Broadstairs Cricket Club

 
 
1st XI Broadstairs CC vs Ashford Town CC 2nd June 2018

1st XI Broadstairs CC vs Ashford Town CC 2nd June 2018

Matthew Frewin stars in win against Ashford Town with 34 and 5-23.

Broadstairs CC 1st XI continued their push for promotion at Park Avenue on Saturday, overcoming a strong Ashford side that belied their position at the foot of Kent League Division 2. Whilst the seasiders’ were at times below par, an excellent all-round performance by Matthew Frewin, ably supported by skipper Chris Kidd helped to secure their 5th victory in 5 matches.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, the Broadstairs openers Chris Flint and Elliot Fox found conditions trickier to handle than in previous weeks; a combination of wily bowling from Ashford’s Woodger and Helm and a slow bowler-friendly pitch. By the 11th over and the score at 33, both Flint (8) and Fox (19) had been removed by Woodger and it would require the middle order to build a defendable total. Jamie Dewell and Frewin took-up the challenge, picking-up the scoring rate, looking to hit boundaries as often as possible and riding their good fortune when rather straight-forward catches were spilled. Dewell was eventually caught behind off the bowling of Allon and with Frewin now joined at the crease by Swaroop Dasari, the score of 83-3 at drinks suggested that a large total was still possible. Fortune was to play its part again, however, when Dasari’s hefty straight drive ricocheted off the bowler Allon and landed on the stumps with Frewin backing-up and out of his ground. This freak dismissal of Frewin (34) brought to end an excellent innings, the young batsman looking in good form and at ease with the conditions. After a brief appearance at the crease by Jack Wheeler (7), skipper Kidd entered the fray and provided the backbone for a productive final 20 overs with some measured hitting and enthusiastic running. Dasari (17) fell in the 34th over, adjudged LBW whilst attempting a reverse sweep shot. His successor, Alfie Huntley, continued the run-scoring partnership with Kidd, the pair putting on a further 35 runs before Huntley (14) was caught behind. Luke Palmer (2) followed shortly after and just as Kidd was looking like completing his first half-century of the season, he too was dismissed, caught and bowled by Buckham for 46. The final few balls saw Callum Morgan (5*) and Masoud Rangin (3) bring the Broadstairs total up to 188 – a defendable score albeit somewhat short of what had been promised at drinks.

Ashford’s opening duo of Tegg and Allon got off to a shaky start with Tegg surviving a couple of lively LBW appeals, the bowling combination of Luke Palmer and Fox providing the controlled attack that has typified their season so far. It was Palmer who provided the early breakthrough, first dismissing Allon, caught behind by Flint and then bowling Harrison with the next ball of the over. Dewell and Rangin then Kidd took over bowling duties, Dewell giving little away and creating pressure at the other end. Kidd capitalised on this, trapping Tegg LBW in the 17th over with the score on 63. This was a crucial wicket with the batsman looking well-set after having been dropped earlier in the innings. At drinks, Ashford were 87-3, almost mirroring the 1st innings score at the same stage with Coles and Allon looking threatening. However, Dasari, removed Coles shortly after the break and the spin combination of Dasari, Kidd and Frewin put the brakes on the scoring. The required rate would start to creep-up over the subsequent 15 overs and eventually Ashford succumbed to the pressure with Frewin claiming the wicket of Richardson, caught by Fox in the deep. This wicket precipitated a series of dismissals with Dasari bowling Allon and the tail cleaned-up by Frewin who finished with figures of 5-23 off 9.1 overs to complement his batting achievements of the day. Ashford finished on 156, in the end some distance away from the target set and testament to Broadstairs’ high quality bowling attack.  

With Upchurch maintaining their 100% record, the win for Broadstairs places them in second spot in the division with a series of top-of-the table clashes to come over the next 3 weeks. The first of these is away to 3rd place Orpington and this will provide a stern test of their promotion potential.  

Scorecard