Scorecard

Bentley v Springfield Cricket Club Saturday I on Sat 25 Jul 2015 at 1pm
Springfield Cricket Club Lost 53 runs

Match report After 12 hours of constant rain the night before, Springfield travelled to Coxtie Green to play Bentley in our second top of the table clash in 3 weeks and looking for our 10th win on the trot, having beaten every other top tier team once in the past 9 weeks. There were two changes from the High Roding game with Andy Ovel coming in for Sam Brown and Chris Frost being rewarded with a call up to the first team after his second century for the seconds replacing our skipper. Stand-in skipper John Smith lost the toss and we were invited to bowl first on a soft pitch that looked like it would offer a bit for the seamers.

Fresh from his trip to Tenerife, Ovel took the new ball with Marrion, looking to take advantage of the skipper’s absence to make up some lost time on the ‘Race for Rioja.’ The Bentley openers had other ideas, with Steve Coleman looking to be aggressive from the start and Chris Pether accumulating runs. Both batsmen were able to take advantage of bowling that lacked the usual consistency, with anything pitched to short being dispatched to the boundary with absolute ease, and with both bowlers unable to build any pressure, Springfield soon turned to their pace options of the skipper himself and Chay Pollinger. While the batsmen looked less sure for these short bursts, they still managed to push the opening partnership past 100 at a good rate of 6 an over.

The introduction of spinners Matt ‘Red Mist’ Chalk and Wasi ‘What do you mean Wasi’ Khalid managed to build the pressure Springfield were hoping for, and a leading edge from Pether (31) offered Khalid a simple caught and bowled opportunity. Coleman went past 50 before picking Symonds out off the bowling of Chalk to fall for 59, and when Parmenter edged to slip off the same bowler leaving Bentley 120-3 just after drinks, Springfield looked as though they were back in the game.

However, just as it looked like we were getting a foothold, the same old errors and inconsistencies crept back in; at least one boundary ball every over being gratefully accepted, mainly by Phil Coleman who regularly cleared the ropes with ease, and some lacklustre unintelligent fielding gifting overthrows more regularly than Brooksy can place bets. While Marrion, Ovel and Khalid all returned to bowl much better second spells, the latter finishing with 3-52, the damage in the innings was already done and the Bentley middle and lower order were able to ease their way to 251-7 at the halfway mark. A score that was felt to be 30-40 over par and one that was relatively handed on a plate to the Bentley team, without taking credit away from their batsmen.

The Springfield innings got off to a poor start, with Latimir-Jones, Smith and Singh falling cheaply early on to reduce the visitors to 24-3, a position we have avoided since our first two losses of the season. Symonds and Clark set about rebuilding the innings, and whilst there was regular playing and missing as Flack (2-41), Phil Coleman (2-12) and Hawkins quickly found the right line and length, the scoreboard started to tick along at a better rate. When Symonds fell for 33, the inform Frost joined Clark at the crease but both were met by their nemesis – spin!

The run rate dropped again as both players found their feet, meaning Springfield were precariously placed at 75-4 at drinks. After doing most of the hard work, Clark then departed for 24 after picking out the point fielder playing one his favoured cut strokes, and after Frost was unlucky to be given out caught behind for 28, it was down to the all rounders to see what we could salvage from the game.

Khalid, Chalk and Pollinger all made scores in the twenties in their hunt for boundaries, but the task of winning the game was way out of reach for them after the top order had failed to set things up for them. When Ovel was last man out in the 42nd over, it had only sped up the inevitable results.

Overall, we were completely outplayed in all 3 departments; our bowling never got going on a pitch that should have provided assistance for the seamers and we easily conceded the most extras we have done all season; our fielding, whilst not being poor, lacked energy and was generally flat with silly mistakes being made throughout. There was no leadership and none of the senior players set an example for others to follow; our usually reliable top order failed to provide the platform that was needed for this chase, and with 6 players making 20 or more, it was disappointing that no one went on. Pair this with some absolutely amazing teas and Bentley really gave us a lesson this weekend. It seems silly to have to say this about the reigning champions but it really is back to basics, otherwise we simply will not be good enough for Goresbrook this weekend who must now be considered the form team in the league.
JLJ

Bentley Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
5nb 26w 6b 5lb 
for 7 wickets
42
251 (45.0 overs)		     
Pether ct  & b. Khalid 31
S Coleman ct  Symonds b. Chalk 59
P Coleman ct  Clark b. Marrion 60
Parmenter ct  Latimir J b. Chalk 7
Alee ct  Symonds b. Ovel 19
M Coleman st  Frost b. Khalid 16
Larkin ct  Symonds b. Khalid 6
Doran Not Out  13
Flack Not Out  3
Clarke  
Hawkins  

Springfield Cricket Club Saturday I Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Andy Ovel10.0057157.005.70
Ben Marrion9.0043143.004.78
Charlie Prudence3.001500.005.00
Chay Pollinger3.001900.006.33
Matt Chalk10.0053226.505.30
Wasim Khalid10.0052317.335.20

Springfield Cricket Club Saturday I Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 9w 2lb 
for 10 wickets
12
198		        
James Latimir-Jones Caught  9 16 2 56.25 1
Charlie Prudence Caught  13 19 2 68.42
Manpreet Singh Caught  0 6 0
Jim Symonds Caught  33 39 4 1 84.62 3
James Clark Caught  24 46 4 52.17 1
Chris Frost Caught  28 47 2 1 59.57 1
Chay Pollinger Caught  24 23 1 2 104.35
Matt Chalk Bowled  25 23 3 108.70
Wasim Khalid Stumped  20 17 2 1 117.65 1
Andy Ovel Stumped  8 6 1 133.33
Ben Marrion Not Out  2 5 40.0

Bentley Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Flack10.0141220.504.10
P Coleman2.501226.004.24
Alee0.10000.000.00
Hawkins9.013200.003.56
Clarke7.0036136.005.14
Doran8.5051317.005.77
M Coleman4.0023211.505.75