Sunday XI v The Frogs 26th August 2018
M & B lost by five wickets to The Frogs on Sunday at Bray, on a surprisingly sunny day. Skipper Armstrong had no hesitation in batting upon winning the toss and openers Will Ballantyne and Ben Ward senior fronted up to the strong looking seam attack of Ealing's Tom Marshall and Ickenham's Trivedi. Ward was off the mark with an edge to the third man boundary. Ballantyne opened his boundary account with an elegant cover drive. Ward appeared to enjoy the extra pace of Trevedi as he edged him wide of the slips and then played a beautiful cover drive along the deck. Ballantyne was his normal compact self, strong in defence and the drive, cut and flick through leg, as the opening bowlers struggled to stem the run flow. Ward managed four boundaries off Trevedi in the 10th over, an edge and guide through third man and two drives, as M & B raced to 57 in 10 overs, exceeding Armstrong's expectations. A double bowling change was forced upon the Frogs. The wily flight of A Marsahll and Eversley's Alex Sykes were next into the firing line. Marshall hit a good line and flighted length immediately, after a few early wides Sykes eventually found his line. A Marshall made the initial breakthrough having Ward caught at backward point as he tried to drive and got a leading edge. Nonetheless an excellent knock of 35 from Ben Ward, which contained eight boundaries - reaping early rewards of a coaching session with Sean. His wicket brought a rare appearance to the crease of Yusuf Qureshi, playing only his second game of the season. He was off the mark immediately edging Marshall through the slips for four. Having not picked up bat for so long Qureshi looked surprisingly fluent as he rotated the strike with Ballantyne. Just prior to the drinks break the Frogs introduced the legspin of Joe O'Gorman, who landed his spin immediately on a length as Ballantyne played out an opening maiden. M & B took drinks at 91 for 1 after 20 overs, with Armstrong eyeing a score of 200+. Alas his ambitions were short lived as O'Gorman breached Qureshi's defences with a wrong un that clattered into the stumps as he trudged off for 13. In the next over the limpet like Ballantyne feathered a guide to third man into the wicket keeper's gloves off Marshall to depart for a well made 44 which contained six boundaries. In the 23rd over Tifler Amin was bamboozled by another wrong un and was lbw to O'Gorman, followed next ball by Sunday debutant, James King, who guided a leg break into gully's hands, meaning M & B had crashed from 94 for 1 to 94 for 5 in the space of ten deliveries. Kieran Grey and Gunbarul both hit early boundaries off the spinners to get the scoreboard off the dreaded score of 94 but Grey soon departed getting a leading edge back to O'Gorman as he looked to turn a leg break to the on side. Having just got a drive over mid off for two Monsieur Le Clerq was given out lbw attempting to sweep O'Gorman, although he claimed to have edged it. A Marshall finished his spell at the Road End with figures of 8/2/21/2 and was repalceed by M & B 's own legend, Thomas Allen. Gunbarul greeted him by striking his first ball to the boundary, for a change GT composed himself and finished the over tidily with no further runs being scored. After O'Gorman dismissed Master Vaja for zero, trying to drive over extra cover, Frogs pulled O'Gorman out of the attack with figures of 7/2/11/6, to prevent further embarrassment, with M & B on 122 for 8 after 31 overs. Swapnil Manchanda batted sensibly with Gunbarul for 5 overs, managing to rotate the strike and hit the odd boundary. Manchanda was dismissed for 5 in the 37th over with the score on 134 for 9, as Armstrong came to the wicket. The last pair managed to reach the last over with M & B on 142. GT was taken out of the attack with respectable figures of 6/1/14/0 and replaced by declaration bowler McCarthy. Perhaps Frogs skipper Sargeant hoped he could at least pitch the ball as the first four deliveries disappeared for 4,4,6,4 courtesy of Gunbarul, before he was well caught by Sykes on the midwicket boundary next ball. M & B ended at 161 all out which was at least 40 below par, but something to bowl at.
M & B opened the bowling with pacers Gunbarul from the River End and Kieran Grey from the Road End. As per previous years M & B were up against the staunch defence of left hander Rolland, who upset the bowlers line and was fluent on the cut and nurdle down to fine leg. After a few unconvincing shots Grey saw the back of McCarthy, as he beat him for pace and hit the top of off stump. After a few flicks to the boundary through midwicket Sykes was also dismissed by Grey, courtesy of a fine grab at first slip by Will Ballantyne. After an accurate but wicketless first six overs, Armstrong replaced Gunbarul with the slow bowling of Swapnil Manachanda, hoping he would cause as many problems as the Frogs slow bowlers. Grey was bowled through to record figures of 8/0/34/2. Rolland was joined at the wicket by Tom Marshall and together they took the Frogs serenely along. Although Manchanda caused problems and was accurate the wickets didn't come. Marshall was solid in defence and good on the cut and back cut against the spinner. The longer his innings went the more fluent he became on the drive. Grey was replaced by Master Vaja from the Road End, who continued to keep the scoring in check. With one of his worse balls, a full toss on off stump, he accounted for Rolland who hit cover as he tried to drive through extra cover, and was easily caught for a well grafted 42 by Grey, leaving The Frogs on 93 for 3. Vaja completed his age restricted allocation of 6/1/10/1, at the same time Manchanda completed his spell, 8/1/32/0. Armstrong brought on Monsieur Le Clerq and himself for the final overs. Some loose full toss bowling from Monsieur Le Clerq gifted Marshall some easy runs, as the Frogs sped to their victory target. Armstrong, despite completely losing his run, did manage to dismiss Chalk, courtesy of a well taken catch by Grey. Two boundaries from Trevedi off Armstrong in the 36th over brought The Frogs victory by 5 wickets, with Marshall 71 no.