Saturday 15th May and Sunday 16^th May2004

New Ash Green v Old Elthamians & Granby
Saturday 15th May 2004

Kent League Match - 100 Overs

Old Elthamians (4 points) 112 all out (47.2 overs)
New Ash Green (16 points) 115-9 (49.1 overs)
New Ash Green won by 1 wicket.

After last week’s washout it was the first XI that got to play the first Kent League game of the year at the club’s new first choice ground at the Manor Field, and despite a very soft field and wicket, given the large amount of rain over the last few weeks, the pitch was in very impressive condition. With the surroundings as good as the are at the Manor Field the game boded well for the future, once we have got used to the set up there.

Given the very damp pitch it was a good toss to win, and Andy Stuart had no hesitation in asking Old Elthamians & Granby, the newly merged side, to bat first. The captain opened the bowling himself and gave the openers a testing start with a spell of 6-4-4-1. At the other end Andy Cox on his first game back from knee surgery was also on target and it took some 9 overs before the scoring rate crept above one per over. With James Hewitt and Vic Mayers also fairly tidy, Hewitt in particular, Elthamians struggled to up the run rate despite a wicket that behaved very well considering how soft it was. However although Mayers struck once there were still wickets in hand and the real question was how much would Elthamians be able to accelerate in the latter stages of the innings. The crucial stage was reached when Chris Yue and Micky Sumner came on as the 5^th and 6^th bowlers, both for their first match of the season, Sumner not even having netted. However despite one or two loose ones from Sumner they mostly remained tight, backed up by excellent fielding from the whole side. Yue soon started to take wickets, and when Cox returned to replace a tiring Sumner the wickets really started to tumble. Yue took 4-22 in 12 overs of excellent variation, while Cox also picked up 3-22, and with the aid of three outfield catches in 9 balls from Andy Stuart Elthamians surprisingly subsided to 112 all out with 2 overs unused.

Initially New Ash Green had thought chasing over 100 would be tough, but with the pitch holding together well and indeed probably easing they were confident the target was within their reach. That confidence was boosted when Marc Klus and Andy Cox got them off to a solid start (a real flyer by the terms of this low scoring match!) and although the bowling did tighten up a bit and Klus was out to the first change bowler Cox and Matthew Quantrill carried on very solidly. They put on 25, the biggest partnership of the innings, before Quantrill was out for 10 just before the halfway stage. At this stage Elthamians had switched to spin with young off spinner Alex Whitwell being joined by skipper Nicholls bowling leg spin. The pitch did give some turn, and particularly for Whitwell kept low and made scoring difficult. Fortunately Nicholls slipped in a few full tosses which the batsmen took advantage of, and the rate continued to keep up with the target. At 76-3 things seemed pretty rosy, but then Cox went back to a short one only to force it straight to mid off, ending his vital contribution on 30, comfortably the highest score of the match. From then on things went downhill for New Ash Green until at 98-8 memories of last year’s failed run chase against the same opposition loomed large. James Hewitt and Andy Stuart saw off Whitwell, who finished with 3-19 in 15 overs, and nudged around a few singles and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking. Then with 4 needed off four overs Stuart went back to one that seemed to stay low and was bowled, bringing Micky Sumner to the crease at number 11, the very man who’s comical dismissal had concluded last year’s defeat. He survived the remaining 4 balls of the over from Nicholls, showing fine judgment in leaving one that missed the stumps by an inch or so, and leaving Hewitt to face Paul Daniels. Hewitt was in no mood to protract proceedings, and rather than use the 3 remaining overs he pulled the first ball straight over the short mid-wicket boundary for 6 to end a dramatic match in dramatic style, and make Hewitt (11*) only the third NAG batsman to reach double figures.

