Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th April
Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th April
Friendly Match - 30 overs per side
Rainham (Essex) 121 all out (29.2 overs)
New Ash Green 31 all out (24.3 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 90 runs
After the washout on Easter Sunday, NAGCC travelled over to Essex for the first game of the season. The dire weather leading up to the weekend turned out to be the least of our worries upon arrival in Rainham. First the ground has been double booked, meaning the cricket could only start once the football had finished (reducing the game to 30 overs per side). Even worse was to find broken glass across a large part of the outfield. Dan Lewsey lost the toss and Rainham chose to bat first, exactly what Dan would have done if he had won the toss.
NAG started well, with John Harley and Vic Mayers opening the bowling. The pitch was feeling the affect of the heavy rain and played very slowly, causing Rainham numerous problems. Vic took the first wicket, Rainham's captain playing on after an ugly swipe across the line. Rainham slowly built a partnership for the 3rd wicket before Dan Lewsey removed their other opener and their number 4 in quick succession. Joe Esliak was then brought into the attack and removed Collis (Rainhams top scorer with 56) for his first wicket. Rainham's innings then fell apart losing their final 5 wickets for 5 runs. Joe Elisak took 4 wickets, 2 catches (one an exceptional diving catch that will take some beating this season) and a run out. Matt Clark contributed with 2 wickets before the pre-season friendly atmosphere was confirmed with Ian Davies thrown the ball for the final over. A delightful slower ball (that nearly hit Davies's toes after the ball was released) forced a run out to end the innings, Joe Elisak preferring to complete the run out himself rather than throw the ball to Davies. Elisak ended up with 4-17 off 6 overs with Lewsey and Clark getting 2-19 and 2-5 respectively.
NAG were chasing 122 to win from 30 overs, a target that should have been easily achieveable. John Harley ensured maximum value for money for his match fee by opening the batting with Ian Martin. John went quickly for 0 bringing Davies to the middle, who was to be given out (rather harshly) caught behind for 0. Matthew Bushe then scored 6, losing 5 batting partners on the way. Joe Elisak scored 9* to ensure that NAG didnt create a new record for their lowest ever score. NAG were eventually all out for 31 from 24.3 overs resulting in a 90 run defeat. Given that the two previous seasons had started with 100+ partnerships, it is safe to say that the start to this season was far from ideal.
If this result is anything to go by, it could be a long and hard season. For everyones sake, i hope its not!!!
Friendly Match - 40 overs per side
New Ash Green 183-4 (40 overs)
Farningham 115 all out (36.5 overs)
New Ash Green won by 68 runs
This may have been the strongest Sunday side New Ash Green have put out for quite a few years – even the late changes worked in their favour, with Scott McKechnie and Lee Saunders joining the original selection. With the more usual strength of Sunday side having been soundly beaten at Farningham in the last couple of years a Farningham side with several first team squad members of their own must have been expecting a relatively gentle work out when they won the toss and inserted New Ash Green. Although they removed John Harding fairly early on they then had to toil through a 130 run partnership between McKechnie and Andy Harrington, making the first appearance of what we hope will be his first fairly full season for a long while. It was only when McKechnie had made 101 that Farningham finally made the breakthrough, with Harrington following soon afterwards for 45. There was time for another promising innings of 13 from Matt Clark before New Ash Green finished on 183-4, a very respectable score at this very early stage of the season, especially with two leading first team all rounders yet to bat. (That's Lee and Andy, Micky, don't get too excited.)
Just how respectable that score was soon became evident after tea as Farningham's top order could make little progress against John Harley and especially against Andy Mayers (0-18 in 8) and Micky Sumner (1-12 in 8). Presumably because they were unable to score many from these two they went after the rather gentler bowling of David Harley, and although he was the most expensive of the New Ash Green bowlers he picked up 3 wickets for 36 runs in his 8 overs – and even he was going for less than the required rate. Lee Saunders also profited, picking up 3 for 26 in 6 overs, with Dan Lewsey and Matt Bushe mopping up the tail. In keeping with the theme of all rounders being used as specialists Andy Harrington didn't get his hands on the ball – other than to take two catches. All in all a very satisfactory performance against a fairly strong opposition, and a big improvement in almost every way on Saturday's match.
P.S. A match report from someone who actually saw the game would be most welcome.