HorsleyAndSend05Sep04

Kings faced one of their toughest games on a hot summer afternoon at Horsley & Send. The game started in farce as the gates to the ground were locked and with both teams locked out the scheduled start time of 1:30 came and went before somebody finally found a key to unlock the gates.

When the game did get started Kings decided to field first against a strong H&S batting line up. The opening overs saw both batsmen quick to use the pace of Tighe to guide the ball across the quick outfield to the boundary and the home side soon raced to 20 off the first three overs. However Kings got their first breakthrough when Sones bowled Holmewood (23-1). This signaled a start of some good pressure by Kings which saw just 2 runs off three overs. However with New Zealander Christie willing to chance his arm the scoreboard was soon moving again as 19 runs came off just two overs.

However Kings were always in with a chance as twice balls fell into convenient gaps between fielders. Kings got their second wicket when Tighe outwitted Davis with a slower ball and the batsman could only turn the ball to Evans at backward square (67-2). But the course of the game was about to be turned by a bowling change. The introduction of Gordon Young brought Kings back in to the match, the fluent Christie tried to drive but only managed to hit it straight to mid off where Young's namesake; Rob comfortably took the catch (89-3). Soon after Young bowled Lewis (106-4) and Pipe then bowled Reynolds (108-5) to really put Kings in the driving seat. Kings were the frustrated by Khan and Shah who both played with a great deal of risk against both bowlers and on several occasion continued to have the luck as balls just fell short of fielders or into gaps.

Finally the partnership was broken when Khan picked out Tighe at mid on (136-6). Shah, however, employing a lot of bottom hand, continued to frustrate the fielding side with some lusty blows. Shah should have fallen to Joel Miah, when he drove loosely to cover, but Tighe dropped what was a relatively easy chance. But Miah was not to be denied and he cleaned up Lewis (154-7) and then was unlucky not to have Skipper Khan caught when Perry's running and diving effort just evaded his out stretched hands. Shah did finally depart, swinging across the line, again bowled by Young (154-8). The innings was rounded off by Young who took his fifth wicket when Khan went for a big shot to deep mid wicket and Evans ran onto the catch and took it safely. Soon after the innings was declared at 163-9.

It had been a good performance by Kings who were looking out of the game at 89-2, but another superb performance by Gordon Young (5-37) really swung the game and gave Kings a chance.

Kings performance in the field must have hurt the home team, who came out all guns blazing in the second innings. However the pace of the bowling was used to good effect by Kings openers as they raced to 31 by the eighth over. However from then on the superior bowling started to tell. Perry was dismissed (31-1) and soon followed by Evans (41-2) and two runs further on Pipe was caught behind (43-3). From the good start Kings were now facing an up hill battle to stay in the game, especially as there seemed no intention of the home side releasing the pressure.

When Miller's battling innings ended (49-4) and Dave Miah was bowled first ball (49-5) it seemed inevitable Kings would slip to defeat. However Gordon Young had other ideas and he started a stonewall defense against some hostile bowling. Tighe, with thigh guard, arm guard and helmet then had a brief fight back before he too succumbed (57-6). This brought young Joel Miah to the crease, who showing great maturity, guts and defiance stood tall with the rock solid Young to see off the bowlers. For twelve long overs the two battled hard to try and get something from the game by whittling down the last 20 overs. Miah's 25 ball stay came to an end when he hit a full toss straight at point but he had played his part with credit (71-7).

It was now the turn of Steve Smith to do the same with Young, whose long vigil had seen him score just 10 runs from 66 balls faced. With overs running out H&S now started to ring the changes with their bowlers to try and snatch the remaining wickets. Smith's valiant defense came to an end when he edged Reynolds behind (83-8) and it was left to the two Young's to see out the final 5 overs. With the field right in now Gordon Young was able to reap some reward for his dogged fight, picking up some runs to help ease the score toward the hundred mark. Into the last over and Young was able to pick up six runs as the draw was achieved, a reward Kings deserved for their fight back with the ball and for their determined resistance with the bat, all deserved credit but none more so than Gordon Young whose bowling and brave rock solid batting had contributed so much.