| ST. MARGARETSBURY CRICKET CLUB |
| RESULTS AND MATCH REPORTS |
St Margaretsbury v Leverstock Green - 14 Aug 2010
Washout ! - no games in Div 1 completed - all teams 10 points Langleybury v St Margaretsbury - 7 Aug 2010 Every Dog Has His Day With both teams at the wrong end of the Div. 1 table, this was a "must win" game for both. The day started badly for St Margaretsbury, when they lost the toss, and Langleybury captain Paul O’Reilly decided to bowl first on a damp pitch, in overcast conditions and with rain forecast. Things got worse for the Saints, as the difficult batting conditions reduced them to 21:3 in the 12th over. At this point captain Ben Wallis joined Martin Brown at the crease. Skipper Ben had arrived at the game direct from Heathrow, and an overnight flight from the USA, but after just 2 minutes at the crease, rain intervened and play was halted for over an hour, followed by an early tea, to allow the outfield to dry out. The time lost meant that the game was now reduced to 80 overs (43:37). When play resumed it was Martin Brown leading the fight back, whilst Ben played a supporting role at the other end, frustrating the bowlers. The pair put on 42 in 15 overs until Ben was out ( 17 off 41balls, 54 mins). This brought Nick Anstead in to join Martin Brown, this pair added 37 ( Nick 22 off 37 balls, 21 mins), then it was Martin aided by the rest of the team, who took the score to 139:8 off the allotted 43 overs. However as the last ball was bowled, the heavens opened again and more play looked unlikely. Surprisingly just 38 mins. later the sun was out (briefly!) and play restarted with the Langleybury innings, now reduced to just 30 overs. Of course, it was Martin Brown who opened the St Margaretsbury attack, in damp conditions ideally suited to his bowling. It took "The Dog" just five balls to dismiss the Langleybury opener ( caught by Ben Spencer ). Then, at the other end debut bowler Alex Scarborough repeated the trick, getting the other opener with his fifth ball ( caught spectacularly by Ben’s brother Sam ). Two overs, two wicket maidens, Langleybury 0:2. Game On !. Lagleybury’s middle order Will Oxley (15), Tom Pettet (35) and Ryan Howard (26) seemed to be guiding them to victory, but Martin Brown, bowling unchanged, was not to be denied, by the 23rd over, he had taken the next four wickets leaving the score at 93:6. In the next over, Darren Shanley, returning from injury, induced Tom Pettet to ’nick’ one onto his pads, and through to keeper Ben Wallis - 93:7, and the game seemed to have swung towards St. Margaretsbury. However Langleybury’s Ross Channer had other ideas hitting 24 off 17 balls. His innings ended on the last ball of Martin Brown’s only bad over, Channer had hit him for 12 off three balls when he tried one shot too many, and Browny clean bowled him - 121:8, three overs left, 19 runs needed. Bury only needed 1.4 of those overs, as a superb long throw from Oliver Tilbury (fielding at long on) to keeper Ben Wallis ran out Langleybury captain Paul O’Reilly, leaving Martin Brown to finish off what had definitely been ’his day’ by taking the catch off his own bowling to remove Langleybury number 11 Kristian Martin. St Margaretsbury 139:8 (43ov) Langleybury 124:10 (28.4ov) St Margaretsbury won by 15 runs. Martin Brown’s figures:- Batting 64no ( 122 mins 96 balls 5 fours) (50 in 114 mins 88 balls 4 fours) Bowling 14.4, 4, 67, 7. Comment of the day ( heard from the outfield during second innings):- "Are you going to let anyone else play today Browny ?" |
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