In a low scoring wonderfully well spirited yet competitive match at Wray Crescent, Graces were able to eke out their first ever win thanks to their bowlers bowling even better than Pacific’s had earlier.
This was the 6th encounter between the sides since 1999 & thanks to a match winning performance from Staffs CC's Whyle with both bat (he top scored with 45) & ball 3-19 from 8, their first win.
Only 2 years ago, Pacific had declared on 268-8 after 38 overs, but the re-laid pitch & a heavy, slow & lush outfield made this a completely different type of game. 79 overs of seam, pace & swing dominated only but a handful of batsmen & a moderate target set by Graces seemed anything but as a slow Pacific reply & exemplary bowling saw the asking rate creep higher.
Earlier all 6 seamers new Captain Jon Webley used picked up wickets, & Darryl Roberts, straight off the Austrian ski slopes, was usual parsimonious self with just 11 run from 7 overs. James Gleadow with 2-25 had the best return in coming on as the 5th bowler. A successful change of tactics by the new broom as James had been opening till now.
For Whyle who topped scored with 45 & who played the shot of the day whipping Roberts to the mid wicket boundary, events could have been so different. With the score on 16-2 he was dropped in consecutive balls when he played 2 ferocious uppish drives, one to Chris Atkin at short cover followed by another straight back at the bowler Rob Allum. Both did well to stop boundaries !
It was Jon Webley himself who dismissed Whyle 5 runs short of his half century as his strength through the on side became his undoing as he failed to cope with a wonderful inswinging yorker from Jon.
Having pegged back Graces to 129-9, an invaluable unbroken & ultimately match winning partnership from ex pacific Jon Hardisty & Captain Richard Beilby put on 17 runs which proved to be the difference between the sides although Webley & his side certainly felt the job had been done – not knowing that their own bowlers superb performance was about to be surpassed by an even better one - & backed up by an unblemished fielding display.
Despite the absence of cloud cover on this bright warm sunny Easter Monday openers Shofiq & Curtis enjoyed good movement & made the early inroads they needed to remain in control. Dougal Dekeller did all he could but the key was his partnership with Webley who was caught at mid off just when he looked to move up the gears. He & Dougal had put on 39 for the 4th wicket & despite excellent marshalling of the tail, when James Gleadow became Bielby’s 3rd & final victim, the game was up for Pacific, although the sides will meet again this season at West Essex at the end of May.
XI:- James Gleadow, Peter Hollman, Darryl Roberts, Jon Webley*, Rob Allum, Jai Rajaraman, Rob Bastin+. Dougal DeKeller, Chris Atkin, James Smith, & John Robson.
Minutae.
* 2 excellent skyers taken by Dougal & a slip chance by Jai who made it look easy despite Rob B diving past him.
* Rob & James' score book keeping was superb.
* The kitchen is not finished yet & the new treasurer went to Waitrose for water, cups & squash. All the monies were collected incl £22 tea from the oppo.
* This was the earliest ever competitive start to the season & the weather & the pitch were universally appreciated although the outfield was poor, uneven & the grass desperatley in need of a cut.
* no Graces player asked had heard of Ian Crossland.
PS Dear Peter
Fantastic report, thank you, I have passed to our skipper and we like the idea of an all day fixture, I am sure that in a longer competitive game, your team will kick our backsides. I have nothing but admiration for the competitive spirit of the game and wish that all our fixtures where played in a similar spirit.
Once again, another fantastic game, although low scoring, it demonstrated that good technique can get you runs
I suspect that your pitch will be a bowlers paradise until it settles down.
See your team at the end of May and best wishes for now
Wayne
