|
|
|
2010 Season Report April 19th 2010 |
GREAT HORKESLEY(H) – 18/4
The season began on a glorious day of unbroken sunshine with just a light breeze. After 10 days without rain the pitch was like concrete & the outfield fast. Horkesley must have regretted choosing to bat as Jon Jones took 2 wickets in his first over. This was followed up by Ed Vandermark whose figures at one point were 5-2-5-3 as they slumped to 16 for 5. All now depended on Niall Fitzgerald & he responded magnificently, scoring 118 out of their 172 before being last out, caught off Jason Summerfield’s only delivery. At 58 for 6 & 93 for 8 we were almost through them but couldn’t remove the main man. To put his contribution into perspective, the next highest score was 17. Ed finished with 4 for 22 & Jon 2 for 40. Allan Highfield held a fine reaction catch at silly mid-on to dismiss Graeson Laitt. We would have settled for that target at the start & set off in good style with 49 for the 1st.wicket before Anthony Shearman(18) somehow missed a full toss. Allan, having cruised smoothly to 36, was caught off another full toss & from there we collapsed to 79 for 7. Jeremy Jenkins(12) then provided staunch resistance in a stand of 52 for the 8th.wicket before being run out by a brilliant throw from cover. He provided the only support to Jon who batted calmly & patiently before himself being last out, LBW for after a true captain’s innings of 55. As a team we let him down in a game that should have been there for the taking.
**Champagne Moment** - Catch by Allan.
GREAT HORKESLEY 172 all out - LEXDEN 139 all out
HIGH EASTER(A) – 25/4
On the morning before this match we had the first rain for over 2 weeks but it seemed to make little difference to the conditions. Choosing to bat they fully justified that decision with an opening partnership of 149 between Nargrove(75) & Vickery(53). Ed Vandermark was hampered throughout after tweaking a hamstring when delivering his first ball, but still asked questions over 2 spells taking 1 for 48. Jeremy Jenkins opened at the other end & went right through his 10 overs conceding 42 runs. Jason Summerfield also bowled 2 spells picking up 1 for 27 & Jon Jones took 1 for 37 from his 10 overs. Allan Highfield took 2 wickets including the dangerous Mahmood thanks to a stumping by Neil Morrison, who only conceded one lot of byes. In our reply Anthony Shearman was just starting to motor when his innings was cut short on 28 after a stand of 47 for the 2nd.wicket with Jerry Morgan(15). Charles Stewart made a quick return to form, displaying a sensible balance between attack & defence in making 37. He shared in a 4th.wicket partnership of 80 with Jon whose shots to all parts resounded around the ground with a healthy crack, but having made 44 with 5 fours & a six he fell trying to push the run rate up. Neil made a bright 21 before being last out. This is the first game we have played to a finish there & towards the end it became cool & dark but this time the rain held off until afterwards.
**Champagne Moment** - Neil stumping Mahmood off Allan.
HIGH EASTER 226 for 5 - LEXDEN 187 all out
WEST BERGHOLT(H) – 9/5
On a cold,grey afternoon following morning rain we understandably chose to bowl first but, contrary to what might have been expected, there were no devils in the pitch. In fact, it was one of the best ever produced at Spring Lane - the new ball generated some bounce & movement early on but otherwise batting looked comfortable. Even so we created enough chances to drop 6 catches during their 2nd. wicket partnership. This was eventually broken by Allan Highfield who went on to take 3 for 54. Davies made top score of 40 before being caught by Robin Seller, one of 3 for the skipper. That was off Ali Manhire who, in his first match of the season, after a rusty start was the most successful bowler with 3 for 48. Ed Vandermark snuffed out a late order rally taking 2 for 24 & Jon Jones deserved better than 2 for 29, inducing 3 edges that weren’t held. Facing a very gettable target we could muster only one decent partnership, 42 for the 3rd.wicket. Allan stroked an effortless 29 & Chris Martin, also in his first appearance, looked in mid-season form while making 21. Only one other batsman reached double figures and once again it was Jon who was left to try & conjure a win with little support from the rest of us. That seemed highly improbable when the 9th.wicket fell with 23 runs still needed. However Tommy Rudd kept out the few deliveries he was required to face as Jon skilfully manoeuvred the strike until he was facing a full over from their 6th.bowler with only 5 wanted. Having taken a 2 off the 3rd.ball Jon then lofted the 5th. into the outfield for what could have been the winning hit, but infortunately it fell straight into the hands of wide long-on. So ended a most accomplished innings of 64 containing 8 fours. It was a disappointing result in a pulsating match & we were left to reflect that one less misfield, or one more catch, would have made the difference.
