Sat May 16 2015 - 07:47: AM
- Posted by:
- DRAW
- Match Day: Sat May 16 2015 | Start Time: 07:47: AM | Venue: Home
- Type of Game: League
- Second XI 259 for 5 - Farnham Common 211 for 9
- Performance of the Day: Richard Lawrence 110 Not Out, John Hewitt 47, Simon Ball 47 and Kieron Grey 5 for 45
Match Report
The 2nd XI just couldn’t get the job done on Saturday in a one sided affair in their TVL division 5 match against Farnham Common., with Richard Lawrence and Kieran Grey the stars of bat and ball. Losing the toss (once again! – Ed) Bray were invited to have a bat on a slightly spongy looking deck, which was always going to get easier to bat on the more the sun baked down on it.
Openers John Hewitt and Richard Lawrence set about their task with authority, Hewitt, with his usual display of attacking drives, took the initiative to The Common and Bray were soon moving along nicely at 4 an over. Hewitt was the first wicket to fall, showing all the nimbleness of a oil tanker undertaking a 3 point turn, being run out having turned for a 3rd run only to be sent back. The gallery queried whether it was Lawrence’s lack of a call or the former chairman’s blind turn which attributed to his downfall, but either way he was run out for a jug avoiding 47, leaving the hosts 86-1 in the 21st over.
Not for the first time this season, Bray then slightly wobbled, first Wilding (8) somehow managed to pick out mid on with a pull shot he had all day to think about, then Cunliffe (18) fell victim to an outrageous one handed effort at square leg, before Kieran Grey (0) decided to give mid off catching practice, to leave Bray 151-4 with 15 overs to go. However with Lawrence still there, moving through the gears to reach his 50 in the 35th over, and the introduction of the in form Simon Ball, Bray took advantage of wickets in hand, and some fairly lax bowling from the Common attack, to pick up the pace. The pair put on 104 runs in 15 overs, Lawrence scoring his maiden Bray (and league – Ed) century in the 50th over. The only blot on the copy book being Ball falling for 47 on the first ball of the final over, Bray closing on 259-5, with Lawrence unbeaten on 110*.
In response Common made a solid start, with neither Amit Giri or Arul Appavoo making the batsmen work enough, Giri however created the first chance of the game when he induced Akter to edge the ball into the slip cordon, where Wilding couldn’t hold onto the catch. Common continued to frustrate the Bray opening bowlers, however a change in the bowling in the 13th over worked, with Kieran Grey introduced into the attack led to Bassi gloving the ball to Wilding where this time he made no mistake. The saying one brings two couldn’t have been more apt, as Grey removed Locab, and Appavoo took 3 quick wickets of his own to leave Common struggling on 80odd for 5 at drinks.
Common captain Matt Brown however led the rebuilding effort, taking advantage of Bray’s attacking field and ordinary bowling in the middle session, batting beautifully to bring Common back into the game with 102. When Tom Noakes removed Bassi for a patient 21, it was the reintroduction into the attack of Grey which almost won it for the home side. He first removed Brown and Wagstaff in successive balls, and then Irvine the following over, giving Bray 6 overs to take the final wicket. This however they couldn’t quite do, with Wilcox and Creighton blocking out the remaining overs to secure a draw for Common, to finish on 211-9. U15 Grey finishing with outstanding figures of 12 overs, 2 maidens, 5-45, ably supported by Arul Appavoo’s 3-40 in his 12 overs.
Overall a strong points haul of 15from Bray, who travel to Amersham 3rd XI this coming Saturday.