Scorecard

Abberton & District CC III v Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Two Counties 2nd XI (Saturday) on Sat 17 Aug 2024 at 12.30pm
Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Won by 6 wickets

Match report With August drawing in and start times moved forward to 12:30 a strong looking green line up rocked up to Holmwood House to play Abberton 3s with a point to prove, seeking revenge for a disappointing defeat earlier in the season.

On a hot afternoon, James from Abberton can be added to a list of opposition captains surprised that Murray won the toss and decided so quickly to bowl first. A decsion to be vindicated by what was to come?

Fresh off a 4 wicket seasons debut in the first 11 last week Patel opened the bowling claiming an immediate victim with a huge inswinger that kept low in his first over, leaving Abberton 1-1.

He then went onto take 2 further wickets in only 2 more overs, with admitidatly less accurate deliveries but still agressive intent. This spell was sadly brought to an early end as his shin splints gave out and he was forced to complete a short but influential spell of 3-0-5-3.

Special shout outs to catches from Kris Ratnayake, for a great reaction catch at backward square leg when the ball was nailed at him, he may have not been standing anywhere near where he'd been asked to feild, but a great catch nevertheless. Secondly, Matt Norris for a first catch as a wicket keeper for 8 years, a catch that topped off a very tidy performce for our true all-rounder cricketer.

Young Woodcock had opened from the other end, mullet flowing and after taking a couple of overs to find his line and length he picked up a well deserved 2 wickets thanks to catches from "the Cat" Sam Collins in close and Frost at mid-off, in an accomplished spell of 5 overs for the young seamer.

The early injury to Patel whilst the ball was still swinging caused Murray to turn to Agrawal as the third seam bowler. Agrawal also struggled to find his line early on, adding to Norris' active afternoon behind the stumps, but after settling went for only 3 runs in his last 3 overs including a maiden and just missing out at the wickets column with the ball popping up agonisingly close to fielders miltple times. This increased the pressure on the already strained batting lineup.

Skipper Murray had meanwhile replaced Woodcock and within his first over produced a outswinging delivery that clipped the top of off stump, cleaning up Abbertons 6th wicket.

During the next 4 overs, pressure lead to batsman taking on highly optimistic runs and after good work from Patel and Rajpal, 2 run outs were well taken by the green feilding unit.

During this time, team top wicket taker Coppin has been taksed with finishing off the Abberton resistance. However, unlike his normal self, it took Coppin a few overs to settle as the Abberton tail wagged a bit.

From the other end Murray continued to toil and picked up a second wicket himself with a well taken catch hit straight back at him.

Coppin did eventually settle to take the 10th wicket in only the 23rd over of the match as Abberton were bowled out for only 79. Keeping up his ambition to be lead league wicket taker with a couple of big games left he's only 2 behind.

This a total that had a strong looking Green batting line up confident, but they were aware it was not a pitch without its demons.

Having both missed games from leg injuries this year, first teamer Rajpal and young batsman Frost opened up against some good opening bowling. Runs were not easy to come by and at 8 overs in Rajpal (7) fell to this pressure driving one at cover who took a sharp catch to leave us 24-1.

The next 10 minutes were the only wobble that we had all afternoon, as Ratnayake and Norris both fell for 0 to the young Abberton spinner on a pitch supplying inconsistent pace and bounce, showing its not the surface you want to start on.

Retruning from world cup duties, this was however something that Guthrie (11*) had seen before. Sensible batting with Frost still at the other end an important controlled partnership moved us to 54 before the young opener fell for 31, unluckily gloving one attempting put away a short ball.

At this point we were in a strong position but the game wasnt over. At drinks Guthrie, set on 8* at this point, and the opposition captain both remarked that very sentiment as we conversed over the blackcurrant.

Now division 9 cricket is hardly the centre for accurate score keeping, and this was unfortunate for S.Collins as it would have been great to know how many balls his 18* came off. Hitting through the line confidently it was like he was batting on another pitch to everyone else for what must have been a strike rate close to 100. For about 6 overs Collins hit fee flowing boundaries with Guthrie looking very stable at the other end to take us to a 6 wicket victory.

Good win for EAGCC 2s which all but confirms our midtable finish this year. The goal now with 2 league games to play is to get more wins than losses for the year, a feat not achieved by a 2s team since promotion in 2019. This will be tough with league leaders Kelvedon coming to the health next week but with this momentum we can be optimistic.

POTM - Ethan Frost for his 31 runs, the backbone of a low chase on a tough pitch.

Honorable mentions to Patel, who, if his spell wasn't cut short by injury would have fancied more wickets. Norris, who's first game keeping wicket in 8 years got him a catch and only conceded 5 byes in a very tough pitch to keep on. Also Collins, who again took a good catch in close, in what is becoming his speciality feilding position and destructive 18* to finish the game emphatically.

Abberton & District CC III Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 22w 2b 4lb 
for 10 wickets
30
79 (22.2 overs)		     
Stanley Challenor ct  S Collins b J Woodcock 17
Krish Deshpande b  N Patel 0
Charlie Collett ct  K Ratnayake b N Patel 0
James Carroll ct  M Norris b N Patel 2
Ed Urwin b  M Murray 1
David Booker ct  E Frost b J Woodcock 3
Leo Berger run out  (N Patel) 3
John Burke run out  (M Murray) 0
Harry White ct  M Murray b M Murray 1
Charlie Harris b  L Coppin 18
Jack Carroll Not Out  4

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

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Nitya Patel3.00531.671.67
James Woodcock5.0031215.506.20
Dev Agrawal5.011300.002.60
Matt Murray6.011025.001.67
Luke Coppin3.2014114.004.20

Eight Ash Green Cricket Club Two Counties 2nd XI (Saturday) Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
5w 5b 3lb 
for 4 wickets
13
80		        
Deepak Rajpal ct  C Harris b H White 7 1
Ethan Frost ct  J Carroll b K Deshpande 31 5 1
Krishantha Ratnayake ct  C Harris b H White 0 1
Matt Norris ct  C Collett b H White 0 1
Bevin Guthrie Not Out  11 1
Sam Collins Not Out  18 3 1
Nitya Patel  
Matt Murray   1
James Woodcock  
Luke Coppin  
Dev Agrawal  

Abberton & District CC III Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Stanley Challenor11.012500.002.27
Harry White8.002638.673.25
Krish Deshpande4.01919.002.25
Jack Carroll2.101200.005.54