Gravesend 247-7 (35 overs)
New Ash Green 120-5 (35 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 127 runs

Remarkably a match played mostly under threatening skies saw only a brief interruption, and that before the first ball was bowled. That turned out to be a 2 minute burst of rain and after that there was only the occasional sprinkle of rain until the game was over, whereupon the heavens opened. In the meantime John Harley and Dan Lewsey had kept the Gravesend openers, including NAG old boy Matt Scanlan, reasonably quiet, with Harley picking up the only wicket, but the rest of the bowling was unable to do the same, all going for more than 7 an over as Gravesend rattled up a big score. Kieran Poole removed Scanlan, playing (as so often) one aerial shot too many, and two catches by Ben Cooke and a good one in the deep from Poole accounted for three more wickets, before Matt Clark struck twice in the final over., both bowled and leaving himself on a hat trick. Although he bowled a good ball it was kept out. The scorebook was something of a mess, and over several recounts the score to be chased started at 240 and went down as low as 227 before finally settling at its peak of 247.

The discussion over the total was probably somewhat academic – any one of the variations was almost certainly beyond New Ash Green’s reach against an attack that was much more on target than their own had been, and included Gravesend first team leg spinner (and opening bat!) Charley Nash. A night shift addled Matthew Quantrill was at his most obdurate, particularly refusing to be goaded by Scanlan into anything rash, but Phil Wallis did start to play some shots after a slow first few overs. Just as he seemed to be getting going he was out LBW, perhaps a little unfortunately given the bounce on the wicket, to end an opening stand of 43. After this all the batsmen struggled to score fluently, though Quantrill did begin to get the bat swinging a little as the innings progressed, and added a little entertainment with three reverse sweeps and then a “Dilshan” shot, kneeling to flick the leg spinner Money just over the stumps and through the keeper’s arms for two. Ben Cooke and Dan Lewsey both fell to Nash, George Kleanthous was bowled and Matt Bushe was unfortunate to find a fielder with a well hit cut shot to keep the race for the Duck Cup alive, but Quantrill stayed till the end and Simon Freeman struck a good straight 4 down the ground to ensure New Ash Green didn’t go down entirely tamely.

Scorecard