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'Graveney Win Close Fought Encounter Against Town Malling at
Whyteleafe'
By Nick Goodburn
Town Malling 160 - 6 (from 42 overs)
Graveney 161 - 7 (from 36 overs)
Graveney Win by 3 wickets
Paul Fanning's first match
as skipper was an unscheduled game against Town Malling, following the
cancellation by Whyteleafe who were apparently all off on tour! Nick's
enquiry about using their ground proved successful, and Town Malling,
having also lost their opposition, accepted the invitation to take on
Graveney on someone else's patch. A big thank you should go to
Whyteleafe groundsman, Martin Horrocks, who not only prepared a terrific
pitch and outfield, but opened up, ran the bar, and turned out for
Graveney following the late withdrawal of Chris Pullen.
Having begun his reign
with the obligatory loss of his first toss, Paul was disappointed to be
asked to field. Some would argue Paul always wants to bat first, but on
this occasion he had further reason, namely, knowing that Jay Vibert had
brought along a sumptuous feast for his new skipper - something he had
never done for the previous incumbent - which Paul would surely enjoy
more having already batted.
With a severe lack of
bowling in the side due to unavailability of various individuals, Paul
initially threw the ball to wily old campaigner Barry Gray, the man who
believes nets to be a waste of time. Barry produced a tidy spell of 8
overs, and was unlucky, beating the bat on many occasions. At the other
end, Jay Vibert opened the bowling up the slope. and he too produced a
decent 8 over burst. Neither of them could dislodge the opening batsmen,
however, and despite a change at both ends, with Martin Horrocks and Jez
Skidmore brought into the attack, the opening pair went on to produce a
stand of 85, helped to a small extent by Howard's continual attempts to
throw down the stumps with no-one backing up, Rob's great stop followed
by comically inaccurate throw towards the boundary rather than the
stumps, and the Hussey (sporting his new Chris Waddle mullet in place of
his usual Chesney Hawkes mop) diving over a number of cover drives,
before Paton dragged a delivery from Jez onto his stumps and departed
for 36.
The initial breakthrough
brought Malling youngster, J.Worrall to the crease, and he was soon on
his way back to the pavilion bowled by Martin Horrocks who was in the
midst of a fiery and accurate spell. Malling No. 4, G.Kemsley joined
opener S.Uttridge in the middle, adding 62 for the third wicket despite
Uttridge in particular playing and missing on many occasions against
Martin Horrocks. Just as the Malling charge threatened to take shape,
however, Jay Vibert was brought back for a second spell, and he
proceeded to prove once again that for all the good deliveries they may
bowl, Graveney so often take wickets with somewhat less decent
deliveries, snagging two wickets in an over to catches by Rob and
Howard. As if to then prove it was no fluke he repeated the trick in
his next over removing two more batsmen, one bowled, and one to catch
behind by Dave Moody. The impressive and hard hitting Kemsley was left
48 not out at tea.
Following the tea break,
during which Jay and Paul polished of a veritable feast of smoked
salmon, egg and chipstick rolls, pork pies chocolate crispy cakes and
coke, the Graveney assessment was that this was definitely an achievable
target. Openers Fanning and Davies duly strode out to the middle looking
for a solid start. Unfortunately a combination of early season
rustiness, and an opening bowling partnership of fiery from one end and
nagging accuracy from the other, led to Rob departing for a duck
misjudging the line, and Paul following shortly afterwards for 4.
Richard Hussey and Nick
Goodburn steadied the ship with a cautious approach against the opening
attack, but just as they looked to have drawn the sting of the opening
attack, Nick (11) was bowled trying to turn a straight ball round the
corner. John Howard joined Richard at the crease and one could have been
forgiven for thinking he was going to produce another innings like the
one at Old Dorkinian last season as he blocked and padded up in playing
himself in for what appears to be his obligatory 10 overs.
With the change of
bowling, however, came a surge in the scoring rate, with John, and
Richard (33) in particular, helping themselves to some buffet bowling
until, having been dropped badly twice, he was sensationally caught by
Elson pulling over mid wicket. With the score at 70-4, and Graveney
already well into their last 20 overs, Howard Hamilton went into bat and
proceeded to confound those on the boundary who had been predicting his
departure to the usual huge slog straight up in the air by
immediately hitting his first three balls faced for fours. Suddenly some
impetus had been breathed into the Graveney innings, and John Howard too
started to produce some excellent shots with good use of his feet to get
to the pitch of the ball. A quick fire partnership of 45 in 5 or 6 overs
put Graveney right back on course before Howard skied one which the
bowler running forward should have pouched for a caught and bowled.
Somehow he managed to drop it with the ball running off his foot to the
wicket keeper. Howard meanwhile, still playing his own version of tip
and run, had sped off towards the other end, whereupon he realised that
John had yet to leave his crease. The keeper took off the bails and
Howard had provided the champagne moment being run out farcically.
Martin Horrocks, in at No.
7 supported John Howard in a partnership worth a further 35, taking
Graveney to the verge of victory with 11 needed off 5 overs. A tidy over
and a half without a run led to a little concern, and in attempting to
relieve the pressure by finding the boundary, John was caught for an
excellent 42 coming down the wicket, only to punch the ball to the best
Malling fielder, Elson, at mid wicket. With Martin (11) also then
falling, bowled in the next over things were back on a knife edge with
Messers Gray and Skidmore charged with getting Graveney over the
line. After another tidy over and a half, the game went into the final 2
overs before Jez hit two twos and then a lovely lofted cover drive for
four to win the match off the last ball of the penultimate over by three
wickets.
And so, an excellent game,
played in extremely good spirits, had led to a winning start as skipper
for Paul Fanning, and Graveney are up and running with their first win
of the 2009 season. Man of the match was contested between Howard
Hamilton and John Howard, with Howard pipping John for the way he picked
up the momentum of the Graveney run chase.
Moment of
Disgrace:
The Chairman
- for touring with Mynthurst instead of playing for Graveney!
Man of the match:
Howard
Hamilton.
Champagne moment:
Howard
Hamilton.
Farcical dismissal, run
out in no man's land, after being dropped by the bowler.
Big Thank You to:
Martin
Horrocks
of Whyteleafe for his efforts to provide facilities and
an excellent pitch and outfield, and for his performance on debut for
Graveney! |