**Champagne Moment** - Robin taking his first catch(having already dropped 2).
WEST BERGHOLT 161 all out - LEXDEN 159 all out
WEST MERSEA(H) – 16/5
A win at last! Choosing to field first we bowled well enough but their openers still rattled up 49 in 12 overs until Jon Jones brought himself on to bowl. First he slowed the scoring then clattered the stumps twice in an over. Jason Summerfield had top-scorer Goodridge caught behind by Neil Morrison who then held another off Jon. At this point the skipper produced his master stroke by introducing Anthony Shearman. With his second ball he dismissed the dangerous Conway thanks to a brilliant catch at deep midwicket by Ali Manhire, diving forward & clutching the ball just off the ground. Anthony’s 6th.ball was a ‘beaut’ that earned him a double wicket maiden & in the next over Jon bagged another. In just 3 overs they had gone from 138 for 3 to 140 for 7 & the game had changed completely. Sensible batting by a hugely experienced tail ensured they used all their overs & weren’t bowled out but the target was far more modest than it had looked like being at one time & included only one bye conceded by Neil. Jon finished with the superb figures of 10-4-10-5, matching his performance against Bocking in 2003, & Anthony took 3 for 22. After a first ball shock we got off to a good start as Chris Martin again looked in good nick & struck some meaty blows in his 24. He put on 49 for the 2nd.wicket with Anthony(14) & they were only separated when a mix-up saw the latter run out. Their good work was followed up by the 4th.wicket pair who added 46. 32 of those came from Jon, continuing his rich vein of form before being bowled immediately after hitting a six. Meanwhile Charles Stewart was pacing his innings sensibly & when he was joined by Ali the scoring rate picked up immediately as the boundaries flowed from both batsmen. In the next 11 overs they rattled up 71 runs & victory was secured with another four off the first ball of the 44th.over. Ali finished on 30 not out(5 fours) & provided a timely reminder of how we missed his all round skills last season. Charles looked quality from the moment he came in & showed that he also has the temperament to see the job through. It’s good to have him back too. His 59 not out included 8 sumptuous fours & his half-century passed without fanfare as the skipper forbade any celebrations for fear of distracting him! It was a desperately needed win & an historic one too – the first time Jon has won a toss & his first win as skipper.
**Champagne Moment** - Great catch by Ali.
WEST MERSEA 185 for 9 - LEXDEN 188 for 4
ABBERTON(H) – 23/5
It was the first really warm day of the season with a cloudless sky & gentle breeze. Abberton could only muster 9 players & understandably chose to bat but they had a disastrous start. In the very first over Ed Vandermark induced an edge which flew high to the right of first slip, where Robin Seller stuck his right hand out & held a superb catch. Later he followed that up in the same position with one taken 2-handed just off the ground. Cowland(31) & Petit(33) put on 46 for the 3rd.wicket in good time but no one else made double figures against accurate bowling. Jon Jones returned the best figures of 7-1-21-3 & Ed was equally successful with 10-2-35-3, bowled in one spell during which nothing went down legside – a great effort in the conditions. Jason Summerfield picked up his customary wicket at a cost of 6 runs & Jeremy Jenkins took the other. Their innings ended in only the 23rd.over with the result that tea was taken at 2.40pm! As we were tucking in Ali Manhire arrived after a journey lasting 4 hours due to an accident in Kent. That’s the kind of dedication we like to see!! The result was largely settled by a 1st.wicket partnership of 41 in just 6 overs between Allan Highfield(24) & Chris Martin(11). We then had a bit of a wobble, losing 5 wickets for very little as Woodrow took 4 for 26. But Robin steadied the ship with a calm 17, seeing us almost through to the end before being undone by a low bounce. The target was reached in 18.4 overs & it was good to see that the whole team stayed behind to relax & enjoy the rest of a perfect sunny afternoon.
