Sat 2nd XI
Matches
Sat 17 Jun 2017  ·  Division 2
Bentley Cricket Club
Sat 2nd XI
307/5
184
Eastwood 1sts
Runs Galore as Greeno Ton Sets Up Big Total

Runs Galore as Greeno Ton Sets Up Big Total

Oliver Beaney19 Jun 2017 - 16:20
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Green (113), Sprules (68), Whitlock (62*). Walker (7.1-0-37-3), Hammond (10-2-30-3)

Scorecard

On the hottest day of the year so far, I tossed well and was able to put us into bat. With Stimmo taking one for the team in the 1sts, Manno still taking part in Love Island and Clarky and Steve away injured, Greeno, Whitlock and Walker all came in to replace them.

After his performance last week, 2 balls in Gunnar chased a wide one and was gone for a duck and I suddenly started to panic that like England, I had misread the conditions and that this absolute road was in fact an absolute minefield.

Greeno however eased my nerves with some flowing cuts and an early lofted drive over mid-off as he and Sappy took advantage of the fast outfield. However despite Greeno’s confidence in his own batting ability, his confidence in his partner was sadly less and so with Sappy beginning to hit his stride on 10, Greeno decided to burn him and left Sappy to gallantly fall on his sword as he scrambled to make sure Greeno made it home.

With Sprulesy strolling to the crease, Greeno had executed his plan to perfection and he finally had a partner with whom he could run some quick singles… Both of them hit their stride quickly and took the attack to Eastwood with Greeno unfurling a few gorgeous drives and Sprulesy biffing a couple over the legside. As the bowlers began to tire in the piercing sun, the boys took advantage and Sprulesy stuck a couple in the road whilst Greeno continued to take advantage of the lack of boundary fielders on the off side. Both passed 50 and we were going at 5+ an over with plenty of overs to spare.

Sprulesy eventually managed to cream one straight to midwicket to be removed for 68 and so it was the turn of our trialist Whitlock to join the party. After some initial rustiness, he started to find his form and as Greeno approached his ton, the many fans who had accumulated on the boundary awaited the 3 figures. As if to sum up his chanceless innings, Greeno knocked one back past the bowler and with a skip and a jump, he ran off down the wicket to celebrate his maiden ton. See the following video for actual footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzDWNdaC9c8

As Greeno looked to push the scores along and get us up to 300, he was eventually bowled for 113 and his brilliant innings came to an end. I strolled out to the crease, finally able to free my arms up without fear of losing my wicket. After a couple of sighters, I started to swing from the hip and most of it came off though from the amount of heckling I took from the boundary, you would have thought I was plodding along at 3 an over. Jamie got in on the act and together, we took a couple of overs for 15+ as the Eastwood wheels started to come off with one of their players memorably caught signing autographs outside the rope as the ball bounced past him for 4.

After a lovely little TP’d six, I departed for 31 (#SappyOut) and with us on 282 and a few overs to go, it was left to Jamie to finish off the job and finish it off he did as he passed 50 with a couple of lusty blows and then to compound their misery, thugged a six off the last ball of the innings to put us on 307-5 from our 45. Unbelievable batting and our highest score since 4/6/11! (373-9 against Herongate @ Herongate)

After a scrumptious tea (top sandwiches), we took to the field and prepared for an important 15 overs. Walker took some early tap but he stuck to his guns and Wildo took a good catch at mid-on to remove their opener. After that, Eastwood continued to attack and some loose bowling saw them up to 80-1, going at 6 an over. However with the introduction of Charlie and a few good overs from Nozza, the rate began to slow and suddenly, their batsmen had to start looking for the big shots. Whitlock took a good gut catch at cover and I took a gut catch down the ground to give Nozza 2 and we were in. Waring got a couple of rapido stumpings in as Wildo replaced Nozza and they were struggling with about 180 still needed.

Despite taking a couple of brutal thugs, Wildo finally bowled a flatter delivery 3 overs after stating ‘the batsman doesn’t like the flatter one’ and subsequently had him caught and bowled. I came on and bowled a lovely consistent line down the channel and was rewarded for this probing line with a well taken caught behind by Waring. Wilding had another and Walker was bought back on to finish off the job. Greeno caught one at mid-off with the back of his hands and then Walks bowled their number 11 round his legs to see us to victory by 123 runs.

Not the best performance with the ball but it didn’t have to be as a result of our brutal batting performance. Greeno’s innings was top class and he played some beautiful shots in his hundred but it was also great to see Sprulesy find some form with an attacking innings and Whitlock turn it on at the end despite not having played outdoors since last season. All in all a brilliant day and the best we’ve played all season. All that was left to do was sit back and enjoy the many jugs on offer.

As we knocked back a few cold ones, a bloodied Stimmo staggered round from the carpark and collapsed in front of the circle before exhaling a last dying breath where he uttered something that sounded like ‘For the watch’. At the time, this phrase did not make sense but as we saw the multiple stab wounds across his torso where the 1sts had plunged their knives in deep, it became clear what had occurred. With most of us already beginning to mourn the loss of the one true Renegade, Greeno calmly stepped forward and after proclaiming something about the Lord of Light, Stimmo suddenly gasped back into life and we all sat back to listen to his exciting recount of the day’s events and his journey from Fine Leg to Fine Leg for the 1sts.

Next week we face Goresbrook away and it already looks as though there will be plenty of competition for places! Let’s keep the run going and make it 4 wins in a row as we chase 2nd and promotion.

Match details

Match date

Sat 17 Jun 2017

Kickoff

13:00

Meet time

12:00

Location

Instructions

Tea - Walker. Ground - Waring, Wilding

Competition

Division 2

League position

3
Bentley 2nds
4
Eastwood 1sts
Team overview
Further reading