Result: Petersfield CC 3rd
XI Won by 13 runs
Date: Sat 31st Aug 2013
With still a slim chance of promotion, Petersfield 3's arrived at Penn's Place for the last time this season
knowing a win may not be enough to secure the final promotion place. Relying on other results is never a
good thing but Captain James StratfordTuke
was very keen to go out on a winning note. With that in mind
he was able to field a team made up of the bulk of the players who had put the team in with a shout of
promotion from Regional division 4 Northeast. Petersfield won the toss and decided to bat on a late
summers day hoping to get the best of the light (this would prove crucial later in the game)
Petersfield got off to a great start with James StratfordTuke
(32) and John Windebank (20) giving the side a
fine start with 58 off the first 12 overs. James playing some lovely strokes, before John was bowled by Roy
Evans (119
off 7) as pace off the ball helped to stem the run flow from the Petersfield side. Steve Wadswoth
(330
off 8) then removed James and young Ben Anscombe (4) in 4 overs. Paddy May (14) and Rob
Anscombe took the score along to 86 before Paddy nicked a rising ball off Wadsworth through to the
keeper. With Rob departing to Evans caught at mid wicket, Oscar Windebank (11 off 10 balls) had joined
Rob Allerston (35) and they pushed the scoring rate back up and got the score to 115 before Oscar was
bowled by opening bowler Matt Vickery (135
off 9) trying to lift him over mid wicket for another 4. At this
stage it looked like Petersfield would post a below par score, it was then left to the lower middle order to
steady the ship as Rob Allerston was joined by Ben Turk (34 not out) the pair rebuilt the innings slowly to
start with and then accellerated as they realised Petersfield needed the runs and points.
With Rob talking to his young partner all the time, they pushed the score along at 6 or 7 an over and started
to dominate the tiring Ashford Hill bowling attack and fielders. By the time Rob was bowled by Barry Monger
(340
off 9) the score had progressed to 164. Oli Simpson (3) joined Ben and they ran well to put on 12 in 8
balls to leave the score on 1798
which gave Petersfield with 4 batting points and a defendable total, Ashford
Hill dropped 6 catches to aid the total but Petersfield should take credit for making the most of the chances
given to them.
After an extended tea (both sides loved it too much) Petersfield set abut trying to bowl Ashford Hill out.
Opening bowlers Ben Turk (340
off 10) and Oscar Windebank (325
off 10) bowled tightly with Oscar in
particular almost unplayable with his line and length immaculate. Stand in keeper Dave Squires did not have
a lot to do apart from catch the ball as 75% of the balls Oscar bowled whistled past the outside and inside
edges of both openers bats. With both the opening bowlers vying for the bowler of the year it was Ben Turk
who benefitted from Oscars line and length as first Bernard Clarke (4) and fellow opener Andy Wisden (19)
played at balls they should have left alone, but they were so desperate to get the score board moving they
had no choice.
Oli Simpson (126
off 5) came on first change to remove Matt Vickery (3) Lbw with Rob Straw (114
off 5)
who both bowled very well at the other end getting his reward for his line and length removing Kevin Perry (6
off 38 balls). Despite the run rate rising, at drinks on 21 overs Ashford Hill were on 754.
Captain
StratfordTuke
tried to stem the run flow by bringing on wily campaigners Rob Allerston (226
off 5.1) and
Rob Anscombe (010
off 3) The Ashford Hill batsmen Martin Hutchins (25) and Barry Monger (3) were then
removed by the returning opening bowlers Turk and Windebank is successive overs as the light started to
fade very fast as the sun disappeared behing the EHDC council offices. This bought Steve Wadsworth (38)
to the crease and he proceeded to make light (excuse the pun) of the poor light as he hit some towering
shots off all the bowlers. He and keeper Steve Milne (16) took the score from 956
to 1237
before Milne was
caught by John Windebank at a suicidal short cover off Oscar's spinner which he was having to bowl due to
the light. Steve Peters (0) came and went as in the next over he edged one off Squires' pads into the midrift
of captain StratfordTuke
at slip who gleefully clutched the ball in an instant, Peters stunned that the keeper
and slip could even see the ball never mind catch it. This wicket looked to have clinched the game for
Petersfield but in a defiant and then almost match winning innings Steve Wadsworth seemed to be the only
player in either side to see the ball as he and Cliford Butler took the score to 161 before Wadsworth again
went for the big hit off Rob Allerston, the ball went miles in to the sky and despite the ball looking like a low
flying satellite against the dark blue sky, young Ben Anscombe got underneath the ball and watched it all
the way in to his hands to claim a magnificent catch at deep longon.
A more important catch I have not
seen all season and had even the older members of the team rushing to congratulate him. With the light
now almost pitch black, Rob Allerston removed Roy Evans by nicking the top of off stump to leave Ashford
Hill 13 runs short, although as if to prove how dark it was the spectators thought keeper Squires had taken
a catch behind!
Great credit must go to Ashford Hill who batted on in the gathering gloom to give Petersfield yet another nail
biting win, they could so easily have said sorry we cannot see the ball and claimed a draw.
With the 3 wickets apiece for the two opening bowlers Oscar Windebank capped off a fine season with the
bowling award. Rob Anscombe taking the batting award
Men of The Match Ben
Turk and Rob Allerston for their all round performances
Moment of the Match Well
it has to go to Ben Anscombe's fantastic catch which effectively won the game,
catches win matches as the old saying goes.
Score Card
http://petersfield.playcricket.
com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11731632
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