Date: 8th May, 2010.
Venue: Jack Booth’s Ground, Sulhamstead.
Toss: Sulhamstead won the toss and elected to bowl.
Result: Stoke Row (21) claimed a winning draw over Sulhamstead (7).
Pitch: Occasionally somewhat two-paced, most likely due to the overnight rain, but all in all a good wicket for the time of year.
Weather: Utterly miserable. Cold, overcast and more suited to rugby or football, although the sun began to creep out from behind the cloud in the 44th over of the Sulhamstead reply.
Highlights: A magnificent 103* from Will Macdonald kept Stoke Row afloat against some high quality bowling from Phil Braithwaite (4-33). Steve Belcher made 40 for the hosts; Macdonald (3-15) and Sam Boughton (3-35) bowled superbly for Stoke Row.
Report: Another sensational showing from Will Macdonald helped Stoke Row to a tightly contested winning draw at Sulhamstead last Saturday.
Having won the toss, Sulhamstead captain Jamie Seward elected to put Row into bat under overcast skies and on a wicket fresh from overnight rain. This decision was immediately vindicated as the ever accurate Ian Williams accounted for Tom Stockings with the third ball of the match. When Phil Braithwaite then produced an absolute beauty to dismiss Rich Armstrong – the ball jagging back from well outside off stump – and Charlie Stockings, trapped leg before, Stoke stood precariously at 15-3.
After a vociferous appeal to have Macdonald caught behind early in his innings was rejected, the opener, in conjunction with Sam Boughton, managed to slightly resurrect Row’s sinking ship, until Boughton’s attempted flick through mid wicket resulted in a leading edge which floated easily into the hands of Steve Belcher at mid on. Stoke 45-4.
Further resistance came from Darren Clark, however, and his combination of aggressive intent outside the off stump, coupled with a degree of luck, helped push Sulhamstead slightly onto the back foot for the first time in the game. With Macdonald reaching another fine fifty with a beautiful straight drive, Stoke appeared to be gaining a foothold in the game.
Alas, just as the Maharajas began to feel confident, the hugely improved Matt Gill struck a double blow. Firstly, he induced an edge from Clark, and, three overs later, a horrendous and irresponsible shot from captain Rich Ashton saw him caught by opposite man Jamie Seward. Stoke Row were once again in trouble at 91-6.
Yet in something of a repeat performance from the preceding week, Chris Young aided Macdonald superbly, with a sensible innings, and the duo added a vital 34 runs until Young’s attempt to accelerate resulted in him holing out to long off. Paddy Hennessy, following a similar innings, followed in the same manner, and Row stood at 143-8.
However, the irrepressible Macdonald continued to hold firm, and, following the dismissal of Alan May, he reached perhaps the greatest yet of his hundreds for Stoke Row, almost single-handedly posting a par score of 170-9.
In reply, Stoke Row claimed a crucial early breakthrough when Seward was bowled by his bête noire Macdonald, who has now dismissed him three times in three Premier League innings. With the athletic young Row side on top of their game in the field, and with Macdonald and Dion Sampson bowling consistently well, Sulhamstead laboured to 18-1 after 14 overs when the new ball was taken.
The introduction of the said ball saw Tristan Evans launch a counter attack which resulted in an upturning of the run rate until he was unfortunately trapped leg before by a ball which kept noticeably low for a fine 34.
With Stoke’s new ball bowler Alan May pulling a hamstring after his second over, the Maharajas bowling capacity was once again called into question, but a brilliant delivery from left arm spinner Darren Clark – pitching leg, hitting off – accounted for the dangerous James Lattimore to leave Sulhamstead 85-3.
At the other end, the enigmatic Sam Boughton was finally rekindling the pace and hostility which have been lacking over the past two years due to ongoing shoulder problems. Troubling all batsman with his pace, he closed with figures of 3-35 from his 12 overs and, fitness permitting, sent out a warning to the rest of the league that he may be back to his best.
Yet despite the fine efforts of the Row attack, the ever-reliable Steve Belcher kept Sulhamstead within range of victory, leaving just 64 to win from 59 balls with 5 wickets in hand when he was bowled by Macdonald. However, at this stage, the hosts elected to claim a valiant draw, and Ian Williams, and especially youngster Jack Stanley, showed excellent temperament and technique to help their side close on 132-8.
All in all this was very much a game which displayed the Berkshire Premier League at it’s finest. Sulhamstead presented a formidable challenge to Stoke Row with the ball, and the Maharajas were indebted to Macdonald’s brilliance. In reply, however, the tenaciousness and skill of Stoke Row’s bowling and fielding performance almost sealed a shock victory.
.