**Champagne Moment** - Slip catch in first over by Robin.
ABBERTON 89 - LEXDEN 90 for 6
BRAINTREE COLLEGE(H) - 30/5
On a sunny but windy afternoon we were inserted & largely held in check by a good bowling attack. Only Allan Highfield found any freedom, hitting 5 fours in an innings of 43 that was pedestrian by his usual standards but a top effort as everyone around him struggled. He put on 68 for the 3rd.wicket with Ali Manhire(14), a partnership that looked as though it might lead us to a decent score but turned out to be the only one of substance. Most of the top order fell to a series of rather soft catches & the last 3 wickets went down without a run being added. Neil Morrison shone down the order with a sensible knock of 32, including a cheeky reverse sweep, ensuring we at least earned a third batting point, thanks also to 43 extras! There was also some satisfaction at having kept them in the field until the 45th.over but our total was soon shown to be less than competitive as D.Garner bludgeoned a brisk 46.
Ed Vandermark claimed his wicket thanks to an amazing piece of fielding at
long-off by Tommy Rudd. Having initially misjudged the trajectory & come in a bit too far, he backpedalled leapt in the air & took an extraordinary catch one-handed, even managing to hold on to the ball when he landed. If that isn’t this season’s Champagne Moment already settled then something truly astonishing will have to happen. Archer blasted a quick 30 including a big 6 over midwicket that sent the ball all the way to the long grass beside the river, which I’ve never seen before. They knocked off the runs in less than 25 overs with this year’s game following much the same pattern as last year’s. Ed earned some reward for perseverance by taking 3 for 54 but none of the other bowlers had particularly flattering figures.
**Champagne Moment** - Sensational catch by Tommy.
LEXDEN 152 all out - BRAINTREE COLLEGE 153 for 4
EIGHT ASH GREEN(A) - 6/6
A historic Cup victory saw us defeat Eight Ash Green of Division 1 by 5 wickets on a damp early June day. The game started late and with further showers forecast a 30 over per side contest was agreed prior to winning the toss and asking our hosts to bat.
Jason Summerfield ensured the perfect start as his fast, flat throw saw prolific Green opener Keith Hammond run out to just the second ball of the match. Jon Jones(1-29) then removed opposing captain James Warner with a beauty and later contributed 2 good catches and a run out to our cause. However, the star of the bowling attack was Jason, who responded to the responsibility of taking the new ball, by claiming a 'Lexden best' 3-24 off his 7 allocated overs. After 12 overs, Eight Ash Green had stumbled to 51 - 5 but they were then revived by a 79 run partnership between opener Luke Keeble(66) and Tom Aston(38) as they recovered to a respectable 151 for 7. From the start of our reply we were always around the 5 an over required rate, and this was largely down to Allan Highfield who struck 4 fours and a 6 in his 45. He received good support from Ed Vandermark who contributed 11 in a second wicket stand of 38, having been promoted up the order. Allan and Jon then added 39 in good time to take us to 96 in 19 overs before our experienced opener was eventually dismissed. Jon continued with his usual mix of solid defence and sweetly timed attacking strokes and as long as he batted we were always favourites. He added 24 for the fifth wicket with Robin Seller(10) and then an unbeaten 32 with Neil Morrison, who bludgeoned 15 not out as we reached our target with 14 balls to spare. Jon finished with an unbeaten 57 including 7 fours and looked completely unfazed and untroubled throughout. Our first ever Cup win was well celebrated by the ten men present and was especially pleasing as our opponents had thumped us by 10 wickets at the same stage 4 years ago.
