Kent League Match - 100 Overs

New Ash Green (7 points) 225-9 (50 overs)
Wye (16 points) 227-7 (49.5 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 3 wickets.

New Ash Green lost on the penultimate ball at promotion chasing Wye in a thrilling match, which swung first one way and then the next in a game that was played in fantastic spirit by both sides throughout.

New Ash Green won the toss and chose to bat in perfect batting conditions, Andy Cox and Mark Klus made steady progress in keeping the scoreboard ticking while playing themselves in and seeing off the first spell of Australian Matt Barnes.

With the change bowling relatively unthreatening, Klus in particular got stuck in to the home attack. Having survived two early chances he raced towards his first 50 of the season with a towering six over long-on after an identical shot just a ball before had bizarrely been changed to just 4 at the insistence of the nearest fielder despite the ball clearly flying straight into a neighbouring garden!

With Cox pacing his innings perfectly, New Ash Green marked their first century opening stand in league cricket for many a year.

The return of Matt Barnes brought the fall of the first wicket with the score on 113 as Klus turned to see the ball roll back into his stumps for 64. The scoreboard continued to make good progress as Ginn looked to give Cox the strike as he played himself in. The return of Skipper Wise at the other end brought the fall of the next wicket, with Ginn bowled for 12 just after Andy Cox brought up his first league 50 of the season.

Vic Mayers was next to the crease and before scoring was struck high on the arm by a beamer from Barnes. Despite the Aussie's genuine concern, Mayers was forced to retire having taken the blow straight on a metal plate in his arm which guards a previous injury. With NAG starting to lose momentum with the various comings and goings a total that for a long time looked like it would be well in excess of 250 started to look like it may be dangerously under par on such a good batting track.

Burke tried to inject some much needed urgency into proceedings but fell for 16. Duke was the next man to the crease and did well to keep Cox on strike as much as possible, before calling him through for a risky single and leaving him stranded when square leg made an unlikely direct hit with just one stump to aim at.

It was an unfortunate way for a fantastic innings to come to an end with Cox run out for 88 and the score now stuttering to 202 with only 5 overs left. Simon Duke was the next to fall having struggled to find the boundaries needed, he was eventually bowled for 16. Matt Meehan (6) soon followed for 6 as did Vic Mayers (2) as NAG desperately searched for quick runs.

The procession continued as Stuart (0) became Wise’s 5th victim, with just 4 balls left in the innings he failed to connect when trying to launch one down the ground. Hewitt (2) also lost his stumps just two balls later to leave Shambrook (an emergency replacement for Vaughan John) to hit 2 off the last ball, leaving New Ash Green 225-9 at the end of the 50 overs. It was NAG’s best total by far this season yet well under par following the magnificent platform the openers had provided.

Wye, whose enthuisiam had come rushing back with the capitulation of the NAG innings came out the blocks fast with Barnes and Noden looking to blast their way to a quick victory. The NAG cause wasn’t helped when Andy Stuart pulled a hamstring in his second over. Matt Meehan and Vic Mayers continued to strive for the breakthrough as the runs came at a furious pace, Meehan finally made the breakthrough when Noden edged to Ginn at the start of the 9th over with the score on 58. This didn’t slow down Barnes as he continued to put his trust in the pitch and hit across the line as the hosts raced on to 95 after 15 overs.

Following a drinks break at the end of the 17th over, the game started to shift, with Vic Mayers and Andy Cox slowing the run rate down to a crawl with both batsman playing and missing, Barnes in particular inside edging over his stumps on numerous occasions as if he could do it at will!

After Mayers and Cox had dragged the run rate back it was the return of Meehan, which brought about a dramatic shift in power. First Hollins picked out Shambrook at deep cover and then Barnes (86) edged to Ginn to leave the hosts 153-3. That soon became 154-4 when Hewitt got in on the act, cleaning up Edge for just 2. With the source of over half of their runs gone and all momentum lost it was now well and truly game on.

As the run rate crept up to over 5 for the first time, Meehan struck again bowling G Starley for 1 (167-5), with Hewitt keeping the pressure on at the other end Meehan took his 5th, this time L Starley for 0 (173-6). With the Wye middle order in disarray and in real danger of losing a game in which they were cruising for so long and which Matt Barnes predicted at the start wouldn’t last until tea - all the pressure was now on the home side.

Skipper Wise batted extremely well and in truth took the game away from the visitors before Mayers could catch him LBW for 39, to leave the hosts on 203-7. Though still 23 runs were required from 4.3 overs, Wye’s depth of batting told, with Watson a normal resident of the number 3 spot coming in at 8 to steer them home with a ball to spare in what were still perfect batting conditions.

