Match Report
KIWI BATTING JUST TOO STRONG
Last Sunday saw us entertain Fleet St Strollers, always a good fixture against the team with a strong Kiwi element. We went into the match with several notable absentees, no spin bowling and a worryingly long tail starting at no.7. It was unfortunate therefore when the visitors won the toss and asked us to bat. A new opening pair of Jody & John W. faced the very accurate opening attack and they looked fairly secure with John striking three quick boundaries but were soon parted when Jody on just 2, poked at one just short of a length and was taken at short extra cover to reduce us to 17-1. Riley Coutts of Byfleet joined John and together they put on 64 in a productive partnership before John was adjudged lbw for a very good 41 including 9 boundaries. Nick F. and Riley continued the good work and the score had reached a healthy 132 before both went in rapid succession, to the off spinner from the mansion end, Nick bowled for 14, then Riley well taken at first slip for an excellent 62 with eleven 4’s and a 6. This brought together our last two real batsmen in Phil & Ash and they progressed the score to 164 before Ash was lbw to rival skipper Glen Oliver for 10. This was the part in the proceedings when Phil really stepped up, sensibly farming the strike with the tail and really taking on the Fleet St. bowling. As we feared the tail ‘didn’t wag’ with the last 5 batsmen contributing just 3 runs between them with ducks for Scott, Peter & young James -unluckily run out at the non-strikers end off a deflection from the bowler, but Phil ‘bludgeoned’ his way to an entertaining 72 with four 4’s and six 6’s before being last man out caught on the deep square leg boundary. A somewhat fragmented display with only 3 players making an impact but 226 looked a very decent score at tea!
The visiting openers looked fairly comfortable against steady bowling from the Westen’s and had progressed to 27 without any real alarms when young Ben deflected a hard hit straight drive onto the stumps to run out the non striker- twice in a match for a type of dismissal that is so, so rare!! A few balls later the no.3 (who clearly wasn’t a no.3) contrived to ‘spoon’ a return catch to young Ben who gleefully pouched it! 27-2, 200 still required to win- we were feeling in pretty good shape but unfortunately that was as good as it got. The remaining opener Mike Pittams along with no.4 Dave Smith consolidated then gradually asserted full control, sound in defence but absolutely ruthless on anything remotely short or over-pitched. They had taken the score to 166 in very quick time before the writer deceived Mr Smith with a slightly slower ball which just nipped back a little to trap him lbw for 60, and then ‘golden arm’ Peter F. repeated his normal party trick with two quick wickets- first bowling visiting skipper Glen -completely done for pace- he’d hit it for six over long on in his head about 2 seconds before the ball clipped the leg stump bail- and then securing a successful lbw appeal against the the no.6 playing across the line. At 175-5 we thought we might have a ‘glimmer’ but it was a false dawn and Mr Pittams assisted by the no.7 who contributed just 4 n.o. , duly knocked off the runs finishing with an impressive 138 n.o. as FSS reached their target with 12 overs of the last 20 to spare.
It was a good game played in an excellent spirit both during & after the game but against the quality batting of Messrs. Pittams & Smith our bowling just didn’t quite have the penetration or variety required.
ConcordeFleet Street Strollers 