KEMPTON CRICKET CLUB MATCH REPORT

DATE :                                      7th MAY 2011.

TEAM                                       3rd XI

OPPONENTS                          SANDERSTEAD

TYPE OF MATCH                   LEAGUE

VENUE                                     KEMPTON 

RESULT                                   WON BY 17 RUNS

.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................          

The first league weekend of the 2011 season saw Kempton host Sanderstead, with the visitors keen to field first on a damp wicket after winning the toss. Kempton openers David Maidment and Mo Sandhu begun steadily against some economical bowling by Ottewill and Ekem, but with the score on 22, Maidment was first to depart lbw and was closely followed by Sandhu. Trevor Warne had a rare short stay at the wicket, caught sweeping at deep-square leg for 2 to Leg-spinner Aeschlimann. Amongst the fall of early wickets, Ben Green patiently built his innings by putting away any bad balls, as he and Dylan Richards helped the home team to consolidate. Following a useful partnership, Dylan Richards became the forth batsman to depart and was quickly followed by skipper Si Arscott, who successfully slapped a long-hop to extra cover.

Amongst the carnage, Ben Green had moved serenely to fifty, but soon after reaching the landmark, played his first poor shot to be caught at deep mid-off. Kempton desperately needed the tail to wag if the bowlers were to have a total capable of being defended. Wayne ‘Biggy’ Morgan arrived in a flurry of bat swings to some effect, But it was Nick Peters and Jon Mason (Yes Jon Mason) who helped edge Kempton to a total close to par. Nick and Jon used the long handle to good effect, putting the ball away to the boundary at regular intervals. Matt Loveridge also provided good support before the innings was ended with the dismissal of Peters for 29, with 49 runs added for the last two wickets. Credit must go to spinner Chris Aeschlimann who bowled an outstanding unbroken spell of 17.3 overs, taking 7 wickets for 65 runs, and spin-partner Keith Haynes, for restricting the home team to less than 200. However, the final total of 184 was a big achievement and the momentum gained gave the home team confidence that it could be defended.

The hosts took the old ball, and Trevor Warne’s off breaks, in partnership with the pace of Jon Mason, restricted the Sanderstead reply to less than 2 an over. Openers Walters and Tom Ottewill were both dismissed early to the hostile Mason, before skipper Tom Palfrey and David Ottewill helped steady the ship. Trevor’s miserly opening spell was rewarded with the wicket of Palfrey, caught behind for 24, with Ottewill finding it difficult to get the ball away. With the skies becoming increasingly overcast, the Kempton bowling was rotated in search of quick wickets in the pursuit of victory.

This seemed to spark the Sanderstead chase into life as Ottewill started to free his arms, taking the bowling apart as the home team began to lose its grip. The bowling in the middle orders lacked control, as a flurry of fours and sixes edged the away team into a strong position. Bateson and Morgan were able to pick up a wicket each as the runs dried up from one end, but runs still flowed regularly from the bat of Ottewill. In order to exert some control, opening bowlers Warne and Mason were bought back. But despite having fielders patrolling all parts of the outfield, Ottewill was still able to hit the ball between or over them as the total grew. Kempton were forced to try and make inroads at the other end in the few balls that the batsman were able to face. Effective bowling from Mason and Warne meant Kempton were able to take wickets as all three results became possible. With 18 runs needed for victory, Trevor Warne trapped the last-man in front of the stumps, mainly thanks to his quick thinking, by using the lesser-seen ‘Jazz hands’ appeal to secure the decision. Ottewill was left stranded on 79 having done brilliantly to farm the bowling in amongst a myriad of big shots.

Kempton were thankful to the extra runs the tail were able to eek-out to allow the bowlers to secure a narrow victory. Improvements must be made in all three disciplines if they are to continue the winning run against Addiscombe next Saturday.