Stoke Row Vs. Peppard
Date: 9th May, 2009.
Venue: Newlands Lane, Stoke Row.
Toss: Peppard won the toss and elected to bat.
Result: Stoke Row (3) lost to Peppard (32) by 64 runs
Pitch: Prepared for Stoke Row’s bowler’s - no pace, but presenting turn and bounce for the slower bowlers – a Nevil Road, Bristol wicket from the Gloucestershire halcyon days of Smith, Lewis, Harvey, Alleyne, Ball and Snape!!
Weather: Again magnificent. Sun, sun and more sun – although Row may hope for rain until the University returnees!!!
Highlights: Spin twins Darren Clark (12-5-16-2) and Will Macdonald (11-5-19-3) were magnificent for Stoke Row. Vines brothers Paul (11-6-29-3) and Tim (9-4-18-3) did the damage for Peppard. The crucial innings was played by Peppard skipper Hugh Asquith – an unbeaten 27 pushed Peppard from a potentially demoralising and sub-par score of around 100 to 135-7.
Catering: Exquisite. Premier Division Sides will struggle to replicate the feast provided by Marcus Lunnon and Sarah Walker. A wide variety of sandwiches (white and brown bread - Beef and Tomato, Egg Mayonnaise, Ham and Cheese, Cheese and Onion, Tuna, Ham Salad), numerous cakes, fresh fruit including pineapple and a nice bonus of sausage rolls, pork pies and scotch eggs.
Report: As the fifth season of hit Sky1 show ‘LOST’ draws to its’ conclusion amidst numerous baffling ‘time-travelling’ questions, Stoke Row were left to regret a repeat performance from as short ago as 9 months. Whilst the U.S. drama flits between 1978 and the present, Stoke were left to lick their wounds following July 5th, 2008, part 2. Chasing a very manageable score, Row’s powerful batting line-up imploded to give Peppard a deserved 64-run victory at Newlands Lane.
Having won the toss under glorious blue skies, it was no surprise that Peppard elected to bat first, and despite the best efforts of debutant Michael Butler, and South African Maestro Dion Sampson, the visitors’ opening batsman Andy Watts and Ronnie Brock made impressive early head-way. After 8 overs, Peppard had cruised to 30-0, and looked set for a score in excess of 200.
Yet a local derby inevitably presents an opportunity for captaincy and inside knowledge to come to the fore, and alas it did. Knowing that the ever-destructive Brock has an inertion to propel the ball over extra-cover, Stoke Row placed a man in said position from the outset. Whilst the ball that dismissed Brock can only be described as a rank full-toss, a catch by Christopher Young at deep-extra gave his former Nettlebed accomplice Butler a first Row victim.
Whilst this dismissal was somewhat unfortunate, the arrival of the classy Tim Vines would have precipitated Peppard thoughts of a mammoth total. Indeed, he looked as elegant as ever, before inexplicably splicing a Darren Clark full toss into the gleeful hands of Stoke skipper Rich Ashton. Although the ‘wicket-ball’ was again fortunate, the manner with which Clark had delivered the previous over and a half, constantly pressurising, may have initiated the shot.
With Clark proving some of his ex-Goring colleagues highly incorrect (questions had outrageously been raised about his Premier Division credentials!!), and off-spinner Will Macdonald bowling his usual immaculate line, Row began to strangle their opponents. With the pitch offering assistance to these slower bowlers, a collapse ensued, and in quick succession the valuable trio of Andy Watts, Paul Vines and Gerry Bacon were dismissed. Peppard were reeling on 64-5.
However, at this point a young and possibly naive Stoke Row side were taught a lesson by the experienced Peppard captain Hugh Asquith. As this report later details, a side cannot expect to win FNG-BCL Premier Division games if they do not bat their 45 overs. Now a veteran, Asquith is wholly aware of this, and proceeded to play with diligence and caution in compiling a vital 27 from 87 balls.
Despite Stoke’s bowling attack fairing far better than the previous week, and with Clark and Macdonald simply exceptional, a late order flurry from Mick Chard Sr. saw ‘The Irish Rugby Team’ (as Ashton had described Peppard in pre-season) post a competitive 135-7 from their 45 overs, despite the best efforts of both Butler and Sampson who returned to bowl tidy second spells.
