A Concorde Invitation XI took on the touring Kenya Kongonis on Thursday 29th July. The Concorde XI was boosted by various friends from various Clubs including Henley, Walton, Ashtead and Upminster.
Captained by David Allaway (Henley), Concorde batted first and posted a formidable total of 290 for 6 on a fairly friendly wicket. Mike McDonagh (Walton) and Jordan Dyer (Concorde/Walton) posted a century opening stand with Jordan making an excellent 50 and Mike going on to a well struck, if slightly fortunate, century. Nick Wright (Concorde) struggling with a badly injured back, struck 4 sixes in his 49no and Rob Symondson (Concorde) and Alex Cudworth (Concorde) weighed in with hard hitting cameo's.
The Kongoni reply started falteringly with the opener being deftly taken at slip by David Allaway off Alex Cudworth but the middle order dug in and it took a fine spell of Leg break bowling from 20year old Josh Pickering (Ashtead) to winkle them out. In this, he was aided by some fine wicket keeping from Australian, Todd Ferguson (Henley) who uniquely kept without leg guards and took 2 fine reaction catches off the spinners, and excellent slip catching from Allaway who hung on to 4 catches. Olly Peck (Upminster) with his left arm spin prised out 2 more but the Kongonis looked as though they would hold out for a draw until Jordan Dyer, returning for another burst, uprooted a stump and the Kongoni's were all out for 195.
A win for Concorde by 95 runs and unbeaten for the 4th year in this series of matches.