So a win on debut here for the first XI keeps up New Ash Green’s 100% Kent League record at the Manor Field following the 2^nd XI’s win (also against Old Elthamians) last year. If it was harder work than it should have been it showed that the talent is still there if enough people make themselves available for both sides to stay in the Kent League. The attractions of the peaceful surroundings at the Manor Field were obvious to all who played, and if the wickets maintain the same quality throughout the season (if hopefully a little drier!) then this should be a very enjoyable year. All we need is to see a few more people taking advantage of it!

Click HERE for full scorecard from KCL site.

Click HERE for latest league table.

Dartford Halls IV v New Ash Green II
Saturday 15th May 2004

Kent League Match - 100 Overs

New Ash Green (0 points) 97 all out (46.3 overs)
Dartford Halls IV (16 points) 99-2 (30.5 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 8 wickets.

I am waiting for a match report from Graham Hampsheir, but in the meantime here is my report based on what I heard about the game afterwards and what is available on the KCL report – which as I write is behaving very strangely….Graham’s match report now received, so now replaces my effort, though I would still like to mention particularly John Harding Carrying his bat. As far as I am aware he is the only the second person to have done so for New Ash Green, and to do it through 46.3 overs in difficult conditions is especially impressive.

With the team depleted of several regular 2nd team players it was necessary again to cancel the 3rd team game in order to raise a side for this match. With two of the clubs three umpires called upon to play, the lack of an umpire meant the toss was forfeited and Dartford elected to field. After the amount of rain falling in the previous few weeks it was no surprise that the wicket was slow and low. Many players struggled with the lack of bounce but John Harding showed the way with an extremely patient innings, after losing Dan (wot?) Lewsey early on, Blair Wilson made a nonsense of the conditions and was timing the ball superbly, hitting three fours in his brief innings of 17 from 14 balls faced. Skipper Graham (remember Northfleet?) Hampsheir then joined Harding at the crease and hung around for a while before being triggered out LBW whilst playing forward to a ball whilst already standing 2 feet out of the crease in order to negate the swing (fortunately he wasn’t bitter!) Shane (I’m a luvvie) Hampsheir then joined Harding at the crease and lasted longer than anyone bar His Majesty but like most, struggled with his timing. Graham Poole (who incidentally got three socks for Christmas after his mum told his Gran he had grown another foot!) then joined the tireless Harding at the crease and produced the shot of the match in a front foot cut/drive for 4. After showing great dedication of the past few seasons, it seems Graham has now turned a corner and will hopefully go on to achieve results this season, (did that sound like a school report?) After a short partnership with his Dad, Oliver (I’m not bowling from that end – my car is parked over there!) Harding departed for 8. The innings ended on 97 all out from 47.3 overs – John Harding having carried his bat for 42* and really showing what needed to be done on such a wicket. It must be said that nobody really gave their wicket away and the pitch accounted for most of the damage. Whilst the score was low, I believe another 15 – 20 runs would have made it quite respectable.

Excellent bowling form the NAGCC openers ensured Dartford did not get off to a flying start, Keith (I’ll do anything me) Bushell started with four consecutive maidens and only went for 12 from 9 overs, Dan Lewsey also bowled well going for 29 from 13 overs. It must be said excellent fielding also kept the runs down so that after 18 overs, Dartford had only amassed 35 runs. With no wickets taken however it was only a matter of time before the runs started flowing, Blair Wilson going for 8 from his first over and Oliver Harding going for 17 from 2 (despite taking a wicket with his first ball) meant realistically that it wouldn’t be long before Dartford overcame the NAGCC total. There was time for a typical 3rd team ‘Champaign Moment’ however. When the batsmen accidentally hit a ball over the hedge from Skipper Graham Hampsheir for 6, Blair (I’m not touching it) Wilson eventually found it sitting in a pile of horse s&*t (manure) after refusing to touch it, Blair forced the umpire to offer a spare ball with which to continue the game. Sense prevailed however the ball was returned to the bowler via the tips of Wilson’s finger and thumb (right hand).