In reply, Stoke Row appeared fully award that the Vines brothers would ‘come hard’ at them, especially following the previous years encounter when the Maharajas slumped to 5-3 chasing 146 after just 9 balls and the brothers bowled with great skill and hostility. Yet Row openers Ashton and Macdonald appeared at ease with the task at hand, and, Ashton in particular, played aggressively. This was most noticeable against the short ball, which was thrice smashed for boundaries. After 4.1 overs, Row stood 30-0 and an early conclusion appeared inevitable.
And so it came to pass, although not in the manner that Stoke would have wished for. Again showing their experience and ability, Peppard ‘read the wicket’, and Paul Vines in particular resorted to bowling cutters rather than anything approaching his usual pace. After an enterprising, yet ultimately futile 20 from 19 balls, Ashton mis-hit a slower ball to mid-on, where Ian Jackson took a smart catch, and the following over, another Vines slower ball accounted for Will Macdonald, bowled behind his legs. With Tim Vines trapping Oliver Nowell plum in front, Stoke had slumped to 34-3.
A doughty fourth wicket stand between Nicky Howell and the aforementioned Clark appeared to be bringing the Maharajas back into the game, before a contentious leg before decision dismissed Howell. Whilst this decision may have been unfortunate, it is imperative to note that Stoke were unable to provide an umpire themselves, and for the second week in a row, Peppard aficionado Ian Halliday was willing to do 90 overs at the bowler’s end. He remains, at least from this correspondents view, arguably the finest umpire in the Premier Division.
With Christopher Young quickly following to a caught behind appeal, and George Baker brilliantly caught on the deep square leg boundary by Paul Vines, Stoke had collapsed to 54-6. Another rearguard from Clark and youngster Josh Browne negotiated a number of the Vines’ brothers allocation, but a change of bowling saw Clark unfortunately dismissed to a ball that kept low from medium-pace Watts.
With this dismissal Row’s hopes were effectively ended, and, in quick order, Browne and Butler were cleaned up by Matt Reeves, before Watts claimed a second scalp when Gerry Bacon smartly stumped Sampson. Stoke were thus dismissed somewhat humiliatingly for 71, from just 27.1 overs.
Despite the differentiation in points – Peppard 32, Stoke Row 3 – this was very much a nip and tuck game, and the Maharajas certainly improved ten-fold from their inept display at Crown Wood the preceding week. Played for the most part in a tremendous spirit, this was a fine advertisement for the FNG-BCL, and both sides communed post-match to reminisce about an absorbing contest.
In terms of future prospects for both sides, there is no doubt that Stoke Row are truly lacking the all-round class of both Sam Boughton and Australian Cameron Phillips. With those two returning in the coming weeks, alongside batsman Sam Fletcher, Row will look to, and must, push on. The return of paceman Toby Fenn can also not come soon enough.
As for Asquith’s ‘O’Driscoll set’, they are now right back on track to replicate Grand Slam ’09 as opposed to World Cup ’07 which was looming following their loss to Sandhurst the previous week and at the half-way stage of Saturday’s contest. They possess a strong batting line-up which, allied to some shrewd captaincy and general experience, should hold them in very good stead.
In other FNG-BCL games, newly-promoted Sulhamstead & Ufton recorded a second straight victory to rocket to the top of the table. Their emphatic 142 run victory over Crown Wood saw them garner 35 points, with this season’s early superstar David James again shining with both bat and ball (65 and 3-16). Jamie Seward (74) and Tristan Evans (44) both shined with the bat, before Patrick Phillips (3-40) ensured success.
Elsewhere, last year’s runners-up Swindon NALGO hover ominously over the rest of the league, following a second consecutive triumph. Zain Ahmed tood 7-29 as they skittled Pinkeys Green for just 124, and a five wicket triumph was duly recorded.
In the final two games, last years champions Mortimer West End returned to winning ways with a comfortable six wicket victory at Sandhurst (Tom Prinn 92*), whilst title favourites Grosvenor were again unable to win, this time being held to a winning draw over Emmbrook & Bearwood. Grosvenor posted 184 with Toheed Nasir scoring 58, before E&B made 15-8 from their allotted 45 overs.
