2s win v Headcorn

After the cold wind of last week’s friendly match there was a change in the weather for this match. This week it was cold AND wet.
Headcorn were the visitors for this 35 over match. With skipper Croom having had a long season and needing a rest Tim Lush took charge. After negotiations between the captains Bearsted batted.

Lush himself faced the first ball of the match. Sadly after missing a full straight delivery and being given out l.b.w and it was Richard Luxton who faced the second ball. The opposition opening bowlers were good but Luxton and Simon Barker saw them eventually putting on 93 for the second wicket.

Barker did carefully chip a catch to the opposition’s best fielder who inexplicably put him down but went on to make an excellent 43 before being bowled. Luxton played some classy shots although could have been run out a few times with direct hits. Much to the delight of his teammates he reached his 50 before being bowled.

Skinner hit one nice boundary before misjudging a quicker ball and being bowled for 6. Will Terry struck 14 before charging the slow bowler. Sadly he missed the ball when half way down the track and despite a sterling effort to recover his ground was stumped.

Daly fell for 1, Benjamin for 5, Feehan a duck, and Gutteridge for 2. Ben Lush hit a magnificent straight 6 but was soon out for 10. We were bowled out for an unimpressive 149 with Wides being the third highest scorer.

There were numerous rain interruptions but the pitch had held up well and a lack of application seemed to be the cause of several wickets.
Tea was taken and many nervous glances were cast at the sky when we realised it was our turn to go out and field.

Steve Benjamin opened down the slope and initially looked rusty. He took a wicket though in his first over thanks to a catch from Tim Lush despite not bowling that well. Thereafter he bowled magnificently in two spells. Jack Feehan (2-0-20-0) opened the bowling and looked like he had wintered well, never really hitting a full enough length.

Ben Lush replaced him and bowled well conceding only 25 runs in 6 overs. Will Terry and Ian Gutteridge bowled nicely both taking a wicket. Terry deserved more than one and indeed would have a second had the increasingly decrepit Dan Skinner not dropped the opposition skipper with an easy chance that took him to his half century.

Martin Daly came on and was quickly into his smooth rhythm, hitting the seam nicely. His 5 overs only went for 14 runs when the opposition were in a run chase.
With the opposition skipper looking classy and comfortable, Benjamin and Gutteridge were brought back at the death in what seemed a fairly hopeless cause. The opposition were nicely placed with wickets in hand.

Benjamin’s last over, the penultimate of the game, was outstanding. He conceded just one run and finished with fabulous figures of 8-2-17-1. With the opposition needing 14 off the last over the game was in the balance, with all the pressure on Gutsy. He stepped up to the plate and bowled well. With Headcorn needing 4 to win off the last ball he bowled a full length and they could only scamper a single.

Despite an average batting performance we had somehow won the game.
The League starts next week with a home game against Otford.