**Champagne Moments** - Run out by Jason. 6-hit by Allan.
EIGHT ASH GREEN 151 for 7 - LEXDEN 153 for 5
ABBERTON(A) – 13/6
Choosing to bat the home side set off at 4 runs an over, the ball speeding to the boundary over their smooth outfield. Jon Jones extracted plenty of movement & removed both openers in his first spell. Jeremy Jenkins took over from him and, generally maintaining a decent line, went right through to claim an economical return of 10-1-34-1. Ali Manhire picked up 1 for 23 but at 102 for 4 & 146 for 5 they were well placed to post a challenging score. However Jon was then recalled & in his 8th.over he took 3 wickets to put us right on top. Barry Rudlin was still there batting well & might have squeezed significant runs from the last 2 wickets but for a brilliant piece of fielding by Jerry Morgan. Chasing the ball from short fine leg he picked it up one-handed & immediately threw down the wicket from about 30 yards with the batsman short of his ground. It was the second run out of their innings after earlier Robin Seller had gathered a throw from Tommy Rudd to break a developing partnership. Anthony Shearman(1 for 23)promptly struck with an LBW to wrap things up, their last 5 wickets going down for just 8 runs. Ed Vandermark bowled 7 tidy overs at the start & held on to a catch at square leg, while Tom Gale fielded soundly throughout. Star of the show, though, was Jon with a devastating return of 9-2-16-5. Chris Martin got us off to a great start, striking the ball as hard as he ever has. He cracked 8 blistering fours & a six over square leg, easily clearing the fielder there in a rapid knock of 43. He put on 56 for the 2nd.wicket with Ali whose 19 included some characteristically well-timed shots. From 72 for 1 we then collapsed to 80 for 5 at which point Neil Morrison joined Jerry. Mixing solid defence with spirited blows into vacant legside areas Neil disrupted their attack as they didn’t know where to bowl at him. Jerry was the perfect foil, keeping one end secure & rotating the strike as the target got ever closer. Finally Neil slapped a boundary through cover to secure victory by 5 wickets & complete the double over our hosts. He just missed out on a half-century, finishing 47 not out with 10 fours. Jerry made 22 not out in their unbroken partnership of 75 for the 6th.wicket. It was particularly satisfying because a rare failure from Jon meant that others had to step up & take responsibility and that’s exactly what happened.
**Champagne Moments** - 1) Run out by Jerry. 2) 6-hit by Chris.
ABBERTON 154 all out - LEXDEN 155 for 5
EARLS COLNE & BURES(H) – 20/6
After a dismal start a record-breaking partnership secured a win which in the end was surprisingly comfortable. Choosing to bat first on an overcast day our visitors had an opening stand of 52 which was broken by Jason Summerfield(1 for 25), taking his customary wicket thanks to a smart catch at midwicket by Robin Seller. Ali Manhire picked up 2 for 39 but we were unable to separate their 6th.wicket pair who put on 65, H.Holme finishing 53 not out. Jon Jones took 1 for 30 & Ed Vandermark was most economical in 2 spells, finishing with 10-2-29-0. The other wicket fell to Jeremy Jenkins thanks to a good legside catch by Neil Morrison when the batsman, to his credit, walked without looking at the umpire. Our reply could hardly have got off to a worse start – 4 for 3 then 18 for 4. This brought Jon together with Robin, one in the form of his life & the other with hardly a run to his name. Carefully they laid a foundation from which, layer upon layer, they built an edifice of mounting proportions. First the hundred was raised, then Jon reached his fifty, followed shortly afterwards by Robin. Next came the century stand and, as the balance of the game shifted away from our visitors, the previous highest 5th.wicket partnership was overtaken. Eventually the stand passed 151 to post a new Lexden record for any wicket, beating the mark set by Allan Highfield & Chris Martin which, spookily, was against against the same opponents the last time we played them at home, in 2006. With Jon limping due to cramp Robin took control, hit the winning runs with a boundary & celebrated the moment with arms aloft to complete an astonishing turn round in the match. Jon finished 86 not out having notched 12 fours & a six in a fantastic effort of stamina & concentration. Robin, having given him a bit of a start, was 87 not out at the end with 15 fours & a six – his highest ever score at Spring Lane & a true captain’s innings. This is our 5th.win in 6 games & there are signs now of a determination to battle through when the chips are down.
**Champagne Moments** - 1) Catch by Robin 2) Catch by Neil 3) Robin & Jon passing previous record stand for any wicket. 4) Winning hit & celebration by Robin.
