Crescent arrived at Lindfield to find our friend Mike Newcombe skippering the opposition and a wicket that had had extensive work done on it over the winter which as the match progressed, proved to be a true and excellent surface to play cricket on.
With Mike winning the toss and deciding to field, his method of rotating his bowlers worked to good effect. With three decent league seamers who all bowled an excellent length on the new hard Lindfield wicket (I have the bruises just under my rib cage to prove it), they gave neither Rob or me, my recent run-out partner, nothing loose to hit or drive. This left us to try and pick off Mike’s other change bowlers, helped by their wayward line, as best we could. So, with a bit of a plan in place Rob and I began to make some progress, but as can often happen a loose delivery did for Rob and he was well caught with the score on 45 in the 15th over. Matt Wood joined me and played with ease and time from the start. Looking untroubled, his good stroke play and ambitious running between the wicket helped pick our run rate up and so it was against the run of play that he also chased a loose delivery and was well caught behind for 34, putting on 76 with me in 17 overs. You’d think with up to 10 overs left that at 121, another 60 runs should have been well within our capabilities. Unfortunately, that was not to be the case with incoming batsmen finding it hard to establish any initiative and me foolishly getting myself out at 50. Ben and Nick did their best but with a flurry of wickets, our innings stuttered to 157-8 in our maximum of 42 overs – not enough.
With the usual high standard of tea, we filled our boots in fine Crescent tradition. Many thanks I believe go to Mike’s wife for providing the excellent spread.
With a modest 4 runs an over required on a sound wicket, we would need to take our chances at every opportunity. It started well, with Matt Lawson bowling a probing line and length which he continued to do throughout his spell. Rich at the other end had less luck. Unable to find a comfortable rhythm, he also bowled mainly to a batsman in Kaye who enjoyed any width provided and chose the aerial route at every opportunity. We needed a breakthrough and it came in a wonderful direct-hit run out by Matt Wood. Fielding at deepish mid-off he hit the stumps at the batman’s end with the stranded player not even in the frame. Brilliant work and a true ‘champagne’ moment. Matt continued his good spell and deservedly picked up a couple of wickets, the first well caught by Nick and the second caught off his own bowling. Bizarrely Matt ended up bowling against his work boss who adopted a no-nonsense style of when the ball was full, he would smack it through the leg side. Fortunately, this was tried once too often and Andy Bousfield took a steepling catch at deep mid-wicket. More brilliant work. Our steady attrition of wickets, ably supported by a fired up Crescent fielding unit meant that although a steady start, Lindfield had not completely got away. The fall of wickets had brought together what turned out to be the key partnership of Hewett and their skipper Mike. Andy B replaced Matt and bowled full and straight with no luck. Joe continued to wile away at the other end and it was during his extended spell that a champagne moment of a more unusual type took place. Picture this, two of our more honed athletes, Rob and Simon, had been positioned where they could do the least possible harm. The ball, slowly, was heading down to the third man boundary pursued by the limping Rob and the high knee action Simon. It was a close-run thing but Simon just got to the ball first and decided he would pass it to Rob who had the (marginally) better arm to throw in. By this point the Lindfield pair had run two and seemed content with their effort. However, Simon then decided to throw the ball nowhere near Rob but nearer to the boundary instead. The batsmen initially were confused what to do but then continued to run. After the fourth run the batting pair stopped, more I think out of sympathy than any other reason! Even Joe found it funny, which shows how comical our Crescent Chuckle Brothers must have been, even off his own bowling!! ?. (I feel a belated tour fine may be in order…….)
Hewett survived a strong stumping appeal off Kevin Rice’s bowling and even after Joe claimed him as his only wicket, enough damage had been done for Lindfield to win in the penultimate over with Mike a worthy 39 not out.
So, our first defeat but an excellent effort by all defending a modest total on a good wicket. As I write our game against Streat has been called off due to weather, so off to Rodmell on Sunday, good luck to all selected.

Jon M

Brighton and Hove Crescent

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