placement saw a trade off of wickets for runs in a crazy last phase of the game.

By this time, Medlycott Jnr and Curran were bowling well in tandem. Howe checked out for the match’s highest score, (48), when he hit a ball from Medlycott Jnr to Medlycott Snr at mid-wicket, Medders coming out on to the field at tea after Lo had to leave early to celebrate his brother’s Legal Practice Course results, (well done, Matt L – another Stoker.)

Schultz, who tested everyone’s patience by scoring in unusual places, eventually edged Medlycott to Trower behind the stumps for 21; Harris was called through for a suicidal second run, then Curran bowled Cope-Morgan for a duck. Suddenly it was 229 for 8.

However Dear was still there and the flexibility of the batting order in this fixture meant another capable batsman in Webb was walking in at No.10. Webb hit a couple of fours, and there were also two helpings of four byes courtesy of deliveries from Medlycott Jnr that somehow missed everything; but Webb was run out backing up as Dear drilled a ball from Medlycott Jnr that was deflected on to the stumps. 242 for 9.

No.11 Morse did everything expected of him, blocking ball after ball to allow Dear, (30), the chance to make the winning hit, but Curran had one more trick up his sleeve, spinning one past the edge as Dear charged down the wicket attempting to make the winning hit, only to fall to a smart stumping from Trower to complete an incredible win by 1 run.

Stoke would not have pulled this off without tremendous input from Medlycott Snr with field placement, and making sure Stoke took the game as deep as possible. A great learning experience for all the younger players.

The Claygate Cricket Week never ceases to provide entertainment and fun, and this year a number of first-timers from Stoke were given a tremendous example of friendly club cricket at its finest.

The sides are due to meet again for a T20 match on the 14th August at the Stoke Rec.

Scorecard : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/view_results_details?id=12026376