Broadstairs Cricket Club
Broadstairs Cricket Club
Match Tied
Broadstairs won the toss and batted first in a reduced 40 overs match due to earlier rain
Broadstairs CC 160-9 (40): George Kidd 57
Holmesdale CC 160 all out (39.4): Freddie Corner 4-36, Bradley Ellison 2-19
This week Broadstairs played host to Holmesdale, relegated from the premier league last year, this was to be another tough test for the home side.
After watching the rain for an hour, Matt Hardy won the toss in very blustery conditions and decided to bat. Scoreboard pressure can make it tough to chase and with no league score over 200 at Park Avenue so far this season the aim was to get as close to that as possible. This was slightly hindered by a reduction from 50 overs to 40.
The reliable opening pair of Alex Hogben and Nathan Fox were watchful early doors; the ball was moving around and the wicket sticky from the humid wet conditions. Things were looking steady until the 10th over when Alex (10) got hold of a legside flick too well and fine leg accepted the catch. Then, the next over Nathan (19) attempt to cut the left arm spinner, but the edge found the keepers gloves.
At 32-2 it was time to bed in, but Vaishak had other ideas, taking the fight to the Holmesdale attack but his stay at the crease lasted 12 deliveries, when he was well caught for 11. Tom Marshall (12) was trapped in front against the spin of Bisset and at the halfway stage we were 72-4.
Drinks breaks tend to do funny things and Bisset got his second after the resumption of play bowling Matt Frewin (2). George Kidd joined the captain at the crease, but Hardy (11) found mid-on a couple of overs later.
Young off spinner Freddie Corner (2) joined George but Bisset found a way through his defence and with 13 overs remaining we were not looking good at 87-7!
We needed a stand from the father and son pair, George found a maximum but the next over Bissett had his fourth when he bowled Chris (0) bringing Brad to the crease.
94-8 with 11 overs to go, it was vital we batted the full 40 and made some sort of target. The pair were happy to knock it around and pick up 2 or 3 an over until with 4 overs to go, George decided to risk hitting to the short boundary, taking 17 from a Dom May over, including two big 6’s that would have made the distance on most grounds. 10 came from the seamer in the next over followed by George finding another boundary to bring up his well-made and very important half century in the next over which totalled 13. When he was bowled in the final over of the innings trying a ramp shot, he’d made 57 from 55 deliveries, when his team needed it.
Brad (13*) and Oli (1*) saw the rest of the over out and we had posted 160-9 from our 40.
Not a great score, but a lot better than it could have been and we had a target to bowl at.
Brad & George shared the new ball and there was some early movement, both beating the bat and it was movement that claimed the first wicket; with his final delivery of his third over Brad caught the edge of C Lindsay’s bat and Vaishak took a good low catch at slip., George struck in the next over, bowling Harby facing his first delivery which brought the New Zealand pro Leo Carter to the crease.
Brad then claimed his second with the first ball of his next over, none of the fielding team were aware it was a hattrick opportunity and Bissett played a staunch forward defensive.
Brad and George were soon replaced by 2 left arm spinners, Matt Frewin & Chris Kidd and it took Chris just 3 deliveries to get Carter out, a delivery short of a length that was onto the pro quicker than expected and he could only sky it to Nathan Fox who accepted the catch.
At 46-4 with the overseas out we knew we had a sniff and when Matt took a return catch at the end of the 15th over the visitors had slumped to 51-5.
Holmesdale battled through until drinks where they needed 96 with 5 wickets remaining. Freddie replaced Chris and had May LBW in his second over, Oli then replaced his brother just before Freddie claimed his second, the advancing batsman getting a proper shooter under the bat and being bowled.
Bisset then decided to take Oli on in the 29th over; a boundary followed by a 6 put the pressure back on us but when batter hit a full toss straight to Vaishak he had fallen for 43 and the visitors were stumbling to 97!
Freddie was taken out of the attack and replaced by George, in the hope that he could pick up the final 2 wickets. However, the batters were stubborn and kept him at bay. The skipper turned back to Freddie, and it took just 2 deliveries for the batsman to charge and miss by a mile with Hardy taking the stumping. 133-9, just 28 needed but only 1 wicket and 4 overs to go.
Surely we’d claim the final wicket and remain top of the league!! 8 runs came from the 37th over, 4 from the 38th and with 12 balls to go, 16 runs were required. As you all know, we like a bit of drama when playing at home.
Chris Kidd replaced Oli, the batter charged and missed but Hardy was unable to gather the ball. The over produced 6 runs meaning that 10 were required from the final over. Freddie composed himself and stepped into bowl, the first delivery cut for 1 bringing the number 11 on strike; the second pulled to deep square for 2. 7 required from 4; the third a 6 over wide mid-off into the trees, the scores were tied, we’d snatched a loss from victory. The field was brought up, everyone tight on the single, Freddie came in, a big swing from the batter and an edge straight into Hardy’s gloves and we’d tied the game.
The disappointment we’d seen just a delivery earlier had disappeared and been replaced with joy. Was it a game we should have won - yes but it was also one we should have lost after that. Second after 6 games, the weakest we’ve looked with the bat all season but thanks to George we posted a competitive total and therefore this weeks MoM goes to him.
Brad 5-1-19-2
George 8-1-27-1
Matt 8-0-24-1
Chris 5-0-17-1
Freddie 7.4-1-36-4
Oli 6-0-36-1
The 1s are at home again next week with Sevenoaks Vine making the trip to the coast.
