Crown Wood Vs. Stoke Row
Date: 2nd May, 2009.
Venue: St. Sebastians, Crown Wood.
Toss: Crown Wood won the toss and elected to field.
Result: Crown Wood (26) beat Stoke Row (2) by 9 wickets.
Pitch: A touch green although decent pace and carry. Some occasional ‘tennis ball’ bounce but all-in-all a fine wicket for early May.
Weather: The dawning of a new season was greeted with fabulous, warm sunshine. Long may it continue!!
Highlights: The expected control of Ravi Godbole (11-2-34-2) and Jay Jeyerajah (11-5-22-1) for Crown Wood, supplemented by a fine spell from Kamran Iftikhar (12-4-32-4); Thamindu Wedatlike’s 37 and Iftikhar’s unbeaten 90 ensured an emphatic victory during the run chase.
Catering: A decent selection of sandwiches and a healthy portion of fresh fruit (the melon particularly good) and assorted chocolatey luxuries. Something may have gone wrong with the sausage rolls however!
Report: A marvellous all-round performance from Kamran Iftikhar helped Crown Wood annihilate Stoke Row at St. Sebastians last Saturday. Having taken 4-32 with the ball, the opening batsman proceeded to ac*****ulate a classy 90* and eased Wood to a comprehensive nine wicket victory.
Having won the toss, Crown Wood captain Ravi Godbole had no hesitation in asking Stoke Row to bat first with the obvious intent of allowing his side to ease into their first league game of the season.
Indeed, this decision almost proved to have the ‘Midas Touch’ when a vociferous appeal arose as early as the third ball – in a battle of respective captain’s the ever-reliable Godbole and his teammates felt aggrieved when an appeal for caught behind against Maharajas leader Richard Ashton was rejected. Yet both Godbole and fellow opening bowler Shabrin Maujoon bowled economical spells and gave Ashton and Will Macdonald very little to punish.
Whilst Ashton’s luck continued to hold – dropped at both slip and ‘keeper off Maujoon – Macdonald began to ease himself into his form of 2008 until an attempted cut from a Godbole short ball was well held by Nizlam Nazim who was standing up to the stumps. Stoke Row 39-1.
Further ac*****ulation of runs saw the introduction of off-spinner Jay Jeyerajah, and he nearly worked the oracle as soon as his second ball, when Ashton was dropped for a third time - on this occasion Raz Rubbani could not hold on to a powerfully struck drive. Yet Ashton’s luck could not hold forever, and shortly after receiving instruction that a lottery ticket purchase may be in order, he too got a faint edge through to Nazim. Indeed, the edge was so fine that only Nazim appealed, yet Ashton walked and the score read 65-2.
In an attempt to add solidity to the order, youngster Josh Browne was promoted to number 4, and, with the experienced Oliver Nowell looking in fine fettle at the other end, a score of 170 appeared in the offing. However, a disastrous middle order collapse saw Nowell spoon a catch to extra cover, Browne have his stumps rearranged by Jeyerajah and Darren Clark run out brilliantly by Thamindu Wedatalike. A promising start had faded into the mire and Row stood on 81-5.
Yet Stoke are nothing if not gritty and committed and a fine sixth-wicket stand between the returning Nicky Howell and Christopher Young put the Maharajas right back in the mix. Timing the ball sweetly, the pair added 45 in just 8 overs before both fell to Iftikhar in the space of three balls – arguably the crucial stage of the game. One suspects that if the duo had batted the last five overs that a score in the region of 175 could have been attained.
As it was, despite a couple of lusty blows from Dion Sampson, including one quite outrageous sweep shot that nearly went for a maximum, and Marcus Lunnon’s run-scoring affiliation with St. Sebastians continuing (1*), Row were restricted to 146-8 – a fair score possibly twenty light of par.
As is often their wont, Stoke elected to take the old ball and spinners Macdonald and Clark bowled tidily although without a great deal of menace. Iftikhar gave one half-chance to slip where Ashton failed to cling on, but he and Wedatalike generally appeared in complete control.
After ten overs Ashton opted to take the new ball, but this decision backfired. The added pace on the ball saw 25 scored in the 4 over burst of Lunnon and Browne, and suddenly the required rate was irrelevant. Yet Stoke Row kept plugging away, and debutant seamer Charlie Macdonald enjoyed a solid, albeit unlucky first spell. With Christopher Young his usual economical self, drinks were taken after 22 overs with Wood cruising on 87-0.
Row utilised a seventh bowler immediately after drinks, and Dion Sampson displayed flickers of his class from the previous two years. Yet as the target came closer and closer, Row’s fielding became increasingly sloppy and the South African’s figures were not to match the skill with which he bowled.
Iftikhar, by now struggling with cramp and needing a runner, began to cash in on a subdued Row, and despite Clark taking his maiden Premier Division wicket, Crown eased to a nine-wicket victory off the penultimate ball off the 35th over.
All in all, there is no hiding the fact that Crown Wood completely outplayed Stoke Row across all three disciplines. Whilst Wood’s four-strong attack bowled with control, Row were always willing to send down at least one ‘four-ball’ per over. In a cruel circle, this enabled Wood’s batsman to thus be patient and punish some shoddy bowling, whilst Stoke’s proved impatient and thus got themselves out.
Yet most noticeably, and most disappointing from a Stoke Row point of view, was the gulf in class between the standard of fielding. Whilst Crown did drop a trio of chances, there existed an energy that was clearly lacking in Row’s response. In short, where Crown Wood would ‘walk in’, Stoke would amble.
It is abundantly clear then that Stoke Row have much work to do before being confronted with local rivals Peppard. In contrast, Crown Wood have laid down an impressive early-season marker and will undoubtedly be looking forward to their clash with Sulhamstead & Ufton next Saturday.
In other results from the first weekend of the FNG-BCL season, champions Mortimer were humbled at home to newly promoted S&U. Having posted a decent score of 198-9 (Bob Hodson striking a half-century), the Premiership new boys chased down the target with three wickets remaining to signpost the fact that they will be challengers this season.
The other promoted side, and many people’s fancy for the title this season, Grosvenor, faired less well, sliding to a six-wicket defeat at last year’s runners-up Swindon NALGO. Unsurprisingly last year’s Bowler of the Year, Usman Sahar, again shone, taking 4-50. Ross Taylor’s unbeaten 44 helped NALGO chase down Grosvenor’s 172 with relative ease.
Top of the table after the first week are Sandhurst, who shocked Peppard by 39 runs. A destructive spell from Andrew Bradshaw ensured that ‘Hurst could defend what may likely have appeared a chaseable total.
The final game of the day saw undoubtedly the individual performance of the day, as Jags Dhillon stroked a masterful 162 for Pinkneys Green in their draw with Emmbrook & Bearwood. New E&B skipper Matt Hayman again proved his class however, taking 4-47 before a stoic unbeaten 71 helped his side secure a losing draw.
As stated previously, round 2 sees Stoke Row host local rivals Peppard, whilst Crown Wood travel to the picturesque Sulhamstead. Elsewhere Pinkneys host Swindon, whilst Mortimer West End travel to table-topping Sandhurst. Lastly Grosvenor host Emmbrook
