Cavaliers match Report v. S Weald. 10th May 2003

We seem to be going south somewhere every week. Last week South Beckenham, this week South Weald near Sevenoaks. Richard will probably ring me at 5pm on Friday to tell me we have a game in Southend on 17th May.

Showing radical surgery from last week's game, a revamped Cavaliers arrived in S Weald in 5 cars for the match. As a result we started at 2.30pm rather than 2pm as 5 of the team were on the A21 still at the scheduled start. Losing the toss we fielded first and bowled 36 overs with a damp ball in continuous drizzle on an outfield, which goes downhill in many inconvenient places, and a 25-yard boundary on one side behind Third Man from the top end.

The opposition helped themselves to 199 for 5 wickets topped up with 33 extras many no balls and wides. Wickets went to Chris Wright, Yash and Richard Black whilst Bal distinguished himself with 2 for 16 both bowled off 4 overs and a good catch. 4 other catches went to ground and some early season geriatric fielding helped the opposition to 20 runs more than they deserved. Richard Coles had best figures with 10 overs for 28 runs.

After a reasonable tea we took the field and lost wickets regularly at one end with no one getting double figures whilst Duncan Holmes helped himself to boundaries each over batting number 2. He reached his 50 out of 75 for 5 and when we lost 2 more wickets to be 82-7 with 13overs to go South Weald expected to be in the Pub by 7pm.

However, a magnificent partnership of 78 unbroken between Chris Wright 16 not out and Duncan who hammered his way to 111not out and carried his bat through the innings of 38 overs left us on 160-7 at the end of the last 20 overs which would have been a winning performance but for the 50 runs too many we gave the opposition.

Duncan scored fourteen 4`s and five 6 `s in his 111 including 3 straight sixes. This was his maiden ton and having never scored a 50 before was a great way to celebrate his 24th birthday on Friday 16th May. He would love to carry on next week but hang on there are two problems

1. He wont find a pitch with these boundaries every week
2. Hard luck Laurie, you should have taken my advice and picked him this week because he is unavailable for the next two weeks!

There are not many tons scored in games at this level and it was great to see Duncan celebrate his ton. All the side seemed genuinely pleased with the successful input of Balwinder, Chris Wright and Duncan. Everybody made some contribution to the sides performance including Richard Black with 8 hostile overs and Matt Gundry White with an obdurate lefthanders knock at number 5. This shows the Cavaliers have an excellent team spirit that should assist us in the season ahead.

Chris Atkinson
Cavaliers Captain