AMERSHAM CC

Scorecard

Marlow Park 2nd v AMERSHAM CC Saturday 2nd X1 on Sat 03 Sep 2005 at 12:30pm
AMERSHAM CC Won by 6 runs

Match report After having picked up 25 points from the previous game, Amersham II had propelled themselves from second bottom to fifth in the table before the start of play in this the crucial last round of league matches. Although standing in fifth place, Amersham were not mathematically safe from relegation and could not afford to lose to Marlow Park II who needed to win themselves to avoid being relegated. With only fifteen points seperating the five relegation candidates, it required the mathematical genius of our chief statistician and unavailable skipper Tim Aylott to calculate, on a whole side of A4, the fact that we needed to avoid losing to Marlow Park to stay up or gain at least 8 points if we lost.

We arrived at the Pound Lane ground to find a capacity crowd enjoying the carnival atmosphere of a country dancing festival. The church bells were ringing, bagpipes droaning and morris men gaily dancing around, although the attention of the younger members of the team was drawn to the multitude of young women walking past the pavilion with very short skirts!

Time to toss up or not as it happened. Cometh the hour cometh our skipper for the day Ian Rogers, thirty years of cricketing experience striding to the middle, who broke the ice with the opposing skipper by telling him the obvious, that he really needed a win and that this would be more likely achieved if he batted second. This directness obviously wrongfooted the Marlow Park skipper who graciously accepted Ian's offer to field first.

Amersham's openers Ben Langley and Andrew Viney strode to the crease but unfortunately Viney was soon back in the pavilion with score at 6-1. Paul Weston joined Langley, who together, played very sensibly in adding 94 runs until Langley (40) was dismissed with the score at 100-2 after 27 overs. This was a great platform from which the talented Amersham stroke-making middle order could build upon to set Marlow Park a formidable total. Weston (71) and Kilgannon (14) added 50 runs together in the next five overs before they both fell in quick succession, quite rightly going for their shots which left Amersham at 158-3 after 35 overs, looking set for a big total. By this time Marlow Park were feeling the strain as Ian Rogers (35), Evan Hamilton-Pike (27) and Jez Good (13) knocked the ball to all corners of the ground in bringing the score up to 235-7 off 48 overs. Thanks to some sensible hitting from Brad Holt (16 no) at the death Amersham added a further 35 runs from the last 4 overs and the innings was closed at 270-9 off 52 overs. All credit to the Marlow Park bowlers, Ali-Khan (3-38), Ayres (3-69) and Khan (2-55) who stuck to their task admirably on a good pitch and fast running outfield.

After the tea interval Ian gathered the team into an England style huddle outside the pavilion, after which we took to the field with renewed vigour. Rogers quite rightly declined the offer of the new ball and opened up with David Sidebottom and Jez Good who bowled tightly in restricting Marlow Park to 48-1 after 12 overs. Wickets were required so the new ball was taken and Brad Holt brought into the attack. This did not have the desired effect as Khan (48) hit Holt for 34 off his first two overs and was replaced by Mike Garvey at the Pound Lane end. Garvey and Sidebottom stemmed the run rate which frustrated Khan who was brilliantly caught at cover by Kilgannon trying to hit out at Sidebottom (2-55) with the score at 94-2 after 19 overs. Marlow were still in the hunt and Harris was joined by Coll who proceeded to add 94 runs in the next 17 overs, by which time Kilgannon and the evergreen Weston had been brought into the attack. With Marlow Park requiring 80 runs off 12 overs with eight wickets in hand, the game was very much theirs for the taking and with it fourth division survival. Suddenly Amersham awoke to the fact that they could lose the game and stepped up a gear and the partnership was broken when Coll (38) was brilliantly stumped by Langley off the bowling of Weston. Harris was then joined by Cassidy who added a further 35 runs together in five overs before Harris (91) was bowled by Weston, leaving Marlow Park 50 runs to get with 9 overs and 6 wickets in hand.

The tension was becoming unbearable and with the light fading quickly, a canny piece of captaincy from Rogers saw Brad Holt brought back into the attack from the River End. This had an immediate effect as Turner took off for what he thought was an easy two to third man. Lurking down there in the gloom was not the expected donkey of the team but the very agile Andrew Viney who, with a fantastic pick up and throw, scored a direct hit from at least 80 yards leaving Turner well short of his ground. Panic set in the Marlow Park dressing room and three further quick wickets fell to impressive bowling and fielding, including that of the young Cassidy who batted very well for his 39 runs before being comprehensively bowled by Holt. Captain Rogers, who was having an inspired game, took a sharp catch off the bowling of Holt and with Good luring another batsmen to take on his strong arm, became the second run out victim of the match.

Marlow Park still had a chance with 17 runs required off 3 overs and two wickets in hand, this became only one in hand when Rogers claimed his second catch off the bowling of Holt. All credit to Brad Holt who bowled terifically in his second spell, taking 3-15 from his last three overs at the death. The game was reaching its climax and with one over left all four results were possible, sevens runs required with one wicket in hand. The experienced Weston stood ready, arms and legs quivering, to bowl the last over. The Marlow Park players could hardly bear to watch and this became even worse for them when Weston began the last over with two dot balls, and then the third ball, perhaps the slower ball, was hit upwards towards the welcoming hands of Weston himself, who gratefully accepted the catch and set off like a man possessed on a victory jig around the outfield followed by all his Amersham team mates! Weston finishing the game with an excellent all-round contribution of 71 runs and 3-43.

With Amersham claiming their second successive 25 point win, this lifted us to a very creditable fourth place finish in Division 4B and should give us confidence to push for promotion in 2006.

This was a fantastic team effort and congratulations must go to both teams for playing the game in the right spirit. Thanks also to Phil Sidebottom for officiating as he has done for the whole season.

What a game and what a fantastic way to finish the league season!

* Champagne Moment - Andy Viney's direct hit from third man to run out Turner.

AMERSHAM CC Saturday 2nd X1 Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 9 wickets
0
270		        
Ben Langley Caught  40 1
Andrew Viney Lbw  1 1
Paul Weston Caught  71 1
Jack Kilgannon Caught  14 1
Ian Rogers Caught  35 2
Evan Hamilton-Pike Caught  27
Jeremy Good Caught  13
Nick Piper Lbw  5
Brad Holt Not Out  16
David Sidebottom Lbw  2 1
Mike Garvey Not Out  1

Marlow Park 2nd Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Marlow Park 2nd Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
264 (0.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

AMERSHAM CC Saturday 2nd X1 Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
David Sidebottom15.0555227.503.67
Jeremy Good6.011200.002.00
Brad Holt6.0054318.009.00
Mike Garvey8.013900.004.88
Jack Kilgannon5.003700.007.40
Paul Weston7.3043314.335.73