BENFLEET CRICKET CLUB Benfleet U16 v Goresbrook on Mon 05 May 2008 at 13.00
BENFLEET CRICKET CLUB Won by 4 wickets
The start of the Under 16 season saw a momentous victory for them after last seasons huge dissappointment.
Captain Chris Coldicott won the toss and fielded with the view to keeping them to a low score based on the previous days scores.
Dafo and Jamie opened the bowling however bowled a few extras, setting the tone for the rest of the match. They picked up an early wicket as Dafo gave a solo LBW appeal that seemed to work. The score was steadily ticking over for Goresbrook.
The bowling change saw Steve Reeve bowling in his first game for the under 16's and instantly looked at home. At the other end Adam picked up where he left of last season taking 2 quick wickets including that of their captain for a duck!! The run rate had slowed and this was empahsised when the captain Chris Coldicott, put himself into the attack. With 2 successive maidens and an all round bowling display, which saw just 2 leg side fielders at one point.
Adam and Chris finished their spells which had slowed the 2 batsman down, at Alex Brady and Joe Hill came into the attack to reinforce Benfleets strong position. However this didn't quite go according to plan as Alex picked up a slight injury meaning his bowling wasn't as consistant as hoped and the less said about Joe's bowling the better. Saying which their were promising signs in only his second game for the club. He did manage to pick up the wicket of the Goresbrook batsman who passed 50.
Steve then replaced joe for his second spell and bowled tightly towards the end of the innings to pick up a maiden and was unlucky not to get a wicket. The openers were then brought back on to finish off with Dafo picking up 3 wickets without giving away many runs and jamie picked up his first wicket of the season with hopefully many more to come. Goresbrook finished on 172-8, a decent performance in the field, even though there were the small matter of 44 extras in the innings. Wasn't good reading!!
The break saw Sue Blowes and many helpers put on a fantastic display on the pool table... an excellent tea. This saw appearances from sandwiches, pizzas, crisps, chocolate, fruit and a cracking debut from 2 plates of mini hot dogs.
Getting back to the cricket, before going out to bat Ryan Pryor gave another inspirational team talk, which was agreed to be a big help in the winning of the game.
Our opening partnership saw Gavin and Alex resume form last year. Athough Chris was out in the middle slightly earlier than he had expected as alex fell LBW for 0. Gav and Chris gave some resistence to the strong Goresbrook attack whilst finding it hard to score. Chris then fell for 10 playing on off of the bowling of their captain. This brought in Jack to the crease. Gavin then fell for 23 being bowled and sam fell quickly for 5 leaving us in some trouble at 88-4. Hitchy then came out and sured up one end while jack set about scoring quick boundaries. Joe then got out for 4 and stve for 0 leaving a nervous end for the team and the 30 or so spectators.
Jamie came out to the middle with the team still a little way short of the target 173. Jack scored a few fours and the two out in the middle run well to leave 12 runs needed off of 12 balls. Jack then hit 2 successive fours and a few singles were shared leaving 1 to win and the strange feeling that we couldn't lose!! Jack then smashed a four with about 3 or 4 balls left leaving the Goresbrook team (who kept going till the very end) stunned and the Benfleet boys jumping and dancing around on the boundary as we had won the first game of the season as well as the first u16 for at least a season!!
Man of the Match had to go to Jack as his 67no was a match winning performance although Dafo pushed him hard for this with bowling figures of 4-26.
Goresbrook Batting
172 for 8
BENFLEET CRICKET CLUB Benfleet U16 Bowling
BENFLEET CRICKET CLUB Benfleet U16 Batting
176 for 6
Goresbrook Bowling