Saturday 18th May & Sunday 19th May
Paddock Wood v New Ash Green
Saturday 18th May 2002
Mid-Kent League Match - 46 overs per side
New Ash Green (20 pts) 253-6 declared (39.3 overs)
Paddock Wood (3 pts) 127 all out
New Ash Green won by 126 runs.
Paddock Wood have lost a few players this year, and expect to be the whipping boys of Division 1a, so on a dry pitch (unique at Paddock Wood in New Ash Green's experience) Andy Stuart won the toss and chose to bat. Andy Payne launched into anything loose with his usual venom, and with Matthew Quantrill solid at the other end it was another useful opening partnership for New Ash Green before Payne was bowled for 33. Steve Hurst started steadily and the score reached 78 before Hurst had an aberration and called an impossible single, running Quantrill out by several yards. After this Hurst started to accelerate, and Vic Mayers, having started slowly soon joined in the attack. Once the pair of them got going the scoring rate surged ahead - they reached their 100 partnership after a spell of 79 runs in 7 overs. At that point drinks were taken and the ball afterwards Mayers was out for 38. An increasingly weary Hurst pushed on to his century, ending on 111 not out, though by the end he could barely lift his bat, while Andy Cox, Simon Duke and Vaughan John all contributed quick cameos at the other end. When John was out at 253-6 the need for enough time to get Paddock Wood all out and ensure maximum bonus points brought about that rarity in limited overs cricket, a declaration.
When Paddock Wood batted their openers treated Matt Meehan and Andy Cox with great respect - with 52 overs to bat they obviously felt that they could take their time. However taking 10 overs to pass the score New Ash Green had reached in the 1st over was probably a bit extreme, and eventually the urge to try and play some shots brought about a wicket, with two more quickly falling. This brought in New Ash Green's bÃte noire from the infamous championship match of 2000, Andy Parker. For a while he looked as if he might again upset New Ash Green's plans as he set about the bowling with a series of measured attacking strokes. Eventually, though, he succumbed to an excellent over from Matt Meehan for 49. At this point, some 33 overs had been bowled and opener Andy Hollins was still in on 14. He obviously felt that he now needed to make some effort to attack if Paddock Wood were to get near to any bonus points, and after nearly doubling his score in the next two overs he was well held at 1st slip by Andy Payne. From there on the wickets fell rapidly, and having for a while looked as if they might need their full 52 overs New Ash Green wrapped it up with 10 of them still to spare. Andy Cox took 5-20 in 13 overs, Matt Meehan 2-31 in 13 and Vic Mayers 2-12 in 6, while some excellent catches were held, not least by Vaughan John, and nothing easy was missed.
New Ash Green go into a bye week with maximum points and top of the league, but now we have to start playing some of the other top sides!
Chislehurst & West Kent II v New Ash Green II
Saturday 18th May 2002
Kent League Match - 100 overs
Chislehurst & West Kent (4 pts) 95 all out (50 overs)
New Ash Green (16 pts) 96-9 (34.2 overs)
New Ash Green won by 1 wicket.
Yet again New Ash Green managed to secure (a thrilling) victory despite another unconvincing batting display. C&WK surprisingly decided to bat after winning the toss and it was clear from the outset that the ball was going to move around significantly. Pete Burke made the early breakthrough's taking the first 3 wickets, quickly followed by one for Mick Sumner and Burke's fourth left C&WK reeling on 14 for 5. C&WK managed to climb to 45 largely due to the resilience of Bradburn before he was 8th out adjudged LBW to the bowling of Mick Sumner. The ninth wicket partnership managed to double the score before C&WK were all out for 95 with the final wicket being a run out on the last ball of the 50th over. Very economical bowling from Matt Scanlan (0-7 in 7) and Paul Sumner (1-15 in 9) ensured that a score of over 100 never looked likely and Pete Burke ended with 6 for 40 off 16 (despite taking a bit of stick in his last four overs).