EARLS COLNE & BURES 189 for 5 - LEXDEN 192 for 4
CHAPPEL & WAKES COLNE(A) – 4/7
The second round of the Cup saw us, once again, travel to a Division 1 side and we punched above our weight for the second successive round. Another hot and humid Sunday afternoon did not deter us from our usual tactic of bowling first and attempting to chase down a total. A lightning-quick outfield meant that we would have been happy with restricting our hosts to anything less than 250, but things turned out even better than planned. Jon Jones struck in the first over and bowled with purpose, hostility and skill throughout as all 6 bowlers used contributed to a sterling effort. At half way Chappel had reached 131 – 2 but we took wickets regularly and eventually dismissed them for 212 with the last ball of the 40th over. Jon led the way with 3 – 44 and he was superbly supported by Jason Summerfield(2 – 34), Ed Vandermark(2 – 52), Jeremy Jenkins(1 – 22), Ali Manhire(1 – 23) and Allan Highfield(1 – 31). The fielding was more of a mixed bag with 6 catches taken, including a fine running effort by Ed; but a similar number were also dropped. Brett Patmore, who made a hard hitting 95, was chief beneficiary of the extra lives as only he and Chris Carter(33)passed 20 for the hosts. A confident Lexden, therefore, had 50 overs to get the 213 required and were well on course at 73 – 1 off 15 as Ali(18) supported Allan, whose 46 included 8 sweetly struck boundaries. The pair had added 64 for the 2nd wicket before both falling in quick succession. Robin Seller(33 with 6 fours)then joined Jon and the pair continued their Earls Colne form by adding 72 in just 14 overs with both regularly peppering the boundary. At that stage we only required a further 67 from 17 overs with 7 wickets in hand, but home skipper Carter(2 for 14 from 10)dismissed his opposite number with a beauty and Jon then lobbed a tired looking return catch for a diligent 49 that included 6 fours and 2 sixes. Brett Patmore then took 3 further quick wickets as the game swung back in favour of Chappel at 178 – 8. A ninth wicket partnership of 18 between seasonal debutant Matt Elmakahleh(12)and Jason(10 not out)crept us closer to victory before Nigel Swain bowled our final 2 batsmen to see Chappel win by 16 runs. A special mention should be made of young Harry Phipps on his first appearance as he fielded with great dedication and enthusiasm.
**Champagne Moment** - Running catch by Ed.
CHAPPEL & WAKES COLNE 212 all out - LEXDEN 196 all out
EARLS COLNE & BURES(A) – 11/7
On another blazing hot day, the ten men of Lexden succumbed to a bitterly disappointing 65 run defeat at the picturesque Bures ground. The pitch itself, however, did not match the surroundings with indifferent bounce and several balls going through the top of the surface. Batting first was an advantage and our hosts made the most of the opportunity. James Lee batted extremely well for his 83, and his innings was the mainstay of Earls Colne & Bures’ 224 all out. Having been 164–3 off 24 overs, their final score could have been much better but we did well to take regular wickets and restrict the scoring rate in the second half of their innings. Jon Jones proved a constant threat and deserved better than the 1–22 from his 10 overs that he eventually finished with. Allan Highfield(4–55)was our most successful bowler, whilst Ed Vandermark(2–47), Ali Manhire(1–48)and a rare bowl from Neil Morrison(1–19)were the other wicket takers. Another mixed fielding display saw numerous misfields, albeit on a bumpy outfield, and a number of dropped catches, which is an area of our game that needs urgently addressing. On the positive side, Jon claimed 3 catches, Ali took 2 in the slips and Charles Stewart held onto a fine running effort at long off. Jerry Morgan also claimed a stumping off just the second ball he kept to, having changed with Neil after 30 overs. There was also a comical run out by Allan to complete the innings as 2 of our hosts’ more mature batsmen met and stopped mid-pitch! With 49 overs to get the runs, our mood was of quiet confidence at the break and an opening partnership of 29 between Allan(19 including 4 fours)and Anthony Shearman(14 with 2 fours and a rare 6)set us nicely on our way. Unfortunately a procession of wickets fell thereafter to leave us deep in trouble at 99 for 8. Only Ali with a patient 31 had shown the required determination as the hosts showed greater catching qualities than us. At this stage last man Jerry joined Ed at the crease and the pair displayed a sensible mix of solid defence, measured running between the wickets and attacking intent. Ed, the more aggressive of the two, equalled his career best with 29 runs that included 3 fours and a glorious straight 6, whilst Jerry’s unbeaten 17 was a calming influence at the other end. That ninth wicket partnership of 60 took us to 159 all out and ensured we took 8 points from the match. The harsh reality, however, is that we were out–batted, out–bowled, and out–fielded by a side that we had easily defeated just 3 weeks earlier, and with Springfield to play next everybody needs to take responsibility to improve their performances.