It was a harsh ending for a gutsy New Ash Green performance, having fought their way back into the game they had nothing but 7 bonus points to show for their efforts.

New Ash Green II v Wye II
Saturday 12th July 2003

Kent League Match - 100 Overs

New Ash Green (13 points) 226-9 (50 overs)
Wye (8 points) 214-8 (50 overs)
New Ash Green winning draw.

It appears that Wye felt the pitch looked so bad for this game that they almost refused to play on it. So convinced were they that it would be dangerous that they insisted that they would only play if New Ash Green batted first. Now read on as Micky Sumner, captain for the day, takes up the story…

After claiming the toss and asking New Ash Green to bat on a wicket that resembled a rugby pitch Wye were confident of an easy afternoon in the field and to be chasing a total of under 100! So when NAG openers Steve Hurst and Rob Jansen got NAG off to a great start putting on nearly 40 for the first wicket after only 8 overs Wye's heads began to drop, however, they were always kept interested by the uneven bounce of the wicket. Steve Hurst was the first one to go after being bowled as he would put it 'missing a straight one' for 27 (I think). This brought Scanlan to the crease, who continued to give Jansen able support before throwing his wicket away after looping a catch to mid on.

Andy Mayers came in at no.4 and looked solid. After playing himself in he began to look more confident and soon got to work on Wye's first change bowlers and made use of the extremely quick outfield. Mayers & Jansen took the score to 120 after 27 overs which was a an excellent score for NAG to build on. Mayers departed for 41 after being caught which enabled him to go home and help his nan out with the teas which still hadn't arrived! Hobbs smashed his first two balls for four and looked surprisingly comfortable. Jansen began to push the score along well before a mix up with Hobbs ending up in Jansen being run out for 28. Jansen did an excellent job in holding the innings together and allowing others to bat around him. Adolphe was next and was soon entertaining the packed balcony with as he would put it 'masterful strokeplay' (Editor's note - what Dom actually said to me the next day was 'that was a brutal knock, Quantrill'!) which included a huge six. Hobbs was given out LBW and Paul Sumner replaced him, the boundaries continued to come before Paul was caught for 10, Oliver stuck around chipping in 5. Dom was eventually caught behind for 39, Mick Sumner ended up with 9 not out. So a very good effort by everyone to get the total to a defendable 226.

Wye's opening batsmen David Jukes rode his luck from the start after being dropped off his first and third ball in Mick Sumner's first over. Scanlan opened up at the other end but struggled to find his line & length sending down a flurry of wides. He was replaced by Paul Sumner who after a couple of overs began to bowl well. The batsmen continued to play and miss much to the frustration of the NAG bowlers. Wye were looking comfortable picking off the bad balls and were soon 70 without loss after 15 overs. NAG needed to slow things down so Sharad Bawdekar came on first change and did a brilliant job. 3 maidens in a row began to slow the two openers up and when Sharad picked up the wicket of Jukes for 40 NAG had got themselves back in the game. Mayers replaced Paul Sumner at the other end who initially was only going to bowl 2 overs because he had to leave early. Bawdekar & Mayers frustrated Wye's batsmen and forced them into errors. Mayers bowled the dangerous Parry for 54 the run rate was now nearly 7 an over. Both bowlers continued well and completed the full 15 overs each, both picking up two wickets. Mick Sumner replaced Sharad but by this time Wye needed over 8 an over. Mick bowled the penultimate over conceding only 3. Wye then needed 14 off the last over. Paul Sumner bowled very well collecting two wickets in the last four balls and finishing with three for the day. So in the end Wye ended up 9 runs short after an excellent days cricket and for a wicket that was, according to their umpire a '60 all out track' it produced nearly 450 runs. Although I have to mention the fact that NAG conceded 47 extras, the majority of those being wides!

New Ash Green III v Lower Halstow II
Saturday 12th July 2003

Central League Match - 40 Overs

Lower Halstow 186-8 (40 overs)
New Ash Green 149-8 (40 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 37 runs.

