Newton Poppleford Cricket Club

Scorecard

Newton Poppleford Cricket Club NPCC v Bakers on Sun 30 Jul 2017 at 14.00
Newton Poppleford Cricket Club Won by 20 runs

Match report Rain had washed most, if not all of the Saturday league games in the county and threatened to ruin Sunday’s fixture as well. However, apart from a short shower at the start of the game, the weather remained fair.

An uncharacteristically green wicket showed the effects the poor weather had in preventing any groundwork but, when Skipper Clay asked his normal opening pair, Thomas and Cox, if they would want to open up, they both unsurprisingly agreed. Someone deep in the back of the scorebox muttered he worried about the fragility of the batting line up. He was immediately shouted down for being far too pessimistic. The Bakers had been at the hands of a crushing defeat last time the two teams met on a Sunday and they appeared to have made amends this time round. Tight opening bowling made scoring tough and the usually free flowing batting figure of Isaac Thomas was well and truly shackled. Failing to find the boundary built the pressure and Thomas buckled, deciding to go back to a ball he probably should have gone forward to. In at 3 was Chris Anning who the last innings scored a timeless 138, found scoring equally as difficult and only managed 6 before one nipped past bat and pad and bowled him.

With Anning gone the score stood at 20/2 with Clay the next man in. In need of a Captains innings to try and rescue what was becoming a worrying collapse. The Baker’s bowling showed no sign of easing and Clay departed shortly after for just 1. Cox is used to playing the supporting role however he was quickly running out of partners in a revolving door fashion. Cox fell for a hard fought 20 ball 6. When Raistrick is at the crease, many Poppleford members first thought is, “I hope my car isn’t in range”. However, the situation dictated a much different batting fashion than many thought Matthew was capable of. Partnered with Coombs, experienced hands steadied the ship.The pair managed a 34 run partnership which added some stability and proved to the rest of us that there were runs to be made on the pitch.

Coombs fell first when he timed a lofted shot too well and found the waiting hands deep mid-on. Matthew fell shortly after, caught attempting to accelerate the score in his trademark fashion. Although some rebuilding had been done by Raistrick and Coombs, the score line did not make pretty reading. At 76/6, the rot had reached as deep and it was obvious to all that the tail of the Poppleford batting line up would have to do the work. Both Adey’s occupied the crease and while Leigh methodically kept good bowling out, Louis looked to try and score more freely and put the pressure back on the fielding side. It was a nonchalant flick to backward square leg which appeared to have four written all over it that was his undoing. A brilliant, full stretch, diving catch ended Louis’ innings.

Chris Davis in at 9 knew that the task of saving the innings was almost all up to him and he belligerently put the pull away in an attempt to save some face. Unfortunately the Bakers bowling continued to be on the mark and when Davis was caught for 8 the score stood at 97/8. A long way from the 257 they managed last time the two teams met. If ever there was a time for someone to come in and soak up pressure in a test match style, it was now. Equally, if there was ever a player who most would describe as test match, it would be George ‘Boycott’ House. Leigh continued in his studious manner and the pair picked up singles. As the batting had faltered along the way, talk had suggested a good score would be anything past 120 and this was the main aim of the two batsmen. The pair managed to guide the score past 100 but not long after Leigh fell to the Bakers leg spinner for a vital 14.

Luke Raistrick joined House in the middle and the two discussed their game plan. It was not a long discussion, “don’t get out, try and score runs”. Luke in particular worked hard to bat against his natural instinct, playing watchfully. At the other end of the track House was pleased not to be jeered at for playing out a maiden! The two had decided that the last 5 overs would be when they tried to find the gaps. Bakers, keen to prevent this, brought the opening bowlers back on and closed the field in. Still, House managed to find the wide long on boundary and even an uncharacteristic straight six. Raistrick, keen to emulate his batting partner looked to find the leg side boundary. Unfortunately, the Baker’s opener was too good and beat the bat, finding the top of off.

Poppleford went to lunch knowing they were at least 50 runs short of par, but winning has a knack of hanging around. Opening bowlers usually expect a long relax whilst their batting counterparts do their bit. On this occasion, the opening bowlers had had to do the batsmen’s job for them and Clay required batting partners to become bowling partners in the shape of House and Raistrick. House started from the river end and was rewarded with the opener’s wicket with his second ball. This obviously caught The Bakers’ by surprise as number 3 took a questionably long time to appear. Raistrick kept his first over tight with his variation in pace. When House struck again with the first ball of his second over, the score line looked favourable to the home team. Raistrick picked up his first wicket in his second over as his trademark quicker ball cannoned on to the stumps. Raistrick bowled with some good control and finished 2 for 16 off 5. House finished with equally good figures of 2 for 6 off 5.

As the day went on, the pitch got more sun and became a better batting track. Not that it was as bad as the Newton top order made it look, but it definitely became easier to bat on. Bakers saw off the opening attack, but there was no let-up in the quality of bowling as Louis Adey came on and bowled two cracking overs. Adey Junior beat the bat and, crucially, maintained a full length giving no free runs. Adey bowled in tandem with Chris Davis, the latter of the two picking up a wicket to a good catch by Richard Coombs at mid-on. Coombs’ fielding has recently been cause for hilarity and this catch was no different. Having already spilled an earlier chance which was drilled hard at him, Coombs was keen to redeem himself. As the catch went skyward, Coombs and Raistrick converged. Nobody dared call and the two fieldsmen, oblivious to each other, focused on the ball. Finally, Coombs uttered a trademark “MINE” and pouched the catch to leave Bakers 26/5.

Victory began looking possible for the home side. Davis finished with good figures of 1 for 8 off 5, including an impressive 3 maidens. Adey Junior was unlucky not to get a wicket as his first two overs where mature and well controlled. He finished with figures of 0 for 26 off 5. Some rebuilding meant Bakers managed to get themselves to 61/5, requiring 79 to win from 20 overs. Clay had turned to Matthew Raistrick, who had shown a different side to himself with the bat. Although he bowled well, he had to wait until his 5th over before he was rewarded with a wicket, a good catch by Louis on the deep midwicket boundary. His bowling partner, Cox, picked a wicket up with his 4th ball as he snuck a well disguised delivery past bat and pad. Raistrick picked up his second wicket in 6th over, caught by Louis who took a very good grab out on the boundary. Matthew finished with 2 for 22 off 6. Cox managed to burgle his was to 1 for 13 off 2 and Chris Anning finished the innings off when Luke took a good catch at midwicket.

Newton Poppleford Cricket Club NPCC Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
139		        
Isaac Thomas Bowled  7 1
Antony Cox Caught  6 1
Chris Anning Bowled  6
Kenny Clay Bowled  1
Richard Coombs Caught  14 1 1 1
Matthew Raistrick Caught  31 3 2
Leigh Adey Bowled  14
Louis Adey Caught  0 3
Chris Davis Caught  8 1
George House Not Out  31 2 1
Luke Raistrick Bowled  3 1

Bakers Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Bakers Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
109 (31.3 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Newton Poppleford Cricket Club NPCC Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
George House5.01623.001.20
Luke Raistrick5.001628.003.20
Louis Adey5.012600.005.20
Chris Davis5.03818.001.60
Matthew Raistrick6.0122211.003.67
Antony Cox2.0013113.006.50
Chris Anning3.301326.503.71