Saturday 23rd April 2016
Oxted & Limpsfield 2nd XI 180 for 6 (45 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon 2nd XI 57 all out (34.5 overs)
Oxted & Limpsfield 2nd XI won by 123 runs
An ugly looking Stoke batting card didn’t reflect the number of positives that came out of the day.
With the best 2s players required for the mixed 1s/2s game and many of those expected to form part of the 2nd XI league side engaged on holidays and other commitments, a Stoke XI containing four youngsters put in a commendable performance against a much more experience and drilled visiting side.
The heavy overnight rain reduced the match pitch to mud and the sensible decision was taken to play on the astro-pitch; the visitors finding little opposition when looking to negotiate batting first.
With Moumer Khara and Zaki Ahmad stuck on the A3 at the time the players took the field; simple rings of fielders were set and debutant Drew Birch shared the new ball with Ralph Coleman and things were kept tight.
As the batsmen felt their way into the new season, first change pair Thomas Dennis and Ben Townsend continued the good work and bowled excellent spells; the scoring rate remained at just over two per over for much of the pre-drinks session.
Wickets were hard to come by – a difficult chance out of the trees off Tom Lawes, who bowled well without luck, not going to hand was the only real one served up – Ejje and Adamson posted an opening stand of 90 before the former retired on 56 in the over after completing his half-century.
Eight bowlers were used, and the seventh, Alex Clinton, had a debut to remember as he snicked off the experienced Adamson for 38 and then took a second wicket when Lawes made great ground to take a running catch to dismiss Tushingham for 18. Both wickets were ‘comeback deliveries’ showing bravery to continue to keep the ball up the bat rather than to chase wickets.
Other wickets were taken by Ahmad who found Mallinson’s edge, a Birch and Townsend both effected run-outs; and Townsend bowled a great death over during which he castled Barney.
Debutant Birch also bowled two good comeback overs at the end of the innings and was unlucky to see a more regulation chance behind the wicket go to ground.
180 for 6 was a decent score with a slow outfield, but gettable if a good start was made. Sadly no dent in the required total was made as Stoke came up against some accurate bowling from the off.
Khara dragged one on, Malcolm Dickson passed 7000 career runs for the club with what would be his only scoring shot; Lawes hit the shot of the day down the ground for 4 before clipping to mid-wicket and Rod Thomson picked out the man on the circle trying to break the shackles – at one point Stoke were 10 for 1 after 3.3 overs, then 10 for 2 after 10.3!
Carel Ferreira added some positivity to the proceedings with shots that on other days would have earned him boundaries. At the other end the technically excellent Dennis booked himself in for an extended stay at the crease, taking what little was on offer as the change-bowlers were just as effective as those given the new nut.
Dennis lost a succession of partners before being ninth out with the total on 57. He earned much praise from players on both sides. Townsend made his first runs in senior cricket before being left stranded by his captain who had a brain fade and offered no shot to a straight one to end the match.
Old Rutlishians come to the Rec next week and Stoke will look to improve their batting depth as well as the result to get some momentum before the League programme commences on the 7th May.
Scorecard : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/website/results/2808464