The Saturday before polling day in 2015, Ian Garrett made a fifty against Barnards Green – this time he went one better with a century against Hagley (and the prospect of a more cheerful night in front of him this week than nine years ago, it must be said).

Having been set what seemed a stiff chase of 6.5 an over, Ways ended up comfortably achieving the target with five overs to spare, and saw Ian reach his century with the winning hit.

Hagley won the toss and batted, but the first few overs went the way of the home team with Craig Heath trapping opposing captain Vickers LBW, and then excellent fielding from Simon Densham inducing a muddle between the wickets and a run out. Had a relatively straightforward chance offered by the young opener Nandra been accepted, Hagley would have been reeling. As it was, he settled in to play a most accomplished innings, strong off the back foot and playing with equal facility to both off and leg side. Reeves played a brief but spectacular innings, hitting his first three deliveries for two fours and a six and the Hagley run rate surged before Joel Bell took a beautifully judged catch on the square leg boundary to dismiss him for 23 and give Craig a second wicket. Then followed a substantial partnership between Nandra and Bimson, the latter riding his luck with edges through the vacant slips and sliced shots landing in no man’s land, before Keri Simons bowled him with the last ball before drinks – 115-4 from 20.

It became difficult to keep the runs in check after the drinks interval, with confident batting from two youngsters, and a fast outfield giving full value for shots for what feels like the first time this season. Had it not been for much excellent work in the field, with Joel Bell and Simon Densham outstanding, the run rate could have been still higher. Sam Pryde bowled effectively in the middle overs, and was along with Craig the only bowler to go for less than a run a ball, but it was Keri who gained the breakthrough when the unfortunate Nandra found Dave Page close in on the offside to be dismissed for 97. In the last few overs, Ways regained a measure of control, with Joel Bell bowling an excellent second spell, and Simon Densham bowling one Coates and catching another from the bowling of Ian Garrett, but the third Coates boosted the run rate again with two sixes in the final over in the process reaching his fifty.

Even so, 260, whilst steep, did not feel a target that was totally out of reach, and so it was to prove.

Ian Garrett and Sam Pryde got the innings off to a steady start before Sam was caught and bowled by the senior Coates with the score 27. Almost from the off, Craig Heath at number three was back to form, striking fours through offside and legside from Coates senior, then striking his son over the leg side for six, and in a couple of overs had already passed Ian. The partnership settled into a pattern of Ian pushing singles, particularly to third man and deep point, where the boundaries were protected but in the process, leaving plenty of space for singles, and Craig playing the big shots. Two overs from Holcombe saw Craig hit three fours and another leg side six, but the key over came just before drinks, when a tiring Vickers lost his length completely and was no balled four times for full tosses, and hit for four boundaries by Craig. An over later at drinks, Ian was 38*, Craig 61* and Ways were ahead of the rate. Although captain Vickers’ off breaks retained some measure of control, runs now came easily at the other end, and Ian went to his fifty with a thick edge through third man for four. With the score 171 however, came a check – Craig completely missing a full toss from Vickers and LBW for 89 (14 fours and two sixes), bringing a partnership of 144 to an end, and 90 still required in 15 overs. Ian now accelerated as Simon Densham played the supporting role that previously Ian had for Craig.

Some powerful pull shots and cuts did now find the fence, the two batters ran aggressively against a tiring fielding side, and extras continued to help keep the scoreboard moving quickly. Now Ian began to open his shoulders, cutting Vickers for four and then hitting him back over his head for a one-bounce boundary to move into the 80s. The batting hero, Nandra, came on for the 33rd over, but proved less successful with ball in hand, the over yielding 20, with overstepping gifting a couple of free hits of which Ian took full advantage, and Ways were almost home. Another lofted drive in Vickers’ next over took the target down to five and brought Ian to 96. A single to each batter, and edge from Simon down to an almost vacant third man which saw a very casually jogged single, a leg side wide to bring the scores level (thanks Dave!), and then another lofted straight drive from Ian crossed the boundary to bring the winning runs and a century. Ed Davey would have been proud.

So, at the half way point of the season, fifth in the table and more wins than in the previous two years combined. Unexpected riches from where we began the season, and hopefully more success to come.

Match Report - Ian Garrett