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Sudbury Cricket Club, Colin's Column, Week 13
| Author: Colin Walters | Published: 15th July 2013 11:21 |
Colin, the Author
Sudbury Cricket Club's Weekly Column, by Colin
Unbeaten
I know I bang on about the weather but blimey.. Not sure you could have got anything nicer than Sudbury this weekend anywhere in the world and it certainly was useful acclimatization for me as I'm off out to the middle east for a weeks work next Sunday (my contacts tell me the temperature touched 46 over the weekend.. ouch!) The only place I might have considered that I would have wanted to be was at Trent Bridge where we suckered the Aussies into thinking that they might have a chance in the Ashes then dashed their hopes with the aid of our superior ability to use technology. Well that and the worlds' best fast bowler Jimmy Anderson.
So to weekend 13 of the club season and it was definitely not unlucky for Sudbury as for the first time in 2013 the club remained unbeaten across all teams, albeit the ladies received a walkover as their opposition failed to show on Friday evening.
On Saturday, our Saturday firsts travelled to Vauxhall Mallards, consistently one of the best teams in the EAPL and with a fine bowling attack including Norfolk opener Paul Bradshaw. After the early loss of Pete Siegert, skipper Darren Batch and Ben Rees, a very talented cricketer but whose availability has not been regular this season, set about seeing off the Mallards openers. Although progress was slow, there were no further losses and gradually runs began to trickle, then flow, then gush as Rees made 1 from his first twenty balls but converted that to 116 from just another 81. Supported by Batch (68) they put on 188 for the second wicket in just 29 overs. A Saturday afternoon wouldn't be the same without a batting collapse and 193 for 1 soon became213 for 5 but excellent 30's from Rory Darkins, Jandre Coetzee and Nathan Poole, batting down the order because of a broken finger, enabled the Talbots to declare at their highest ever league score 329 for 6 wickets and collect a full hand of batting bonus points for the first time this season.
The Mallards reply started quickly and confidently but Johnny Gallagher bowled Larter in his first over with the score at 51 then he and Jandre Coetzee ripped through the Mallards top order to reduce them to 96 for 4. A stand of 73 was then followed by another mini collapse as 3 wickets fell for 1 run including a stunning catch by Ben Hyett to remove Bradshaw. Sudbury then had 8 overs to shoot out the ducks tail feathers but they couldn't quite manage it as Mallards finished on 183 for 7. Gallagher finished with 3 for 41 and Coetzee 4 for 43.
The 16 points harvested from this game were vital as, of the teams in the bottom half of the table, Copdock and Woolpit both won and Bury gathered 12 in their loss. Sudbury slip a place to 10th but are now just 14 points short of 6th. They will need to perform as well again next weekend as they take on league leaders Swardeston.
At Friars Street, Sudbury second X1 nearly muffed what should have been a comfortable win. Having restricted Abberton to 166 for 7 in their 45 overs with Andy Simmons again the star with the ball (15 overs 2 for 26) supported by skipper Matt Pears, Charlie Holt and Paul Harris with a wicket apiece, they rode the loss of a wicket first ball of the innings to be 76 for 1 when Charlie Holt was out for an excellent 33. Matt Pears soon followed for a top scored 39 and that was soon 131 for 7 as players contrived to get themselves out after getting "starts". The innings was held together by the increasingly impressive James O'Brien, who, although only scoring a dozen, hung around long enough to enable Harris to complete the game in spectacular style. I'm sure he'd be the first to admit that the MCC coaching manual and his batting style are not particularly close acquaintances but when Paul hits it, the ball stays hit and he smashed 33 in 12 balls to close out the win. The seconds remain third in Two Counties Division 3.
Phil Hallidays' Saturday thirds seem to have found the winning habit at last. They massacred the Agatha Christie select X1 from Melton St Audrey, bowling them out for just 50 in under 20 overs with Extras top scoring (13). Alan Macdairmid took 6 for 12 with every wicket being bowled and he was ably supported by Adam Clarke and the skipper with a couple of wickets each. Twenties from Chris Cook and Harry Wright enabled Sudbury to garner a full 20 points and exit the relegation places for the first time since the first week of the season. With games against the two sides above in the next three weeks there is a chance that the thirds could be in mid table by the end of the month.
On Sunday, Nathan Poole took his all-conquering first team to Mildenhall's lovely Wamil Way ground which upheld its reputation as a bowlers graveyard. Sudbury smashed 271 for 2 in their 40 overs with Jandre Coetzee making 126 not out and Rory Darkins 90. An Alex Lack 100 allowed Mildenhall to respond with 212 for 3, wickets for Darkins, James Poulson and Jake Welch. So 483 for 5 in 80 overs. Bowlers graveyard!
The Talbots are now firm favourites for the Hunts County Bats League title as Woolpit lost their unbeaten record and failed to gather full bonus points in a defeat to Hadleigh.
Alan Macdairmids Sunday seconds played a 20/20 friendly against one of the clubs sponsors and good friends the Brewery Tap and although perhaps not the highest standard of cricket seen at Friars Street this season, it was all good fun. The home team made 190 in their 20 overs with Simon Ruffell 51 in 22 balls, Will Amos 40 and Carl Waldock his highest ever score of 29. After a beer interval, in reply the Tap were soon behind the rate thanks to an excellent debut from opening bowler Neil Hornsby. Kilan Waldock and Martin Waterfall both took a couple of wickets and there was some fine fielding with two run outs from direct hits and a quite stunning catch from Talbotesses captain Ali Tiexiera. Oh yes.. some old bloke made his seasonal debut and took a couple of wickets Waiters? Walkers? Walters? Something like that anyway.
Lots to look forward to this week at Friars Street with the Saturday firsts at home to high flying Swardeston and the Sunday 1's entertaining Hockley in the Miles Radcliffe memorial trophy match. Cricket week approaches rapidly and I believe there are still a few places available in the hospitality tent for lunch on some of the days. 27th July is "crooners" night with Sinatra and Buble tribute acts. All that and yet another chance to tease the Aussies with the second test starting at Lords this Thursday. Now that really is a place I'd like to be!
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