Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Petersfield 3s v Colden Common 2s

Result:  Petersfield CC - 3rd XI Won by 20 runs
Date:  Sat 15th Jun 2013


Petersfield arrived in Colden Common just as the heavens opened. At 13:30 there seemed no chance that we would get a game of cricket played never mind start on time. It came as a shock to some of the senior players when it was announced by Matt Friend (u13) making his debut in senior cricket that Petersfield had lost the toss and were asked to bat !


James Stratford-Tuke (2) and John Windebank (16) opened and found the going tough as the pitch which was drying thanks to a strong wind and now sunshine still offered the bowlers lateral movement. James departing thanks to a fantastic catch as the fielder dived full length to pick up a lofted onside shot just above the turf. John was joined by Eoin Seager (33)  making a much awaited return in the middle and pushed the score along to 50-2 before John mistimed a pull shot to be caught at mid wicket. Oscar Windebank (25) then came out and carried on where he left off last week with some beautiful straight drives (1 six and 3 fours) to give the innings some middle order momentum. Paul Clarke (28) saw 4 partners come and go as the scoring became a little easier with Matt Friend (5) playing a couple of nice paddle sweeps to the fine leg boundary before having a ball pop off the surface to be caught in the covers. Joe Mayall (8) played some lusty shots before he was standing on his bat as Paul Clarke called him for a quick single (the young lad will learn to back up). Paul departed with the score on 135 having. With the two Squires’s last pair at the wicket the score reached 143 before young Alex missed a straight one.


With the weather now set fair Petersfield started the task of defending a good total on a slow pitch. They got off to the perfect start as Alex Squires threw the ball in from mid on just missing the stumps, in the confusion that followed both Colden Common batsmen found themselves at the same end with keeper David Longland having an easy task of removing the bails to leave them 2 for 1 wicket. Sam Perkins (60) and J Reegan (17) steadied the Colden Common ship before Ollie Simpson (1-11 off 4)  took his first senior wicket of the season thanks to an outstanding catch from Alex Squires. Fielding again at mid on he misjudged a lofted pick up shot  from Reegan, came in to far before running backwards and reaching up to pluck the ball from the air one handed falling backwards.


Paul Clarke (0-38 off 7) returned and should have had the wicket of James if Dave Squires had held his lofted shot at mid wicket. The drop seemed to inspire the team as Oscar Windebank (2-29 off 10)  then removed James and Cooper in successive overs both bowled, second one had the off stump cartwheeling away with the keeper catching one of the bails as it went towards his head.


With Sam Perkins still at the crease Colden Common still looked to be in the driving seat as he helped the score along to 104 before captain Stratford-Tuke turned to Dave Squires (4-29 off 7.3). Despite his first over going for twelve as the wind seemed to get stronger, Squires then proceeded to remove the next 3 wickets including Perkins caught by Oscar Windebank. Oscar WIndebank nearly got a 3rd wicket as young Alex Squires nearly out did his earlier catch with a superb diving effort where he just got his fingertips to it only to lose it then catch it again, it then popped finally out of his grasp as his elbow hit the turf. This did not affect the team as Alex returned to the attack to remove L Shaw (5) to finish with 1 for 11 off 4 overs. At the other end his father had bowled very well as he wrapped up the innings to give Petersfield a very well deserved victory which leaves Petersfield 3s on top of Regional North East Division 4.


Moment of the Match - Alex Squires’s superb one handed catch
Man of the Match - the whole team who never believed the game was beyond them and stuck to their task even when runs were being scored so freely by Sam Perkins.


Score Card
http://petersfield.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11726889

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