**Champagne Moments** - 1) Running catch by Charles 2) 6 hit by Anthony 3) 6 hit by Ed.
EARLS COLNE & BURES 224 - LEXDEN 159
SPRINGFIELD(A) – 18/7
On a glorious sunny afternoon we came up against a really good side who are clearly headed to higher places. Their openers put on 85 of which M.Chalk made a smooth 50 before becoming the victim of a dubious LBW decision. His partner M.Southwell went on to carry his bat for 104 not out during which he gave only one half-chance. M.Cook waded in with 41 but despite the heat we stuck to our task with only a few fumbles. Young Harry Phipps was again a star performer in the field, getting his body behind the ball & hurling it in with great accuracy. Right up there with him was Tommy Rudd who held 2 splendid catches, the first a corker. Trying to run in from mid-off he slipped over but recovered in time to grab the ball diving forward at full stretch. Pick of the bowlers was Jon Jones whose 10 overs of seam & spin went for just 44 runs & included our only maiden. Ed Vandermark took 2 for 73, Jeremy Jenkins 1 for 53 & Jason Summerfield 1 for 56. Facing a huge total we were never in the hunt & bonus points soon became the only realistic goal. Ali Manhire was the mainstay, striking 9 fours in a cultured & chanceless innings of 52 during which he looked to be back to his best. He put on 59 for the 3rd.wicket with Matt Elmakahleh who spanked 5 fours & a six in an impressive knock of 32, having earlier taken his first wicket for the club. Jon chipped in with 18(2 fours & a six)before Ali added a further 42 for the 5th.wicket with Robin Seller, who then carried on batting with the tail before being left stranded on 49 not out. He struck 8 fours & a six and with little support managed to secure a 4th.batting point, which could prove crucial later on. We were well outplayed by a much better team but at least we didn’t spill catches like we have been doing lately.
**Champagne Moment** - Catch at mid-off by Tommy.
SPRINGFIELD 290 for 5 - LEXDEN 181 all out.
HIGH EASTER(H) – 25/7
On a hot, sultry afternoon we gained a welcome win over High Easter which was as satisfying as it was unexpected. Choosing to field we were soon under the cosh as their openers put on 61 in 11 overs, during which the ball was lost in the river! Skipper Robin Seller then pulled off a master stroke by bringing Allan Highfield on to bowl with the second new ball. He broke the partnership by having W.Mann(21)caught at deep square leg by Jon Jones, who also picked up a wicket at the other end with an absolute beauty. That brought the dangerous F.Mahmood in but he had made only 5 when Jon got one through to clatter his wicket. Meanwhile W.Mahmood was going along serenely but when he had reached 84 Jon cleaned him up as well, giving us a great chance of keeping the target within reach. In all Jon took 5 for 40 of which 4 were bowled & one LBW, showing just how straight he was bowling. He had a hand in a 7th.wicket as well when taking a catch ‘round the corner’ off Jeremy Jemkins, who had the highly creditable figures of 5-2-14-1. Jason Summerfield played his part too with 7-1-26-2 including a sharp caught & bowled & Ed Vandermark took the final wicket, earning us an extra 5 overs to knock off the runs. Allan then set us on our way hitting 6 fours in a breezy knock of 38, putting on 45 for the 1st.wicket with Anthony Shearman(6). There then followed a match-winning partnership of 105 for the 3rd.wicket between Ali Manhire(48 with 7 fours) & Matt Elmakahleh(58 with 10 fours). Ali was all timing & finesse, playing th ball late & working it into gaps with a minimum of effort. Matt used his long reach to good effect playing mainly in the ‘V’, but even when he pulled the ball went through midwicket rather than square. He played with great panache, striking some thunderous blows & celebrated his first 50 for the club with a big beaming smile. It’s good to see someone really enjoying his cricket! Jon chipped in again with 16 & Ed finished off our innings as well with a quality shot off his legs for 4. It was great to be playing at home again & to win against a decent side with some really strong performances which bodes well for the rest of the season.