The now all too familiar NAG batting collapse was not far away as Rob Jansen, Dominic Adolphe and Matt Payne were dismissed for a combined score of 2, leaving the team on 10 for 3. It was left to Darren Phillips (who scored an assured 25) and Duncan Shannon to steady the ship. They managed to see the score to 33 for 3 before a spectacular collapse which saw NAG crumble to 55 for 9, still requiring another 41 for victory with Chris Hoddinott (27*) joined at the crease by Pete Burke (22*). The captain seemed to steady the nerves of the big hitting (or should that be big mouthed) Hoddinott, as the pair slowly but surely crept towards the victory target. They managed to see off the opening bowlers who had taken 5 and 4 wickets respectively, and the introduction of the second string bowlers raised hopes a little that the target could be miraculously reached. Two fours in one over by Hoddinott took the score into the 90's and despite a highly contentious appeal for a catch behind the wicket off the same player, Burke managed to hit the winning boundary in the following over.
It should be highlighted that of the 9 NAG wickets to fall, 6 were clean bowled and 3 were LBW. Whatever the merits of the LBW decisions, NAG need to try and get some bat on ball!
This victory puts NAG joint top of the table (with Sidcup) with a home game against bottom of the table Bromley next up.
Click HERE for full scorecard from Kent League web-site
Click HERE for latest League Table
Cobham v New Ash Green III
Saturday 18th May 2002
Central League Match - 40 overs per side
Cobham 337-5
New Ash Green 54-8 (all out)
Cobham won by 283 runs.
Cobham won the toss and elected to bat against a depleted New Ash Green team, skipper Graham Hampsheir was forced to pull out with a fractured rib (acquired at Old Gs the previous week!) and John Howland (absent, babysitting) meant that it was once again a nine man team. Some very tidy bowling by the openers, Matt Pennell 8-0-29-1 and Rob Wills 8-1-25-2 gave the false impression that things were going to work out well!.....however, Cobham's No5 hit 181* and No6 67* in a total of 337 for 5 declared. A fine spell by Nigel McCloskey 3-0-55-0 tightened things up towards the end!
New Ash Greens reply...well, we got 54 for 8 against some very aggressive bowling! On a positive note...Robin Wills hit 19 including hitting one of the openers back over his head for a 4 which landed just inside the boundary, he then set about the other bruiser of a bowler, slapping him about a bit!
On the face of it, a very bad defeat (lost by 283 runs!) but I felt some positives came out of the game, not least the all-round performance by Robin Wills, some very accomplished wicket-keeping by Shane Hampsheir and sound vice captaincy from Matt Pennell. Cobham are obviously looking for promotion in this, their first year in this league and were certainly miss-matched against our 3rds, other matches coming up will be easier and if we could play them with a full team, it might be a bit more even!
Smarden v New Ash Green
Sunday 19th May
Kent Village League Match - 40 overs per side - max. 9 overs per bowler
Smarden (6 pts) 187-4
New Ash Green (1 pt) 170 all out
Smarden won by 17 runs.
New Ash Green started their 4th different league campaign of 2002 with their Kent Village League debut at Smarden. A full report will follow when Darren Phillips' computer is fixed, but the brief phone report I have suggests that New Ash Green were hampered by last minute drop outs and despite some useful stand-ins, including a hobbling Vic Mayers, had to play with 10 men. Smarden made 187-4 without any notable bowling performances, and New Ash Green lost some early wickets to their one good bowler, after which man of the weekend Chris Hoddinott scored 80, with support from Darren Phillips (33) and Vic Mayers (+runner) (29), but couldn't quite reach the target. Still not a bad result as Smarden claim they will be the strongest team in the division.
Here is the Captain's report:
After a number of unhelpful players did not bother to turn up NAG went with only ten men. NAG were put in the field and were not helped when main bowler Vic Mayers strained his hamstring. Andy Payne was the best bowler but was not rewarded for his tight nine over spell.
NAG's top three fell early to the pace of Hutchinson which left Darren Phillips -&- Chris Hoddinott to pick up the innings at the stage of 28 for 3. A steady partnership of 70+ got NAG back into the game before Phillips fell for 33 to last season's best bowler in the league Barry Adams. Chris Hoddinott went on to make 80 with some crisp hitting, he was assisted by Vic Mayers who made 28 from 20 balls aided by a runner in the form of Keiron Hoddinott. It was a good game and now that NAG know what to expect in this league I think NAG have a could chance of pushing for another league title!!