Match Report - 2xi vs Cranleigh - by Joey B

"Unsworth missed fiverfor as skipper puts clown at slip" - Ed

More Swinging Than A Night @ Hedonism!!

Cranleigh 2xi - 113 Unsworth 4-29 Kilner 4-20 HWRCC 114-2 Mackie 48* Cole 40* HWRCC 2xi win by 8 wickets Cole, Fudge*, Jackson, Mackie, Kilner, High, Copewell+, Crowther, Unsworth, Breakwell, Lown

Scorecard

“ A quick game, is a good game” has always been one of my favourite cricketing clichés. Meaning what transpired in the 2s game on Saturday must have made it a good game, although Cranleigh may beg to differ.

Upon arrival at the Wick we could see the wicket was one which would offer some assistance to the bowlers, if only we could manage to get first use of it. Cue Cranleigh losing the toss and Fudgey asking them to strap on the “mums and dads” and see what they could accumulate.

Leggsy was thrown the new ball and from the very first delivery had the ball on a piece of string. His meticulous pitching middle, clipping off line paid dividends in only his 2nd over when he had Denton snaffled in the cordon by AJ courtesy of groin and chest. I would have said caught by AJ, but I don’t like to use those words too closely together as you will read again in a moment. Leggsy struck again in the same over when he removed Coldman, bowled by a corker.

Leggsy took his tally to 3 when he had Jones trapped LBW and Cranleigh were in all sorts of trouble at around 15-3 (Riley you need to put in the fall of wickets score on play cricket). They should have been 4 down shortly after when Preece drove a swinging delivery from Leggsy straight into the hands of AJ in the slips only to see the (can’t use the word catch) shelled.

Preece was to get another life when he edged a delivery from Lownsy, who had been quietly going about his work, just wide of Harry who nudged it past Coley at first slip.

Joey B replaced Leggsy and unlike the week before managed to locate the right areas to hit on the pitch, resulting in Lane being caught behind and Beecroft being caught in the Gully. The latter was a particularly enjoyable wicket to get as it's always a pleasure to see a batsmen have more tattoos than runs. Joey finished his 10 overs 2/17 and Cranleigh were around 70/5.

Matty Kilner was bowling nicely from the Kingsfield end and it did not take him long to get amongst the wickets, removing Preece and Payne cleaned up with the minimum of fuss, leaving Cranleigh at approximately 100/7. What followed was Leggsy and Matty mopping up the tail with ease to finish with 4/29 & 4/20 respectively and leave the Wick chasing 114 to win.

I don’t need to mention Tea too much other than to say the cream cheese and onion was another welcome addition to DBW’s squad and took this week’s mark up to 8.5/9

Right - down to the run chase.

Coley saw off the first over from a very lively Beecroft who in my opinion is easily the fastest bowler we will face this year. Fudgey was left to face the first over from the other end and from the first ball his intentions were clear as he slapped Preece nicely through the covers. 2 more boundaries were to come from the over and the Wick were off to the start they needed.

Beecroft continued to ramp up the gas resulting in him removing Fudgey's middle pole, courtesy of a flick via the pads. AJ came to the wicket and was soon back in the changing room via the crowd favourite “Yessssss, no, sorry" from Coley and a direct hit from Albert Steptoe at midwicket. The wick were 20/2 and needed a partnership.

That is exactly what they got as Coley and Mackie put on 80 odd quite superbly. Punishing the bad balls and keeping out the good ones. Mackie was particularly brutal on anything pitched up as he drove nicely through square cover on numerous occasions, whilst Coley continued to accumulate quietly from the other end. They finished up Mackie 48* and Coley 40* as the Wick chased down 114 in 22 overs.

A great team performance with everyone doing their job and setting the standard for the forthcoming game against Old Paulines.

MOM: Unsworth for a quite brilliant spell of swing bowling which set the tone for the day, and were it not for Gomes at 2nd slip would have had 5 wickets.