Broadstairs Cricket Club
Broadstairs Cricket Club
David and Goliath!
Broadstairs 1s travelled to Bromley to start their 2019 league campaign.
Jamie Dewell standing in for the late arriving skipper won the toss and decided to field. Despite rain clouds all around the wicket had been well covered, Bromley were keen to play.
Bradley Ellison opened with Masoud Rangin, the wicket had enough spice in it to keep the bowlers interested and Ellison struck in his second over, Sam Smith tempted into a drive and the edge flew to slip, Jamie parrying the ball and Chris Kidd managing to hold onto the ball.
This brought ex Pakistan international Yasir Arafat to the crease. Broadstairs were made to wait for their next wicket, despite some half chances and a couple of dropped catches including a sitter from Brad from his brothers bowling. Arafat brought up his 50 but soon after hit Kidd into deep mid wicket where Callum Morgan swallowed the catch.
Kidd struck again a few overs later, the catch taken by Jack and Bromley were 180-3 with 11 to go.
Then a little moment of magic, after being dropped earlier, Clinton tried working Rangin down the leg side but the thin edge carried through to Jack who to a good legside catch. The very next ball Rangin cleaned up ex Hartley man Lewis Hickford. Amjad Khan saw off the hat trick ball and then went on attack, taking our bowlers apart with a quickfire 67 from 34 deliveries. Bromley took 101 from our final 10 overs and had amassed 289.
Its worth noting that despite the difference in class, we kept battling away and got the 7th wicket from the last delivery of the innings, who knows how vital that extra point could be come the end of the season.
Bradley Ellison (1-30 from 10), Kidd (2-30 from 10) and Rangin (2-53 from 8) were the pick of the bowlers.
After a decent tea Jack Wheeler and Alfie Huntley walked into the lions den. Khan and Scotland u19 opening bowler Malik bowled some heat. Jack was getting behind the ball nicely and got a single from the fifth delivery, the final delivery of the over saw Alfie edge through to the keeper and we were 1-1. Callum Morgan was in at 3 and along with Jack was getting in line, leaving the wide balls and ducking under the occasional bouncer.
The first class length Bromley were bowling made the scoring extremely difficult, Callum was adjudge LBW for 4. Alex Hogben back at his home club went in at 4. His first scoring shot from his 5th delivery was shot of the day, Malik steamed sent down a bouncer, Alex rocked back and with a swivel of his hips dispatched the ball over the legside boundary.
Malik added a couple of extra yards of pace after this and Jack succumbed to a quick Yorker that would have done for any of us. In the context of the situation, it was a well made 14.
Wickets then tumbled, 29-3 became 41-8. The spinners ripped through us! In a role reversal of last week’s 2XI game, Brad and Callum set about restoring some pride! Cal took on the leg spinner and enjoyed a couple of maximums, this angered Bromley to the point that we saw the return of Khan and Malik, (thanks for that Cal!)
Although we were able to frustrate Khan it was Malik who managed to find Cal’s edge and we had 1 wicket remaining but had bumped the score up to 79! With the spinner back on, Brad advanced to try and hit over the top but missed and carried on walking to the pavilion.
A tough start for us, under strength and outclassed but there were some positives, Brad, Kiddy and Mas bowled well, Jack and Alex looked confident and solid, Cal’s cameo help us look a bit more respectable. On the negative side we bowled too many wides, our fielding could have been better, drop catches, overthrows and although not easy to field on the rough bumpy surface we let a few through. Our middle order batting needs to be more stubborn
This weeks MoM is Chris Kidd, his 2-30 and slip catch.
We welcome St Lawrence and Highland Court next week, another tough test but we have home advantage.
