Scorecard

Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Academy XI v West Mersea on Sat 22 May 2010 at
Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Won by 4 runs

Match report With 10 overs to spare, West Mersea need 5 to win. Despite a collapse from 118-2, they are still favourites to win in the warm evening sun. But top-scoring batsman Tilsley has recently departed for 71, courtesy of an excellent catch in the deep by Tom Aston and the newly-arrived number 11 batsman looks nervous. At the other end, David Merriday waits at the end of his run (run?) to deliver what will be the final over and checks his field. ‘Tight on the one, Tom!’ urges someone from the outfield. Tom Aston at cover closes in. Has DJM got the unplayable ball up his sleeve to win an unexpected victory for the Green? Unfortunately not - it’s wide outside off stump and number 11 is able to prod it safely into the covers. To everyone’s surprise, not least the non-striker, he sets off on a run. Aston at cover swoops to pick up. Time stands still as he rolls the ball towards the bowler’s end. Merriday waits. He gathers cleanly, the stumps are broken, nervous number 11 is a yard short and the Green have an unlikely victory.

Earlier, the Green had done well to reach 164. When Will Hopcroft was bowled for 11 after an assured start, Richard Polley and Tom Aston slowly consolidated, taking the score to 94. James Knowles, Stephen Nunn, Matt Norris and Tom Lissimore then contributed useful runs and our eventual 164-7 was a good effort. Mersea started rapidly, with Tilsley (71) and Rutter (31) threatening an early finish. But Rutter was caught by Richard Polley, Tim Chambers, in a rare outing behind the timbers, made a couple of stumpings, and panic set in. 118-2 became 138-6. Will Hopcroft under a skier was not put off by DJM’s ‘catch that!’ and pulled off an excellent catch, Tom Aston took another and suddenly the Green were in with a chance. Then Tilsley thumped Richard Polley high into the outfield for Tom Aston to come running in for a fine catch, and it was left to numbers 10 and 11 to guide Mersea home. Cue DJM and Tom Aston. Richard Polley, with figures of 8-2-25-5 was the star bowler; Tom Aston, with two decisive catches and the run out, the star fielder. The result: an excellent win for the Academy XI by 4 runs, and 20 points.

Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Academy XI Batting
164 for 7
Player Name RunsCatchesStumpingsRun outs
Richard Polley Run out  30 1
William Hopcroft Bowled  11 1
Tom Aston Caught  41 2 1
James Knowles Bowled  9
Tim Chambers Caught  6 2
Stephen Nunn Caught  15
Matt Norris Bowled  10
Tom Lissimore Not Out  15 1
Duncan Stonehouse Not Out  4
Giorgio D'Anna  
David Merriday  

West Mersea Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

West Mersea Batting
160 for 10
Player name Runs
Lambert Caught  Lissimore 20
Taylor Bowled  0
Tilsley Caught  Aston 71
Rutter J Caught  Polley 31
Rutter A Stumped  Chambers 4
Madden Stumped  Chambers 3
White Bowled  1
Conway Caught  Hopcroft 8
Passfield Caught  Aston 3
Tidman Not Out  1
Proven Run out  0

Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Academy XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Giorgio D'Anna5.0025125.005.00
Stephen Nunn5.0126126.005.20
James Knowles5.002200.004.40
David Merriday12.1142221.003.45
Richard Polley8.022555.003.12