Over 40s Tie with Weybridge again!

Thursday 22nd August 2019
Weybridge Over 40s 130 for 3 (16 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon Over 40s 130 for 9 (16 overs)
Match Tied

We could have made this up but we’re not, honest! A tie last Tuesday and a tie again yesterday evening at The Rec as the Over 40s ended their 2019 season with another last ball thriller.

Fielding first this time Jase Earl took charge of on-field operations and divvied up the sixteen overs amongst eight bowlers in two over spells.

Andy Page and Ralph Coleman had first go, conceding 18 runs in the four overs they shared; the latter having a leg-before appeal upheld to get Stoke on the board.

Thereafter wickets proved harder to come by on a good pitch and a lightning outfield that gave full value for shots; Butler and Jaggard retired at 28 and 25 respectively although Deepak Malhotra was unlucky to see another catch go down off his bowling; one of his two overs being the match’s only maiden.

Simon Richardson and Justin Jones were the next pair to have a turn with the ball. The former was clearly short of cricket but did castle Harbour.

Green, (26), became the third to retire in the innings before Harry Nawaz and Jase Earl shared the death overs; Nawaz picking up the wicket of Samuel. Earl saw a few edges go to where he would expect to have fielders in weekend matches and a generous helping of 24 extras saw Weybridge close on 130.

Stoke needed a fast start after the quick change around and got one as Malcolm Dickson hit 23 off 11 balls with four fours and a nice pull for six. Keeper bat for the night Andy Berry hit 21 from 14 but Stoke were losing wickets as they tried to keep up with the rate; being 62 for 6 after 8.2 overs at one stage; one of them to Hassan Dahir who had one ball at Dad that was met with a solid defensive shot, (see headline picture.)

Page and Malhotra sensibly accumulated runs and added another 38 in the 5.3 overs before the latter, who hit a lovely straight six, was run out for 20.

Page retired on 28 soon after leaving Mark Christie, Richardson, Coleman, (and the possible return of Page), to make the rest. The last phase didn’t start well when Richardson was unfortunately run out backing up when the bowler got a hand on a fierce straight drive from Christie; but number of extras in the 14th over of 16 and a five wides early in the penultimate over saw 22 needed off the last ten.

Christie set up camp at the striker’s end, and with Coleman determined to keep him there by running twos to the bowler’s end, (apart from the 90th delivery where took a leg-bye); the equation came down to 12 off the last over; crucially with Christie retaining the strike.

The required rate was maintained with three twos and a four; then a two off the last ball became one off the last with a filthy wide…but the bowler came back well with the field up and a yorker was jammed out with the batsmen unable to get home before the stumps were broken.

A tremendous end to this year’s Over 40s programme; thanks to Kevin for putting the side together, the great man himself unable to participate in this one having broken his hand keeping for the Sunday XI at the weekend.

Now for the weekend’s vital League matches…

Scorecard : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/website/results/4078353