**Champagne Moment** - F.Mahmood clean bowled by Jon.
HIGH EASTER 176 all out - LEXDEN 180 for 6
ELMSTEAD GRASSHOPPERS(H) – 1/8
Some much-needed rain during the week had no effect on our badly cracked outfield but juiced-up the pitch which offered both bounce and movement. Jason Summerfield, given the resposibility of main strike bowler, made good use of the conditions in his 2 spells to record a personal best in the league of 3 for 42. He was well supported by Jeremy Jenkins with 2 for 34 & Matt Elmakahleh 2 for 37, also a personal best. Anthony Shearman took 1 for 20, Ali Manhire 1 for 37 & Allan Highfield 1 for 43 off his 10 overs as every bowler chipped in. They were greatly helped by Tommy Rudd who held 2 splendid catches on the boundary & another diving forward at midwicket. Neil Morrison performed admirably behind the stumps conceding just 3 byes & Keith Parkes did a great job in the field. On the down side, lack of control resulted in 22 wides being sent down but whenever a batsman started to dominate we somehow contrived to get him out so only S.Sarsby reached 40. Credit should go to Robin Seller as on 3 occasions when he made a bowling change a wicket fell immediately. So much for the good news. Having done much better with the ball than might have been expected, the way we batted was an absolute disgrace. With a long tail there was a clear responsibility on the top order to knuckle down & bat long, but that didn’t happen. Only Ali, & to some extent Anthony, could be said to have been bowled out by an attack that was accurate but hardly devastating. Robin(14), Matt(13) & Jerry Morgan(11 not out) were the only ones who made double figures. There were 2 or 3 really soft dismissals as gentle catches were lobbed up with no attempt made to keep the ball on the ground. Our visitors brushed us aside without breaking sweat, even bringing on occasional leg spin bowlers to complete our humiliation. It was a spineless & dim-witted performance as we recorded our lowest total for at least 14 years. It was not a 49 all out pitch!!!
**Champagne Moment** - Any one of 3 catches by Tommy.
ELMSTEAD GRASSHOPPERS 214 all out - LEXDEN 49 all out
WEST MERSEA(A) – 8/8
In the early part of this game it looked like an easy win was on the cards as the home side were reduced to 15 for 3, thanks largely to 2 blinding slip catches by Ali Manhire. But David Fahie dug in scoring 36 & with others getting into the 20s the score slowly built. Even so they were only 83 for 4 off 30 overs but more than doubled their score from that point with 32 coming in the last 5 overs. Jon Jones generated some pace in 2 spells & finished with 10-4-24-3. His opening partner Jason Summerfield lent good support returning 10-1-37-2. Jeremy Jenkins picked up 2 for 53 & Matt Elmakahleh sent down 5 tidy overs for 17 runs. Allan Highfield went right through his spell of 10-2-27-1, tying the batsmen down with variations of flight. His wicket came via another fine catch by Tommy Rudd at long-on, who held one in the first over only for it to be called a no ball. Although some catches were taken several were spilled which ultimately cost us & bowling 13 wides didn’t help. Jeremy treated us to one moment of comedy. Re-positioning the sightscreen at first he was unable to move it, then didn’t push it far enough & was sent back to finish the job. Our reply began with a steady opening partnership of 27 of which Allan made 18. But the only other stand of any size was 29 for the 4th.wicket before Jon was out for 15. Anchoring the innings was Chris Martin who in his first knock for a while made top score of 31. Robin Seller, batting with a tail that now seems to start at no.7, battled away making 25 but when he went so did any chance we had. We batted with more discipline than last week but were undone by the accuracy of Kevin Hewes & the wily Trevor Vince who took 4 for 28 with his lollipops. Whilst it was a total we should have chased successfully we really lost it in the field by not keeping them down to a lower score.
