Broadstairs Cricket Club
Broadstairs Cricket Club
Broadstairs 1st XI secured a comfortable win away to Gore Court in their penultimate match of the season. However, with results elsewhere going against them, promotion hopes for the Seasiders hang by a thread.
Losing the toss and being invited to bowl on an uneven pitch full of surprises, the opening bowling partnership of Harry Carter (1-29) and Bradley Ellison (0-14) got proceedings off to a measured start, restricting Gore Court to 31 runs in the first 12 overs. The first breakthrough came with the introduction of Elliot Fox, who removed opener Joseph Eves and this was followed by a series of wickets from Swaroop Dasari who finished with figures if 3-20 off 10 overs. Alongside him, Chris Kidd 1-21 offered the tight control that has characterised his season and this stranglehold on the host’s scoring continued when Matthew Frewin was brought into the attack. Frewin (4-14) worked his way through the middle/lower order, forcing wickets with 5 maidens in his 7 over spell and between him and Carter, they brought the Gore Court innings to a close with just 122 on the board.
The reply from Broadstairs got off to a shaky start with Chris Flint (0) adjudged LBW with his 3rd ball and Jack Wheeler facing just 8 balls before being caught at mid-wicket without scoring, left-arm spinner Roche claiming both wickets. At this point, with the score at 3-2, the rain started to teem down and play was suspended, with batsmen Fox and Dasari reflecting on how they would go about re-building the hosts’ reply. Once the rain had subsided and play resumed, the batting partnership went about their task in a watchful manner establishing a crucial partnership of 57, before Fox (28) was caught behind in the 23rd over attempting to sweep Clinton. Despite the fall of wicket, Dasari continued to anchor the innings leaving Frewin to advance the total to within touching distance of the target through a series of lofted drive boundaries. Frewin eventually succumbed on 22 and it was left to Jamie Dewell (5*) to hit the winning runs, with Dasari (48*) just short of what would have been a well-deserved half-century.
Despite the win, Broadstairs’ promotion prospects suffered a significant blow with promotion rivals Hayes pulling-off a surprise win against runaway leaders Upchurch. With one match left to play, Broadstairs themselves need to beat Upchurch next week. In addition, they require Whitstable to inflict a heavy defeat on Hayes if the promotion to Division 1, that looked so likely mid-way through the season, is to happen.
