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Stoke Row 1st XI: Stoke Row trimuph despite Godbole Heroics
Posted on Monday, June 30, 2008 @ 11:05:01 CEST by theumpire |
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dennis writes A quite magnificent 82 from Crown Wood captain Ravi Godbole was not enough to prevent a severely under-strength Stoke Row side from claiming a nail-biting 18 run victory in a game which was an outstanding advertisement for the FNG-BCL Premier Division.
Stoke Row Captain Richard Ashton elected to bat on what appeared a superb wicket at St. Sebastian’s, on an afternoon bathed in sunshine and with an outfield of the highest order. The early dominance of opening pair Titch Vickers and Will Macdonald paid testimony to this decision, as, Macdonald in particular, they took an aggressive approach against the bowling of Godbole and James Taylor. Whilst Macdonald’s flicks through mid-wicket were of the highest order, a huge straight driven six by Vickers, something of a trademark, was undoubtedly the shining light in the early exchanges. In an opening salvo lasting nine overs, the pair rattled along at six an over, until Vickers slapped a long hop into the gleeful hands of Sargeant at extra cover.
Whilst this proved something of a setback for Row, the form and class of number three Oliver Nowell has been a feature of their solid batting performances. Once again he contributed a fine innings, and, with Macdonald reaching a well-deserved, and classy, half-century, Stoke were well poised on 81-1 after 17 overs. As is so often the case in the Premier Division, however, the game swung quickly on its’ head, as Macdonald was bowled by a ball that kept low, and then the previously untouchable Sam Boughton swatted a full toss to mid-on. Stoke were suddenly 96-3.
Row captain Ashton has endured something of a miserable run with the bat since returning from a double fracture of the arm, yet he began to show some of his form of old in a domineering 24, which included one beautifully struck straight six. However, his determination to play the aggressor proved his downfall, as a wild drive at the returning Taylor resulted in a spooned catch to cover. Realising the need for stability, debutant Josh Browne was bumped up the order, and he responded with aplomb. Although the youngster and Nowell added a mere 25, the knowledge that Row possessed a significantly longer tail than usual was dealt with professionally, and the duo manoeuvred the ball cleverly in the face of some tight bowling from Wood, and in particular, Rob Crook.
The fall of Nowell, for a well-crafted 41, signalled the introduction of George Baker, who, for the second game in succession, upped the proverbial ante. Striking the ball cleanly, he raced to 22, before finally holing out shortly after Browne had nailed a drive down long-on’s throat. Despite Marcus Lunnon’s promotion to number 9 resulting in his first league runs in 23 months, and 21 games, the weakness of the Row tail was exposed by Crook, who finished with the excellent figures of 5-26. However, a total of 192 was well beyond that envisioned by the Maharajas at the start of their innings.
The absence of new ball bowlers Fenn and Phillips may have, in hindsight, proved the difference between victory and defeat for Row. Whereas the new ball flew from the bat at the beginning of the Stoke innings, Captain Ashton was left with little choice but to take the old ball and begin proceedings with spinner Macdonald and an irritated Boughton. The pairing bowled magnificently.
First to fall was key Wood man Thamindu Wedatalike, who top edged a pull, and shortly after, Taylor attempted a sweep to a full Macdonald delivery which struck him in line with middle stump. When Boughton had Rubbani caught behind by Vickers, Jeyerajah hit a Macdonald full toss to Waghorn at mid-on, and Browne’s calm run out of Cartledge had been completed, Crown had slumped to 49-5. The further dismissals of Sargeant, Crook and Nizam left Wood 76-8, yet crucially, Macdonald’s wonderful 15-over spell of 4-33 had to conclude. With Boughton removed from the attack after 12, and with the aforementioned bowlers missing, as well as key spinner Dion Sampson, Godbole took the game by the scruff of the neck.
Aided by an innings of exceptional maturity by youngster Martin Dixon, who will surely move further up the order in the coming weeks, the ninth wicket stand punished some lacklustre bowling form Stoke’s support bowlers. Godbole reached an imperious fifty with two fine cuts of the youngster Browne, but the re-introduction of Boughton soothed Stoke nerves as he dismissed Dixon for a gutsy 20.
Yet Wood continued to fight bravely, and number 11, John Cartledge provided further proof of the gulf in class between the Premier Division and that which Stoke have been accustomed during their rise through the leagues. Displaying sound technique, and giving Godbole strike where possible, the last-wicket pairing had Row worried to the point where Ashton had nine fielders on the boundary, anxious to avoid a calamitous defeat.
With just fifty-two needed from the last ten overs, albeit with just one wicket remaining, the introduction of part-time seamer Christopher Young proved something of a master-stroke, as his economy of four an over ensured an ever increasing required rate for Wood. In fairness to the home side, they continued to attack, and, when Godbole struck a boundary from the first ball of Baker’s penultimate over, Crown needed just 19 from 11 balls to claim a remarkable victory.
Yet as is so often the case, the nearer a chasing side comes to victory the harder it becomes, and, with just seven balls remaining, Godbole gave a faint edge, and immediately walked, to send Stoke into raptures. The dismissed never deserved to be on the losing side, but, as they say, cricket is a funny old game.
This fixture was a triumph for the FNG-BCL. Players of substantial ability put on a display of the highest calibre, and produced a game of nerve-racking tension. A pair of young sides went at it ‘hammer and tongs’, yet the game was played in a marvellous spirit and there was a great deal of mutual respect between the sides, exemplified by the acknowledgement of a batsman’s half century being clapped by the fielding side. It is this sort of game that makes individuals, and clubs as a whole, enjoy cricket.
In other games during the weekend, the league proved as open as it has been from the outset. The previously untouchable Mortimer West End came unstuck at pre-match bottom of the table Woodcote, for whom James Wheeler produced yet another man-of-the-match display. Swindon NALGO capitalised on MWE’s misfortune to snatch top spot, with Shaz Khan triumphing with the bat, and the deadly duo of Usman Sahar and Amritendru Das again amongst the wickets against Sandhurst. Embrook demolished the high-flying Pinkneys Green, with Matt Hayman again proving himself one of the league’s top bowlers, and Peppard gained their first win with a convincing triumph over Shinfield – Paul Vines the star of the show with an unbeaten 119.
At the half-way stage, this season’s Feisal Nahaboo Global BCL Premier Division is the most open in years. It would be a very brave man who bet on the final standings, and one can be certain that there will be many twists and turns in the coming weeks.
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