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'Graveney Draw Nail Biter at
Wonersh'
By Rob Davies
Graveney 146 all out (from 39 overs)
Wonersh 144 - 8 (40 overs)
Match Drawn
Wonersh is a very well-kept Surrey village & green with an
impressive modern pavilion. Well done for landing the fixture, Chair!
A firm-looking pitch doesn't always mean it will favour batsmen and
this was no exception. The Wonersh bowlers were always on top and none
of the Graveney batsmen were able to impose themselves. A combination of
decent deliveries & poor shot selection did for the majority of the top
order, wickets falling at too
regular intervals throughout the innings.
That is until swollen-handed Chris Pullen (painful insect bite)
joined Tim Bunn with the score at 104 for 9 and GCC staring down the
barrel of a hefty defeat. They proceeded to destroy a long-standing club
record 10th wicket stand shared by the dearly departed Kenny Doyle and
in spite of the ignominy of being dismissed well before the scheduled
tea break the Graveney attack had a total to defend & defend it they
did.
Had it not been for an outstanding 78 not out from number three
Rupert Miller the Wonersh scorecard would have been in a sorrier state
than our own. First up Raghu & Pradeep bowled with purpose, picking up
three wickets between them in their opening spells.
Tim Bunn bowled a deadly accurate first change spell to restrict
the flow of runs and pick up the crucial wicket of Helfield while Barry
suffered somewhat during their handy fourth wicket partnership. After
Jez's wicketless five overs our openers returned and almost completed
the job.
Pradeep added three more scalps, all bowled middle stump, to
complete an excellent Michelle (5 for...) Raghu also picked up a late
second to give us hope of an unlikely victory. Ultimately we were very
pleased to have escaped with a draw especially given the valiant and
chanceless innings of Mr. Miller.
Man of the match:
Pradeep
Jain for an excellent 5-31.
Champagne moment:
Nick
Goodburn/Howard Hamilton.
Howard
insisting he would not get
out playing his ridiculous scoop shot to leg and then doing just that
just as Nick predicted he would.
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