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Crawley V Kings CC 04 Jul 08 |
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Kings 2008 tour kicked off with a Friday night 20/20 match at Crawley. The first issue of the night was gaining access to the clubhouse, a significant period of time (which ultimately equalled to lost drinking time) being lost whilst the home team struggled with the keys to the security roller door. Eventually access was gained and the game eventually started around ten minutes past six. Kings were put into bat by the hosts and Richard Warne and Gordon Young, the two Kings openers, had to cope with some accurate bowling from Cooper and Blandford. However once the batsmen got used to a two paced pitch, which also produced some un predictable bounce, the runs started flow. However Kings suffered as set back when Warne was first to go, dismissed by Cooper but Young, who had looked the least comfortable at the start soon started to profit with some fine shots. With Perroo having joined Young the run rate started to increase as some fine running, aided by some sloppy fielding, pushed the score up. Just as Young was looking good for a decent score he was caught for 29. Perroo and Reedman kept the pressure on, once again, with a mixture of well struck shots and plenty of running on what was a large outfield. Both batsmen fell in quick succession and it was left to Miah and Mears for the push in the final overs. The unorthodox Mears proved a challenge to the home team as his mixture of sweeps and horizontal bat shots gleaned runs in unexpected areas. Off the final ball Mears sacrificed his wicket but he had successfully ensured Kings posted a reasonable total of 130. Crawley got off to a flying start as they went for their shots from the off. However once Kings cut off the strong scoring areas of the batsmen the pressure started to take its toll. Paul Bygrave struck twice in quick succession and whilst some excellent work by keeper Steve Smith saw the dangerous Elah stumped off Nick Tighe. Both Bygrave and Tighe bowled their allotted overs out to be replaced Danny Perroo and Joel Miah. The tall batsmen Pod took a liking to Perro but he fell for a sucker punch when he fell into a trap set for him. When Miah then struck twice, Mears taking one catch and then the bowler then taking a difficult, high and swirling caught and bowled chance himself control of the game sat well and truly with Kings. However Wilde was not going to go without a fight and he blazed 16 from five balls in one Miah over, hitting the boundary in four different places, as Kings were forced to push back the field. However off the last ball of the same over Wilde went for one more big swipe and a fuller ball cleaned up his middle stump. In the gathering gloom Cooper was keeping Crawley in with a chance, but Gordon Young then accounted for Khan and Mears took his second catch to dismiss Aftab off the bowling of Sones. With Cooper still there Kings needed to attack the last man or at least keep him on strike. The best result of course was to take the last wicket and Young duly delivered when last man Blandford drove straight to mid off where Tighe held the catch in the rapidly dimming light. Crawley were dismissed for 104, victory to Kings by 26 runs. It was a great start for the tourists, and some robust batting and then some excellent bowling backed up by good fielding saw Kings home
Richard
Warne Bowled b. Cooper 9 Cooper
4-0-17-1
Elah
St. Smith b. Tighe 13 N.
Tighe 4-0-24-1
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