Future Bright despite Academy Loss at Beddington

Sunday 5th July 2015
Surrey Trust League
Beddington 206 for 7 (40 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon 136 all out (26.4 overs)
Beddington won by 70 runs

Sometimes phrases like “take the positives” or “many positives in defeat” are mis-used, often to soften the blow of a defeat or a poor performance, or end up glossing over technical or performance issues; but Stoke’s 2015 Trust League vintage looks like it will contain many future first team players, and a bit of fine-tuning and ironing out the things that didn’t go quite so well from this opening match should be a straightforward task.

The match itself had a pedestrian feel to it all afternoon, mixed in with the occasional explosion of wickets or runs. It took an age to start as the home side only had three players present at the scheduled time of the toss and there wasn’t much energy to get things started as the others arrived. Could Stoke have enforced the toss? Technically, yes, but we play nice, and we backed our captain to win the toss when he arrived. Sadly regular STL captain James Trower opted for a holiday, (reward for his efforts to get a team together even though he wasn’t playing – 1st XI Captain please note!), and deputy Nico Spreeth’s incorrect call condemned Stoke to a potential 40 overs in the field on a warm afternoon.

In contrast to how their afternoons went the previous day Ed Ashwell and late call-up Ralph Coleman and had opposite fortune. The former beat the bat several times when he round his radar, but a few too many leg-side wides spoiled otherwise good figures. At the other end Stoke’s call-up from the Under 42s saw wickets arrive off his first three legitimate deliveries. Owen tried to turn the first to leg, only to spoon a catch to debutant Freddy Zander at cover; Ballard had his off-stump bent back next ball; and after the hat-trick ball was a complete anti-climax, (leg-side wide), the next legal one drifted in, nipped away and hit the top of Beeton’s middle stump. 7 for 3 after 1.3 overs! These were Coleman’s 700th, 701st and 702nd career wickets for the club. He eventually checked out with figures of 6-0-12-3.

An attritional period then followed as opener Green and No.5 Pearson added 53 against decent change bowling from Marcus Mahne, Alastair Curran and Baz Medlycott. They were separated in the 14th over when Pearson, (29), swept a ball from Medlycott into his body and Will Thomson, incredibly making his first Trust League appearance in his sixth season of senior cricket, moved well from behind the stumps to complete the catch.

Whilst Stoke were pleased to have four in the hutch, Green was looking solid at one end; and No.6 Chmielinski, (who has played a lot of Prem and Div 1 Championship cricket); was happy to wait for anything loose and build a score.

There was no further loss until drinks; and despite the best efforts of Billy Zander and Medlycott, (who was given a switch of ends to cheer himself up), they took the score to 154 with ten overs to go. Medlycott’s penultimate ball saw the pair separated, Chmielinski toe-ending a wide ball into Thomson’s gloves after making 60. Medlycott was the only bowler to bowl his full eight over allocation and returned figures of 8-1-33-2.

Despite being unable to bowl himself due to a hand injury Spreeth had more bowling options up his sleeve and gave Freddy Zander the last four overs after his elder brother got some useful overs into his recovering shoulder. He took the wicket of Smith in his first over, well-caught by Spreeth at cover; then Khan, (last seen playing for Old Ruts’ 2s), hit to Curran at backward point for 4. 164 for 7.

With overs running out Green and No.9 Hargreave got what they could; and 42 more runs were added to close the innings on 206, (Green carried his bat for 54 – just two fours); but this could have been many more but for excellent ground fielding by all the Stokers – only one overthrow in the innings, and all run-out attempts were successfully backed up.

Mahne was hostile despite bowling with some discomfort – he now knows, (and so do we), that he can run in and bowl well despite carrying a niggle; so Stoke left the field in a positive mood after a long stint – a number of lost balls in the hedges added to the length of the session, but an excellent tea awaited.

After it was consumed and the batting order was worked out, a bat-first mentality was surely the way to go; preserve wickets early and go from there. However the Stoke reply was as 100mph – and on occasion kamikaze – as Beddington’s with half of the team back in the pavilion by the end of the 11th over.

Sam Neat last played a senior game for Stoke in 2013, and after waiting all that time, plus a few hours in the field, he was unlucky to get a good nut second ball from Hargreave. Hargreave then had an appeal for leg before against Will Gudgeon next ball answered in the affirmative. 2 for 2.

Spreeth and No.4 Mahne got the board moving; but the latter was one of two wickets to fall with the score on 38 when he, then Curran, were castled by Smith. Smith, (7-1-35-3), then collected the wicket of Thomson who mis-pulled to mid-wicket for 8. 58 for 5 after 11.

Spreeth and Medlycott dug in, and found runs easier to come by against the change bowlers. Medlycott’s progress was cut short on 13 when he played back to one he should have played forward to and was leg-before to Khan. 83 for 6.

So could Spreeth find help from the lower order and the tail to deliver the win? Optimism increased when classy left-hander Billy Zander started to punch the gaps, his elegant strokeplay also saw most of his runs along the ground. Four fours and two threes later the 100-mark and beyond was passed, and it was a surprise to all when he charged down the wicket to give an easy stumping when well set on 23.

113 for 7 then, (Spreeth going well on 42), so hopes turned to Ashwell for a repeat performance of Saturday. Sadly he was lot to a run-out when the fielder nearly pulled off an incredible one-handed catch over his head, but still had the presence of mind to locate and throw the ball in to the keeper as the batsmen aborted plans to steal a single.

Spreeth wasn’t able to emulate Beddington’s opener as he was run out, (ninth out), for a fine 58; and the match ended next ball when Zander Jnr got a good full-length delivery from Khan, (2 for 25), to complete a 70-run win.

The margin of victory was harsh on Stoke; perhaps a few better-placed fielders here or there, the reduction in extras, (41 including 28 wides), and the need to bat 40 overs, (not 26.4), is something to be discussed pre-game next weekend at Old Whitgiftians.

Despite defeat, there were truly many positives, and the core of this Under 21 side, (the Under 42 and the Club Captain apart who filled in this week), are also eligible for Tuesday night’s opening Under 19 T20 Blast match against Byfleet at the Rec, 6pm start. Come along and cheer the boys on and get to know them. They will soon become team-mates of seniors in our Championship sides, (some are already of course), if they produce more of what they showed today.

Scorecard : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/website/results/2342646