Scorecard

West Mersea II v Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Two Counties 2nd XI (Saturday) on Sat 13 Jul 2024 at 1pm
Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Won by 28 runs

Match report After a washout agaisnt Kirby last week, everyone was keen for cricket as a strong looking Eight ash Green second team made the journey from Fordham to Mersea, then the subsequent journey from Mersea clubhouse to Merseas second pitch. A walk long enough to substitute for a warm up in division 9, which it did.

Mersea then won the toss and with only 10 players made a bold call and asked us to bat.

Now excuse me if this part isn't written very well, I've not had much practise writing about team batting displays in match reports so far this season so bare with me.

Bradbury and Polley opened up on a slow, damp surface with variable bounce. The Mersea opening bowling was tight and dispite their numerical disadvantage they felt very in the game when Bradbury fell early with the score on 16.

This brought in the prodigal son of Eight ash Green second team batting. Back from injury and safe now the mild weather has scared off any bees, Jack Axon joined Polley to see off the remainder of the opening bowlers spell.

The partnership ticked along nicley until after 24 overs, when we were on 67-2, Polley (33) was caught trying to up the run rate. But importantly the platform was set.

This wicket brought in Murray (43). Not known for his high strike rates, Mersea might consider themselves to be unlucky, as for the next 9.2 overs he accelerated the innings at a rate many thought him not capable of. Together, him and Axon added 70 in that short time to bring the score to 137-3 off 33.2.

Not to be outdone in scoring fast runs, Norris stepped up for his first innings since becoming a new father. Maybe during those late nights with the baby he'd been watching IPL highlights, we'll never know, but whatever he was doing it worked as he spent no time getting into a very swift 29 including 5 4s and some great running between the wickets, departing just before the end of the innings.

During Norris' innings, Axon had completed his and the second XIs first half century of the season, but shortly after got excited by the high tempo runs scoring and fell for 56 trying an ambitious lap shot.

This left Guthrie (15*) and Collins (1*) at the end as we ran out of balls agonisingly short of 200, but still 194-5, a very good first half.

If Norris roulette with the bat had been an overwhelming success, then you'd have to call the bowling a lost bet. His fast pace bowling slightly lacking control helped Mersea get off to a fast start.

Even after Patel (6 overs for just 17) and Agrawal (4 overs for 20) helped us wrestle back some control with tight bowling, Mersea openers were still at the crease looking dangerous.

It was however becoming obvious that it was not the pitch for pace bowling. Then, as the spinners came on, the innings really turned in our favour (pun inteneded).

Murray tighed down one end, going for only 14 off his 5 overs, as Coppin (2-34) set to work at the other. The Mersea batsman eventually running out of options and eventually lost their first wicket to Coppin. At drinks it's was 78-1 needing almost 6 runs an over to win.

After drinks Coppin continued his spell picking up the wicket of the other opener in the process. In his last game before the world cup, Guthrie (2-36) used his experience to make sure 6 an over was too many, bowling well to his field for 9 overs straight.

As the balls were running our for our hosts, wickets fell to Murray (4-23), including a quick stumping by Chambers, as Mersea had to try and score quickly. The final bowling point was wrapped up in the 40th over after a sharp pick up and throw from Bradbury to dismiss their skipper and finish the game.

Another good performance from the 2s, as always good in the field and with the ball, and for the second game in a row a good performance with the bat.

POTM - Luke Coppin 11-0-34-2. In a game where we had to defend 5 an over, a spell at just over 3s helped take the game away from them.

Well played all involved, no game next week then Boxted away on the 27th at the end of cricket week. Remember race night that night so let's make that whole day a good one.

Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Two Counties 2nd XI (Saturday) Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
4nb 12w 1b  
for 5 wickets
17
195		        
Richard Polley ct B Rumble b E Chamberlain 33 5
Ed Bradbury b D Miller 1
Jack Axon lbw D Gladwell 56 5 1
Matt Murray ct D Gladwell b E Chamberlain 43 5 1 2
Matt Norris ct L Elson b E Chamberlain 29 5
Bevin Guthrie Not Out  15 1 1
Sam Collins Not Out  1
Tim Chambers   1
Luke Coppin  
Dev Agrawal  
Nitya Patel  

West Mersea II Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Daniel Miller10.0127127.002.70
Louis Elson11.013400.003.09
Ben Rumble7.004100.005.86
Evan Chamberlain9.0066322.007.33
David Gladwell3.0026126.008.67

West Mersea II Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
5nb 14w 8b 17lb 
for 9 wickets
44
167 (39.0 overs)		     
Chris Day lbw L Coppin 25 64 2 39.06
Trevor Trout ct M Murray b L Coppin 17 39 2 43.59
Ian Young st T Chambers b M Murray 38 54 3 70.37
Jonathan Snelling ct B Guthrie b B Guthrie 24 35 2 68.57
Louis Elson b M Murray 1 2 50.0
Daniel Miller Not Out  14 17 82.35
Evan Chamberlain ct M Murray b M Murray 1 2 50.0
Brandon Turner b B Guthrie 0 2 0
David Gladwell lbw M Murray 2 7 28.57
Ben Rumble run out  (E Bradbury) 1 1 100
   

Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Two Counties 2nd XI (Saturday) Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Nitya Patel6.011700.002.83
Matt Norris1.001200.0012.00
Dev Agrawal4.012000.005.00
Matt Murray8.002345.752.88
Luke Coppin11.0034217.003.09
Bevin Guthrie9.0136218.004.00