**Champagne Moments** - 1) Either of 2 slip catches by Ali 2) Boundary catch by Tommy 3) Comedy turn by Jeremy.
WEST MERSEA 172 for 8 - LEXDEN 146
WEST BERGHOLT(A) – 15/8
Once again a limp batting performance undid a creditable effort in the field as we were beaten out of sight & suffered the ignominy of losing to the bottom 2 clubs in successive weeks – Bergholt also completing the double over us. We started well with Jon Jones removing the top 3 through catches behind the wicket – one a brilliant one-hander by Robin Seller as the ball only just carried. However Hussain(31) & Southernwood(56) then shared a partnership of 89 which gave them the basis for a decent score. Both were dismissed at the start of a sensational spell by Anthony Shearman who induced catches lobbed up for Neil Morrison to pouch. But Anthony didn’t finish there, going through the rest of the innings in one of his best spells for the club. In 9.2 overs he took 6 for 34, including a double-wicket maiden – the best analysis of the season & the 8th.best on record. It was also the best return for 7 years since Anthony himself took 8 for 49 at home to Tendring & no one else has taken more than 5 wickets in an innings since 1998! 2 of his wickets came from good catches by Tommy Rudd & Matt Elmakahleh, who later took another. Neil held 5 catches in all & conceded only 1 lot of byes – that from a legside full toss when he was standing up. Although our catching & fielding was much improved 13 wides were still sent down – exactly the same as last week. Having bowled our hosts out we gained 3 overs but that’s no help if we’re unable to bat even 45. Our top order were blown away & we slumped to 47 for 5 from where there was little chance of winning the game. Robin tried manfully to rescue the situation, standing head & shoulders above the rest of us in a positive innings of 53. Inevitably he dominated the only stands of any worth – 37 for the 6th.wicket with Jerry Morgan who contributed just 6 & 25 for the 7th. with Neil(10). Allan Highfield, who also made 10, was the only other batsman to reach double figures. With the 3 strongest sides still to play our inability to beat the division’s strugglers is a real worry & makes next week’s fixture at Great Horkesley an absolutely must-win game.
**Champagne Moment** - Brilliant slip catch by Robin.
WEST BERGHOLT 189 all out - LEXDEN 113 all out
GREAT HORKESLEY(A) – 22/8
Having been invited to bat on a typically lively Great Horkesley wicket we made solid progress to reach 35 for 1 off 12 overs, which included straight sixes from Allan Highfield(9) and Neil Morrison, who made 14 before he was unfortunately bowled off his chest. Chris Martin(13) was then stumped once again by a keeper standing back, and a procession of wickets soon followed to leave us reeling at 66 for 7 off 25 overs. This was largely a result of the unpredictable nature of the pitch that saw more than one player hit flush in the helmet! At this stage, Jeremy Jenkins(season’s average of 5.00) joined Anthony Shearman(season’s average of 7.23) and the pair produced one of our more remarkable partnerships of the season. Both players were extremely watchful initially and rode their luck at times, but they also sensibly chose which balls to attack and ran hard between the wickets. Their combined efforts more than doubled our total before Jeremy eventually fell for a fine 31 which included 3 boundaries, as the partnership was finally broken after 69 runs. Anthony remained undefeated for his 29 that included 3 fours and a glorious pulled 6 as we ended our innings on a competitive looking 143 for 8. For the hosts, medium pacers Shafi(3-19), Pieris(2-29) and Hart(also 2–29) were the most successful bowlers. We got our defence off to a great start in the field with wickets in each of the first 2 overs, and at 2 for 2 we were probably favourites to go on and win the game. From there, however, we became lax in the field and generally bowled too many leg side deliveries as Great Horkesley progressed to 118 for 3. Jon Jones then returned to dismiss Alan Coneybeare(36) and he then completed a run out after good work from Jason Summerfield and at 120 for 5 the game was back in the balance. Ultimately, however, we couldn’t finish the job and suffered a frustrating and disappointing 5 wicket defeat. Jon produced the outstanding figures of 10-5-19-2, whilst Jason(1-28) and Matt Elmakahleh(1-23) were also successful. Following recent away defeats to West Mersea and West Bergholt, this was a crucial game against an under-strength Horkesley side and we now must improve considerably in all three disciplines if we are to get anything from our final 3 fixtures against the division’s top three sides.
**Champagne Moments** – 6s hit by Allan, Neil and Anthony.
LEXDEN 143 for 8 - GREAT HORKESLEY 144 for 5
BRAINTREE COLLEGE(A) – 29/8
We turned up with 10 players more in hope than expectation but prepared at least to give our hosts a game. Batting first on their rock-hard pitch we quickly slipped to 9 for 2 but recovered to reach 40 for 2 thanks to Chris Martin, who cracked 4 fours in making 20 not out. However, having played through 2 light showers we came off when it started to rain harder, after which it poured for about 20 minutes. Tea was taken early but despite the sun coming out & the pitch being covered the square was too wet for play to continue.
|
|
