Saturday 5th May, Sunday 6th May & Monday 7th May 2001

The Wednesday night pitch inspection is becoming a familiar ritual. This week, with the forecast not being for continuous rain, there was actually some hope of a pitch for the weekend. The decision was postponed for further inspections during the week, but despite the improving weather, on Friday morning the roller was still bringing up puddles and Saturday's game was off. Sherwood had already called off the game on their ground on Wednesday.

A concerted effort by the workparty on Saturday morning was able to produce a pitch for Sunday despite the fact that the outfield was very rough and the pitch very damp. The Captain, James Hewitt, has produced the following report from the match :-

A Game At Last!
Sunday 6th May 2001 - Played at New Ash Green

New Ash Green 104 All Out
Lower Halstow 105 for 7
Lower Halstow Won by 3 Wickets.

After two washed out weekends New Ash Green Cricket Club finally started their 2001 Season with a narrow defeat to Lower Halstow.

Having won the toss and elected to bat New Ash Green's progress was very slow on a damp pitch. The early loss of Darren Philips to a run out meant that the already tardy run rate slowed to zero. After 20 overs of very tight Halstow bowling NAG had scored 24 runs. However having only lost one wicket meant the potential for an increase later in the innings gave them hope of making a defendable total.

As the run rate lifted so the fall of wickets continued, however Rob Jansen playing his first game for NAG for two years stood fast while his batting partners came and went. With the score at 50, Rob was joined by Graham Hobbs whose natural attacking game lifted the total towards three figures. When Rob was out having anchored the innings with a score of 29 it was left for Skipper James Hewitt to marshal the tail to a total of 104. The general consensus at tea was that New Ash Green had underscored by about 15-20 runs.

Lower Halstow's innings started with marginally more impetus than their hosts. Hewitt bowled his first three overs for no runs and took a wicket. The second wicket went down with the score at 5 and things were looking rosy for the home team.

Lower Halstow then took control of the game with a partnership of 45. Changes of bowling at both ends could not make the vital break through even though the run rate was kept at a minimum. When the third wicket went down Lower Halstow still required 40 runs from 9 overs and after a couple more wickets were lost a close finish looked a certainty. Just how close it would be was not known until the last two overs.

Hewitt bowled the penultimate over with the opposition needing six runs to win with five wickets in hand. A run out from the first ball and then a few scrambled runs meant that Graham Hobbs had the difficult task of trying to bowl the last over and keeping Halstow to just 1 run. Another run out off the first ball and then some good fielding from New Ash Green was not enough to prevent Lower Halstow scoring the winning runs from the fifth ball.

James Hewitt said after the game "It was a good game and very important for the batsmen to get a bat and the bowlers to get a bowl. Although it was very cold and windy I know everyone really enjoyed their afternoon."

Bexley Hospital v New Ash Green

(Monday May 7th, 2001)

40 Over Match - Maximum 8 Overs per Bowler
Bexley Hospital 111-9
New Ash Green 104-7
Bexley Hospital won by 7 runs

A remarkably dry but very green pitch and a slow outfield produced another low-scoring game on Monday. Bexley Hospital won the toss and elected to bat, and with opener Nick Fisher putting away the loose balls effectively they seemed on their way to a good score early on. However New Ash Green's young bowlers bowled very tightly, Richard Slatem and Oliver Harding particularly bowling well for little reward. It was the older heads who took the wickets, Arun Daniels taking 3-20 despite bowling 5 consecutive wides in one over, and Dave Harrington taking 2-6 in 8 overs. Indeed the bowling was so effective that the last four overs were all maidens and three wickets were taken - those who were observing the scoreboard noted that the fabled Nelson (111) was taking its toll today!

Needing less than 3 an over New Ash Green still managed to quickly fall behind the run rate. Four ducks in the top order left them in a sorry state and at 52-7 after 32 overs they looked on their way to a dismal defeat. Arun Daniels (30*) and Matthew Scanlan (20*) had other ideas, though, and they managed to double the score in the last 8 overs. In the end they had been left with too much to do, but could take pride in having kept the fielding side worried right up till the last two balls. It was an honourable defeat, and for the most part everyone was pleased to finally get a game in. We all look forward to the promised sunny weather and improved conditions next week!