Saturday 30th April 2016
Friendly
Old Rutlishians 238 for 5 declared (45 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon 148 for 8 (45 overs)
Match Drawn
Stoke completed their pre-League programme of friendly matches with good, hard practice against opponents who are now a few divisions higher than when these excellent fixtures were booked in a few years ago.
Ruts got good time in the middle against an honest Stoke attack where only the last few overs saw the total spiral to something a little tricky to chase. Adrian Mills and Will Thomson bowled well up-front, the former inducing an edge that failed to stick in slip’s hands. Price took advantage of his early life and along with Pemberton put on a good opening partnership characterised by aggressive running between the wickets. A few bobbles on the bumpy outfield were capitalised upon.
Duncan Elder backed up the opening bowlers and deserved better figures than he finished with. By the drinks interval the score had progressed to 119-0. Roddy Kelso settled after the break and took his first wicket for the club, bowling Price for 73 out of an opening stand of 129. The 3 overs he bowled after drinks were arguably 3 of the best of the innings and helped us back into the game. Pemberton followed soon after for 56 when he popped up a catch to Ian Hopton off the bowling of Alex Bond.
The next 10 overs were good for Stoke as Hopton’s bowling slowed the run rate. The hosts still wanted to attack though and there were a few half chances that didn’t stick. One that did was from home skipper Riches who made 12 before hitting to Elder at mid on off Hopton. Shackleton, (39), and keeper-bat Mude, (42 not out at better than a run a ball), moved the score past the 200 mark before the former was leg-before to Kelso who finished with figures of 7-0-36-2.
Hopton’s figures suffered at the death, but he collected a second wicket late in the innings when Mapp was caught for 6 (his first legal delivery having been deposited into the car park) by debutant Yeshpaul Rai.
After tea Steve Wade and Rai provided a solid foundation to the chase, adding 52 in 11 overs. Both made 33, Wade being particularly good on the off side, 4 of his boundaries coming through point off the hosts overseas bowler Collett. Rai looked solid in defence, but found it difficult to rotate the strike, this being his first game in more than 18 months. With a few more games his batting could prove a real asset for Stoke.
Wade was the first to go when he was caught low down at slip off first change Chick. Wade passed 2000 career runs for the Club during his innings.
The bowling was accurate, Cooper in particular producing another good spell against us. Rai, James Trower, James Whitmarsh and Hopton were all made to work hard for their runs. Stoke had reached 104 for 4 by the 33rd over before late call-up Moumer Khara did what he does and made 32 including the innings’ only six at the start of the last over.
Ruts brought back both opening bowlers in an effort to combat is attacking batting, but neither could claim his wicket. However Thomson, Khara and Elder were all dismissed shortly before stumps were drawn with the total on 148 for 8. Six of the seven bowlers used took wickets.
It was nice to see former Stoker Jeremy Beckwith who umpired the match. Now for the League, starting with a home game against Churt next weekend.
Scorecard : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/website/results/2808465