KEMPTON CRICKET CLUB MATCH REPORT

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Bottom of the table clash with Weybridge at their excellent out ground at Reeds School in Cobham got off to a good start with the skip winning the toss and inviting Weybridge to bat as we only had 10 players.

Opening bowlers Matt Loveridge 10-0-52-2 (1 Bowled and 1 Caught and Bowled) and Thamru Welagadara 5-0-17-0 (in two spells) got us off to a good start with wickets falling at 26 and 38.Malcolm Smith 11-2-39-2 (1 Caught by Charlie Welch and 1 LBW) replacing Tham, getting a third wicket on 46. After 20 overs Matt was replaced by James Warne 7-1-30-6 (1 LBW and 5 Bowled) with a career best performance, during which Tham was unlucky not to get a wicket with the first ball of his second spell, when he induced the Weybridge skipper to top edge one up in the air to point, where Richard Gawley entertained us with a display of juggling worthy of Billy Smart's, before he failed to hang on to the one ball as it descended to earth. Richard later apologised and promised to buy Tham a pint as soon as he was old enough to drink. Weybridge's innings collapsed with the introduction of James Warne from 113 for 4 to 148 All Out in 33 Overs, with 3 wickets falling in James's last maiden over. Extras 8 Byes,2 Leg byes,11 Wides and 8 No Balls.

In reply the Kempton innings got off to as bad a start as Weybridge's had ended, losing 2 wickets for two runs in the first over and a third wicket in the second over for no addition to the total. Opener Steve Smith 2 and Vijay 0 departing in the first over whilst Harry Lee 0 perished late in the second over. Wicketkeeper Charlie Welch 45 proving there were no demons in this pitch and he got his top score in the 4's this season with a certain amount of good fortune and with Malcolm Smith 11 pushed our score from 2 runs for 3 wickets to 31 for 4.James Warne 3 was next to go 11 runs later and Richard Gawley 0 after a couple of possible run out scares departed 1 run later. Thamru Welagadara 0 was unlucky to be run out and then Charlie was joined by Matt Loveridge 6 as they put on a stand of 14 runs to get us to 63 for 8.The skip 0 Not Out tried valiantly to help Charlie get his maiden 50 for the 4's,but after a stand of 16 runs Charlie got out caught going for another big hit. Our innings closed on 79 All Out in 24.5 overs, Extras 4 Byes,4 Leg Byes and 4 Wides.

Positives from the game, James Warne's first Pfeiffer and Charlie's 45 clearly outstanding performances, on the negative, four players being out for ducks did not help our pursuit of a modest total of 148 on the best away track we play on. Thanks to Weybridge skipper Mike Koops for being such a good host and for leaving a lasting impression on yours truly with a painful bruise on the side of the knee !