Sunday XI
Matches
Sun 12 May 2019
Droxford CC
107
151/4
Brook Cricket Club
Sunday XI
Winning start

Winning start

John Pheasant14 May 2019 - 15:37
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https://www.brookcricketclub.c

Experience and youth both shine

On a lovely early summer Sunday afternoon, Brook travelled to Droxford in the beautiful Meon valley for a first fixture against this opposition. The hosts play a 40-over match on a Sunday. On winning the toss, we elected to bat on a wicket which slopped end-to-end and side-to-side and played low and slow.

The Brook opening pair of John Hamilton and Jonathan Tudor were watchful while punishing the loose delivery. Progress was steady but batting was hard work as the home team bowled tidily. The two Js put on 48 before JT (23) was LBW to one that came back down the hill. Enter Will Owen who took the attack to the bowlers with some crisp shots before being bowled for 14. Hugo Neville, making his debut, saw no reason to do much running as he increased the scoring rate by hitting 9 4s in his 37. All this time, John Hamilton (58*) continued to do what he has done countless times for Brook, ensuring that he batted through to secure a competitive score. At tea, 151 looked competitive and indeed 5 runs more that the putative average score for the ground (according to the home club's stato).

But, after tea, the Droxford openers decided that attack was the best tactic and rattled up four boundaries before the extremely impressive Tudor took the first of his 5 wickets (7 - 2 - 6 - 5!) to remove the dangerous Smith. At the other end, Pat Clarke bowled two steady overs before electing to come back on to bowl later in the innings preferring an older ball to grip. But, so successful were where remaining bowlers that Pat did not return (there is a moral in there somewhere). Andrew Herring, replacing Pat, took an over to adjust his length to the downhill slope before bowling a good spell without any luck. Will Owen bowling his left arm spin replaced Jon Tudor, obtaining more spin than anyone else all day and varying his flight. An in a very tidy spell (6 - 0 - 16 - 1) an excellent catch by Pat Clarke at mid-wicket, mirroring an earlier catch off JT by Andrew Herring , brought him a well-earned wicket.

At the other end, bowling down the hill with the slope offering assistance to the off-break, Theo Clarke quickly adjusted his line to flight the ball outside the off stump and let the spin and slope bring the ball back into the batsmen. Theo picked up three wickets, all bowled, in an excellent spell (6 - 0 - 16 - 3).

With the home team now 9 down and with 76 runs required, Zach Clarke (5 - 1 - 14 - 0) and William Herring (4.4 - 1 - 13 - 1) entered the attack and bowled beautifully: Zach with pace and a great length up the hill - not easy - and William quickly adjusting to the slope and slanting the ball across the batsmen with his left arm over. William's wicket was fittingly a catch by Zach!

A very enjoyable start to the season and well done the batsmen, bowlers and fielders (Sebastian Amos, also on debut, was very sharp leading an all-round excellent fielding performance).

Match details

Match date

Sun 12 May 2019

Kickoff

13:30

Meet time

12:15

Instructions

On the A32 in Droxford, turn into Police Station Lane (opposite the White Heart Pub) After 500ft turn left into Union Lane Towards the Junior School At the end of the road turn left into the Recreation Ground.
SO32 3QR
Team overview
Further reading

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