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Sun 29 Aug 2021
Sunday XI
13:30
Crusaders
Sunday XI beat Crusaders
Tim Croom30 Aug 2021 - 21:20
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By Dan Skinner
Bearsted welcomed Crusaders, a wandering side from South London, to the Green for a friendly. Holiday season and sickness meant we only had 10 players. We lost the toss and were asked to bowl.
Harry Slevin (8-2-17-1) opened the bowling from The White Horse end. He bowled really well, swinging the ball away at pace. He also has one that jags back into the right hander. He did have some extra fire in his belly and was hitting the track hard. It may be completely coincidental but there did seem to be an attractive young filly watching and supporting him.
Skipper Lush opened from the bottom end and was as committed as ever. He clean bowled their No 2 for the first wicket.
The opposition No 3 was hard hitting. He took a particular liking to a slower delivery from Lush. The ball went straight over the sight screen, over the heads of the startled crochet club in the Women’s Institute Hall and currently forms the unexpected centrepiece of a begonia display at the Potted Garden nursery.
Slevin bowled his 8 overs unchanged, finally getting the wicket he deserved in his last over.
It was though the arrival of James West to the attack that completely changed the game. The way their No 3 had been batting, we thought we would be chasing at least 250. West started swinging the ball away from the right hander. He suddenly could hardly lay bat on ball. He played and missed several times before West bowled him.
He finished with great figures of 8-3-25-3. He would have had more but Skinner failed to hold onto a low one in the slips.
Herath (7–0-39-3) had replaced Slevin. He bowls a few too many No Balls and neeeds to work on his run up. But he has a nice action. He took one wicket courtesy of an outstanding catch at backward point. Not content with starring with the ball, James West flung himself full stretch to his left to take a brilliant diving two handed catch at ankle height. One of Herath’s wickets was clean bowled and the third was courtesy of a clever stumping by Oakland Jnr. He was standing back but noticed the batsman out of crease and threw the ball underarm to knock off the bails.
Christian Roberts bowled some tidy off spin with figures of 5-0-19-2. On two occasions the ball spun sharply, missing the bat, stumps and the keeper’s gloves to go for 4 byes.
There was an unusual delay off his bowling. The ball had been hit into the grounds of Bell House to fall into a 5ft deep hole that workmen had dug. Skipper Lush showed his commitment to the cause by clambering over the iron fence. When he slipped and sat on it, he was very grateful the balusters were rounded not spiked. He got into the hole, retrieved the muddied ball and managed to clamber out.
Cottee-Jones (4-0-22-0) joined the fray with his leg-spin. He has a nice natural rhythm.
All of the batsmen played their shots and they reached 185 for 9 off their 40 overs.
After tea, Gareth Oakland and Christian Roberts opened up. Oakland snr played some imperious straight drives but generally found the fielder. He then missed one to the leg side and was bowled for 3. Skinner came out next. The opposition bowlers did not give much away, angling the ball in from wide in the crease. The partnership progressed smoothly if not spectacularly. A new umpire was sent out with instructions for them to get on with it. At the drinks break a similar message was given. The pair remained serene however. Roberts was the dominant partner and started unleashing some lovely shots. They put on 82 before Skinner bottom edged an ambitious glance onto his stumps and was out for 25.
Skipper Lush charged out, full of his usual enthusiasm. He did not find it easy, partly because the light was poor. But by now Roberts was going great guns. The run rate was satisfactory so Lush was happy to play a supporting role letting have his partner most of the strike.
Roberts went on to score a lovely ton. Lush then opened his shoulders and we reached the target with 4 overs to spare. Lush finished on 28 and Roberts a magnificent 105 not out.
A good 8 wicket win against a nice bunch. Next week sees the important final League game of the season.
Harry Slevin (8-2-17-1) opened the bowling from The White Horse end. He bowled really well, swinging the ball away at pace. He also has one that jags back into the right hander. He did have some extra fire in his belly and was hitting the track hard. It may be completely coincidental but there did seem to be an attractive young filly watching and supporting him.
Skipper Lush opened from the bottom end and was as committed as ever. He clean bowled their No 2 for the first wicket.
The opposition No 3 was hard hitting. He took a particular liking to a slower delivery from Lush. The ball went straight over the sight screen, over the heads of the startled crochet club in the Women’s Institute Hall and currently forms the unexpected centrepiece of a begonia display at the Potted Garden nursery.
Slevin bowled his 8 overs unchanged, finally getting the wicket he deserved in his last over.
It was though the arrival of James West to the attack that completely changed the game. The way their No 3 had been batting, we thought we would be chasing at least 250. West started swinging the ball away from the right hander. He suddenly could hardly lay bat on ball. He played and missed several times before West bowled him.
He finished with great figures of 8-3-25-3. He would have had more but Skinner failed to hold onto a low one in the slips.
Herath (7–0-39-3) had replaced Slevin. He bowls a few too many No Balls and neeeds to work on his run up. But he has a nice action. He took one wicket courtesy of an outstanding catch at backward point. Not content with starring with the ball, James West flung himself full stretch to his left to take a brilliant diving two handed catch at ankle height. One of Herath’s wickets was clean bowled and the third was courtesy of a clever stumping by Oakland Jnr. He was standing back but noticed the batsman out of crease and threw the ball underarm to knock off the bails.
Christian Roberts bowled some tidy off spin with figures of 5-0-19-2. On two occasions the ball spun sharply, missing the bat, stumps and the keeper’s gloves to go for 4 byes.
There was an unusual delay off his bowling. The ball had been hit into the grounds of Bell House to fall into a 5ft deep hole that workmen had dug. Skipper Lush showed his commitment to the cause by clambering over the iron fence. When he slipped and sat on it, he was very grateful the balusters were rounded not spiked. He got into the hole, retrieved the muddied ball and managed to clamber out.
Cottee-Jones (4-0-22-0) joined the fray with his leg-spin. He has a nice natural rhythm.
All of the batsmen played their shots and they reached 185 for 9 off their 40 overs.
After tea, Gareth Oakland and Christian Roberts opened up. Oakland snr played some imperious straight drives but generally found the fielder. He then missed one to the leg side and was bowled for 3. Skinner came out next. The opposition bowlers did not give much away, angling the ball in from wide in the crease. The partnership progressed smoothly if not spectacularly. A new umpire was sent out with instructions for them to get on with it. At the drinks break a similar message was given. The pair remained serene however. Roberts was the dominant partner and started unleashing some lovely shots. They put on 82 before Skinner bottom edged an ambitious glance onto his stumps and was out for 25.
Skipper Lush charged out, full of his usual enthusiasm. He did not find it easy, partly because the light was poor. But by now Roberts was going great guns. The run rate was satisfactory so Lush was happy to play a supporting role letting have his partner most of the strike.
Roberts went on to score a lovely ton. Lush then opened his shoulders and we reached the target with 4 overs to spare. Lush finished on 28 and Roberts a magnificent 105 not out.
A good 8 wicket win against a nice bunch. Next week sees the important final League game of the season.
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