On a hot sultry afternoon New Ash Green fielded with a blend of youth and inexperience.
Having won the toss New Ash Green elected to field and opened from the pavilion end with Robin Wills. With 2 slips, gully, point and a close field he produced a fantastic spell (8-1-20-1) bowling at full pace with a perfect line and length. Carter bowled a disappointing spell at the other end and was replaced after 3 overs by Dan Lewsey who bowled, as ever, a tidy spell (8-2-18-0) creating real pressure on the batting team. With the reintroduction of Carter at the pavilion end, after Wills excellent effort, the pressure told as Morris and Taylor were both trapped (plum) lbw with the score at 60 -3 after 19 overs. After drinks Andy Tutt's good work behind the stumps was at an end as Robin Wills took over for the final 20 overs bringing Andy Tutt into the bowling attack, after Lewsey's excellent spell. Carter was a little wayward and gave way to Steve Ball who bowled better than his figures suggested (0-32).With the bowling so tight and the fielding aggressive Lower Halstow had a hit and hope policy in the last 10 overs but New Ash Green continued to hold their nerve with Sam Wilson bowling the tight line that the other bowlers had done conceding 19 off the last 4 overs, but the sting in the tail was created by Lewis Cooper who dawdled in and let rip with an exocet taking a wicket with his 1st ball and finishing with 3-16. For the 1st time this season there was a real scent of victory as the New Ash Green innings began. Opening bat Matt Ashford was out without troubling the scorer which brought Andy Tutt to the crease with Dan Lewsey. Tutt played a fluent innings full of shots and always aware of a quick single. Unfortunately Lewsey's shots were used up on Wednesday afternoon and he had none left for Saturday. With the score on 51 Tutt was a bit too ambitious for a quick single, as he had hit it to the bowler who ran him out for 40 in the 16th over. Lewsey tried to up the tempo with two 4's off Steward's 1st over but was mercifully out in the following over caught behind off Howard. Robin Wills had entered the fray and proceeded to play the type of innings needed in the situation, aggressively pushing singles and 2's before launching into some beautifully timed shots netting 3 fours and nearly getting his maiden 6 which he so eagerly craves. Rob was caught and bowled with a very sharp catch with the score on 106 in the 31st over and the tail wagging in the form of Franz (Stuart Little), Carter, Betts and Ball the run rate was a little too demanding, New Ash Green finishing on 149-8 after their 40 overs.
Although this was a defeat this was a young and inexperienced side, all the youngsters deserve credit in the way they bowled. In the field everyone remained alert and disciplined, catches were taken (4, to different people) and everyone supported each other. Instead of the collapses of previous weeks there was a greater resolve as batsmen all dug in and played as positively as they could. There also seems to be a team spirit developing and with the first legitimate points earned there is much cause for optimism. Dan Lewsey again won the champagne moment with his quality tea and trying to cut up a melon with a pair of scissors and a plastic knife.

New Ash Green v Littlebourne II
Sunday 13th July 2003

Kent Village League Match - 40 Overs

New Ash Green (6 points) 198-8 (40 overs)
Littlebourne II (0 points) 117 all out (32.1 overs)
New Ash Green won by 81 runs.

Despite a very worn and dry wicket New Ash Green were in no doubt that they wanted to bat first on another hot day. Dominic Adolphe and Matthew Quantrill started solidly if a little slowly although Adolphe did miss a few wild swings, perhaps suffering from over-confidence after his 'brutal' innings the previous day. They put on 76 for the first wicket before Quantrill went for 33 bowled playing a very poor cut shot while attempting to accelerate. Adolphe went on to 40 before being well held on the boundary from a huge skyer, and after that the rest of the batting order struggled to support Kevin Ginn, bar a brief cameo from Vic Mayers. Ginn was eventually out for 62 with one ball to go, but thanks to a no ball and two big swings from Matt Pennell a further 7 runs were added from that last ball.

With the very dry wicket breaking up quite badly on top 198 looked like a good total and it looked very solid after a maiden from Kevin Ginn and then a wicket from Keith Bushell. A short recovery was spoiled when an unnecessary attempt at a quick single to cover brought a run out from a quick underarm from Matthew Quantrill to John Harding, and a wicket for Ginn reduced Littlebourne to 47-3. James Middleton, who's spin bowling had earlier caused New Ash Green more trouble than the rest of the bowlers, and wicket keeper Andy Farbrace pressed on with a very positive partnership of 37, taking the total to 84-3 after 22 overs, and the game was still very much in the balance. Matt Pennell's 5 overs for just 11 runs had kept the rate behind what was required though, and the pressure told when Middleton edged Vic Mayers behind for 40 to precipitate a tumble of wickets. The last 7 wickets fell for 33 runs in just 10 overs, with Ginn taking 3-18, and Mayers 3-22 in a decisive 9 over spell where the batsmen were frightened of his pace. The tumble of wickets was assisted by excellent fielding, with Mike Cooke, despite dropping a catch, beginning to transform himself from a social to a real cricketer and highlighted by Matthew Quantrill hitting a single stump from 50 yards to complete a second run out.