So the first 2nd team match of the season was lost but the hardy players who stepped up to the 2nds by no means disgraced themselves. The game was played in good spirits and the never say die attitude was one that other teams can learn from. Commitment in the field was excellent, particularly Graham Poole, Shane Hampsheir with a superb catch at mid-wicket, Jasper (I like boys in tight trousers) Holliday and Matt (not Todd) Bushe.

Report copyright Graham Hampsheir. No part of this report may be published without express permission from the author. Permission granted to NAGCC for publication on NAGCC website. (Our solicitors are watching!) (that’s about all they will do!)

Click HERE for full scorecard from KCL site.

Click HERE for latest league table.

Blackheath Select v New Ash Green III
Saturday 15th May 2004

Sadly with a vast number of players missing despite finally having good weather and 3 fixtures to fulfil we couldn’t raise a third XI – though a number of 3^rd team regulars appeared in the 2^nd team.

New Ash Green v Kingsnorth
Sunday 16th May 2004

Kent Village League Match - 40 overs per side

New Ash Green (0 points) 106 all out (37.2 overs)
Kingsnorth (6 points) 107-7 (35.4 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 3 wickets.

Another sunny day saw the re-used wicket from Saturday’s game at the Manor Field look rather greener for 24 hours of spring growth of grass, and also rather harder. Nonetheless Kingsnorth still had no doubts when they won the toss and inserted New Ash Green, and the decision paid off when they took the wicket of John Howland in the first over. Andy Mayers and Matthew Quantrill steadied things for a while before Mayers was given out LBW and two more quick wickets fell to leave New Ash Green perilously placed at 27-4. Although there was a bit more life in the wicket than the previous day the bowling was not quite of the same quality, and survival was not a problem – it was run scoring that was difficult. However James Oliver continued to show encouraging improvement as a player in a steady partnership with Quantrill, waiting patiently for the ball to hit and hitting it well. The score had moved on to 50 before he was unlucky to be given out pinned in front of the stumps by a ball that appeared to have pitched outside leg. Quantrill was then joined by Vic Mayers and together they added 50 for the 6^th wicket, with Quantrill starting to taking advantage of a little luck on some of his attacking shots as he accelerated towards 50, highlighting his innings with a towering six over mid wicket, before eventually thick edging an attempted drive to backward point to be out for 54. From 100 for 5 and the bonus point for reaching 160 not looking out of the question things went rapidly downhill with Mayers out in similar fashion to Quantrill shortly afterwards for 14 and only Graham Poole of the remaining batsmen showing the application needed on a pitch where the ball still frequently kept low. The last 5 wickets fell for the addition of just 6 runs, and although anything over 100 was very defendable in the conditions it was a far lower total than had seemed likely for a while when Quantrill and Mayers were beginning to hit the ball with relative freedom.

Vic and Andy Mayers opened the bowling together and got far more life from the pitch than had any other bowler over the weekend. However although they beat the batsmen once or twice the extra pace was probably of more help than hindrance to the batsmen, and the opening partnership played aggressively and crucially added 45 in relatively quick time. The breakthrough came with a run out from a direct hit by Vic Mayers, aggressive running having looked the batsmen’s most likely downfall on a number of occasions. Alan Carter and Dan Lewsey came on as first change, and their slower pace made scoring much more difficult. Once the wickets started to fall the game changed from a cruise to victory to a hard fought match, but the opening partnership had taken much of the pressure off the remaining batsmen. Carter took 3-24 in his 9 overs, and Lewsey bowled through his 9 for 13, though failing to take a wicket. Critically when their spells ended New Ash Green needed to keep the pressure on, and young Keir Wilson responded well with 2 wickets. Another for Vic Mayers, returning to bowl some spin, kept the game alive, but without too much pressure on the scoring rate the batsmen were able to nudge their way home with time to spare. Still New Ash Green were able to feel that they had made a game of it and ensured a second tense finish of the weekend.

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