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Kings CC V Gardeners CC 18 May 08 |
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Victory by 17 run for Kings, on paper may seem to have been a close match, but in reality Kings won their match over Gardeners with some ease. Chasing Kings score of 199 (although a subsequent double check of the scorebook revealed Kings total to actually be 200) was beyond Gardeners by the time the game went into the last 10 overs of the match. Needing 80 of the last 60 balls Gardeners were always up against it, the fact they managed 63 in that period was to their credit. But the truth was that Kings had the strength of bowling to defend their total without too much concern. The game was set up by an excellent innings, an outstanding catch and some excellent bowling. Gardeners had won the toss on a pleasant spring afternoon and after a moment of deliberation decided to field. This gave Kings first use of a remarkably hard and true surface that although a little two paced did offer some bounce and carry, which considering the rain in previous days was a testament to hard work of frank the groundsman. Kings promoted Nick Tighe to open with usual opener Dave Perry and Tighe was quickly onto a couple of short balls from Johnson, despatching consecutive boundaries square of wicket on both sides. Skipper Richards was keen to show the pitch had plenty of bounce and banged in a couple of short balls at Tighe, but these were easily played under. Perry was also quickly into his stride and the run rate was sitting healthily at just under 5-an-over by the end of the 6th. However Richards picked up the wicket of Tighe when another short ball was skied to extra cover and the fielder took the catch over his shoulder (29-1). A partnership of 19 followed as Perry and Miah took control, and there seemed little threat until Perry mistimed a clip into the on side where upon he lobbed catch to the fielder (48-2). This brought Melligan to the crease, and despite so early playing and missing he soon found his stride, twice pulling Nisbett immaculately to the boundary, the second of which result in the bowler being removed from the attack. By the half way mark the score had reached 81 without any further loss of wickets. Gardeners tried to introduce some spin into the attack but Clayton's line was all run and he bowled a succession of wides to help Kings cause. In the end Gardeners recalled Johnson to the attack and in his second over he took and excellent return catch to dismiss Miah, but not before the partnership became worth 61 (109-3). When Scott-Barrett was introduced to the attack Melligan took full toll, cracking 10 off three balls, including two sublime cover drives. Wright became Johnson second wicket in the bowlers final over which then brought Gale in. Skipper Richards returned to the attack and again adopted a short pitched attack, off which Gale lifted one ball effortlessly over the square leg boundary for six. Clayton's return was a lot tidier, too start with, and he picked up Gale (170-5) but only after Melligan completed his 3rd half century for Kings. With just three overs left it was all out attack from Melligan and new batsmen Simon Pipe. Melligan plundered another two boundaries off Nisbett whilst Pipe took 12 off Clayton's last over. Another eight runs were taken off Nisbett who bowled the final over as Kings just reached 200, the only down point was Pipe being run out off the last ball having backed up too far to recover his ground when the ball was hit straight back to the bowler. Melligan made a superb 65 not out, with 6 fours, was ably supported by Perry (34), Miah (26) Gale (16 from 9 balls) and Pipe (11 from 5 balls). The opening overs of Gardeners reply was a tale of two bowlers. The opening eight overs of the innings saw the visitors post 29 runs on the board, but whilst Miah conceded just a single run in his first fours overs Pipe was far more expensive in going for 24 in the same period. The situation forced an early change with Pipe being replaced by Nick Tighe, who immediately brought more control. After Miah completed his fifth over (for just 4 runs) the leg spin of Jaemie Gale was introduced. Batsman Lewis took this as an opportunity to go on the attack and was used up two lives as Melligan, at deep mid wicket, spilled two chances in quick succession. However Melligan redeemed himself in the next Gale over, when Richards punched the ball off the back foot through point Melligan superbly threw himself to his right and one handed snatched the ball inches from the ground (45-1). Gale struck again in his third over, the 15th of the innings, when Lewis clipped the ball to mid wicket where Perry took a find low catch (52-2). A third wicket followed shortly after when Rush pushed at Tighe with hard hands to give the bowler a shoulder high return catch (55-3). If Kings thought they were now on an easy route to victory thought they were to be disappointed. No further wickets fell as Sutton and W. Clayton established a solid partnership, unfortunately for the batsmen Kings were bowling well and the pairing of Tighe and Gale were restricting their scoring opportunities which meant Gardeners were always falling behind the run rate. The 100 run mark, halfway to the target, was not reached to the 27 over, leaving a challenging 100 needed off the last 13 overs. With Gale having finished his spell (2-31), and Tighe (1-18) keeping two overs back Paul Norman and Samuel Tighe were introduced to the attack. After some tight opening overs the batsmen then started to accelerate against these two bowlers. However Kings regained control when Sutton drove Norman down the ground and the bowler was able to parry the ball and grasp it at the third attempt to take a juggling return catch (123-4). With 77 needed off the last 9 overs W. Clayton and Scott-Barrett continued the assault taking 39 off four overs of Sam Tighe and Norman. Kings skipper Young then turned to back to Joel Miah to bring back some control, Miah conceded just 3 runs from two overs this effectively secured Kings victory, and when Clayton was castled by Miah the main threat to Kings had passed (155-5). Pipe was bowling a far better second spell and after a couple of shouts for leg before he then bowled Scott-Barrett (161-6) to give the bowler his 300th career wicket for Kings. With Gardeners now needing 40 runs from 18 balls the game was all but sewn up. There was still time for Crowther to be run out following good work between Samuel Tighe and Pipe (175-7) and for Nick Tighe to claim his second wicket when he comprehensively bowled R. Clayton for a first ball duck (175-8). A last over of seven runs gave the score a little more respectable outlook from the visitors aspect but in truth the winning margin was bigger than the score portrayed, John Miah's bowling shone way above anyone else, his figures of 8-3-9-1 playing a substantial part in Kings defending their total. Jaemie Gale (2-31) and Nick Tighe (2-27) also bowled well. James Melligan's outstanding catch certainly deserves mention again, but in general Kings again dropped too many catches, which had they been taken may have made the winning margin more comprehensive. As worrying was Kings general ground fielding which was not a slick as their usual high standards. Nonetheless, it was a good match, one that gave Kings their second victory of the season. Finally a mention for Simon Pipe, who became the second Kings bowler to reach the landmark of 300 wickets. KINGS
RICHARDS
7-0-26-1
M.
RICHARDS * CT. MELLIGAN B. GALE 14 J.
MIAH 8-3-9-1 (2 spells 5-3-4-0, 3-0-5-1)
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