Match Report - 1xi vs Kempton - by Mat E Dee

1xi 152-9 (52) beat
Kempton 1xi 65ao (c.30 overs)

Great toss to lose this one. Overnight rain had left the pitch dank and warm to touch. The weather was overcast and cloudy, with it expected to clear up through the day. I was of course delighted then to be strapping the pads at 1320.

Ali and Davies started watchfully against disciplined bowling from Kempers. A difficult pitch (albeit slow) meant patience was the key. After seeing off the shine, both fell caught behind leaving the Wick teetering at 16-2. Day joined Raza and found things equally difficult but ate up some time allowing the deck to improve and runs to be accumulated later. When O’M joined Raza Kempers were on top, but a classy partnership progressed the Wick score slowly. O’M in particular looking serene with some wonderful driving and manipulation of the crease. His wicket was a total surprise, but Raza’s innings continued. You make your luck.

Mackie came and went, having ran about 10 but only scoring 2. Neither Tughral nor Tong were able to add much to the score. Cronin, battling hard on a difficult track propelled the Wick to a defendable 152 off 52 overs. (Kempers would get 43 to get them). This was probably below par, but not by much. Sure conditions were improving, but the pitch was like a teenage boy's face and would dry in this state making the bounce unpredictable. The extra pace could also work in our favour given our attack.

Teas – some potato salad and I think some scone action. 8.5 Id say.

Ali and Tong opened up, in conditions that would lead to wickets....the question being how many. Both lacked something at the start, but found their range soon enough. The ball was swinging an Tong took out an off stump to start proceedings. Ali, being tight without repeating the heroics of last week, kept plugging and beating the edge with some regularity. Tong – fresh from his 3rd place in the Miss Ghana 2011 competition, was replaced by Vishva who also began to make the ball talk. The rate started well for Kempers, but the Wick reigned them in with some discipline and some athletic fielding from Day and others.

Day replaced Ali and with the aggression of a firework up his arse chuntered in like Hoggard used to. He seared one in first up, lbw and things went from good to excellent sooen thereafter. Vishva nailed the #3 with a ripper and then immediately took out another. Day at the other end was bowling like a man possessed. Caught point (great catch from Mackie), bowled, caught sq leg, ct 1st slip and ct 2nd completed a quite ridiculous return of 5.2-5-7. That’s 7 wickets. And 5 runs. Some real pace and venom in many of those balls and no less quality in the supporting fielding cast.

Great stuff.

MOM – Adam, Raza and Cronin did well with the bat, but Daisy’s spell would win any game. Wallop.