Match Report: Lower Earley (A)

Abject Pyestock Fail to Rise

For Earley Battle

 

Pyestock CC Vs Lower Earley CC

Sunday 2^nd September 2012

Weather Conditions: Overcast and Breezy.

Pitch Conditions: Wicket: uneven, underprepared, Outfield: Green, fast.

 

Pyestock slumped to their first defeat in 7 weeks as a dismal batting performance ended hopes of a sixth successive win.

Facing Lower Earley for the very first time, Neil Butler’s side would have been unsure as to what to expect, and not too much was given away in the early stages as the cautious Janere and “KP” settled in. Not deterred however, the fourth and fifth overs saw Chris and Neil took a wicket apiece to rattle the visitors leaving the score on 19 for 2.

Neal joined “KP” at the crease to rebuild the early damage, and did so with some effect, scoring heavily from Pyestock’s opening bowlers.

In only the 9^th over with the score on 47, Pyestock claimed a crucial break-through with Neil removing “KP” for 24 and the skipper followed this up in his next 2 overs removing both new batsmen Maynard and O’Grady.

With this flurry of wickets all of a sudden Lower Earley found themselves 65 for 5 and after batsmen getting good starts and then falling, really needed someone to step up to the plate and grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

That man looked to be Neal, who remained despite his sides top order falling around him, continually finding the boundary from the bowling of Neil, Chris and replacement Marc Kisko.

Marc, playing in only his second ever Pyestock match responded well to the early onslaught against him though, by providing his side with 2 crucial wickets. First he found a faint edge from Kahn, before the prized wicket of Neal arrived, a beautiful pitched up ball, causing the Lower Earley talisman to lose his middle stump.

The innings was progressing at a frenetic rate with the hosts scoring well in excess of 5 runs per over, but were losing wickets far too quickly to suggest that they would make the most of their allotted time. Once their eighth wicket fell to Dan, it looked like the first half would be wrapped up within 25 overs.

The Wokingham based side responded well once again, with Ish Hussain and A.Davidson adding a valuable partnership to their teams total.

They both fell to Marc and Dan respectively to end the innings, but were soon to combine with the ball in an attempt to defend their total of 134.

With the first innings ending 20 minutes before schedule, Pyestock looked odds on to secure another victory even after the early dismissal of Chris Heath, bowled by Ish Hussain for zero.

Regular opener Jon Ford and Colin Butler managed to see Pyestock through to tea without further incident with the score on 13 for 1 after 6 overs.

After the resumption, it was hoped that Pyestock would score quick runs, however they never materialised as the Lower Earley opening attack provided a disciplined and consistent display.

It was hoped that with so many overs in the bank that the corner would still be turned, but the run rate didn’t seem to budge. In the 15^th over, with the score only on 31, the second wicket came, and it turned out to be crucial. Jon Ford caught by O’Grady from the bowling of Davidson, began a succession of cheap wickets falling.

Colin soon followed, also finding the safe hands of O’Grady, before Dan was bowled in Harwood’s first over.

Vaughan Newcombe, now at the crease stabilised the rocking home ship, starting slowly and patiently against the attack of Harwood and Maynard. Mike Carpenter the other end produced a quick 6 runs before being dismissed by Maynard.

Vaughan then stepped up several gears in an attempt to get the runs on the board before further dismissals, but Marc Kisko (3) provided Lower Earley with their 6^th wicket.

Vaughan finally succumbed for a superb 23, but at this stage it was looking as if the victory was slipping away. Neil Butler and Chris McGovern provided Pyestock’s eighth partnership, and two successive boundaries from the captain against the re-introduced Davidson still showed the intent that the home side possessed. Unfortunately it was short-lived for the hard-hitting skipper however, bowled two balls later.

Paul Heath was next to try his hand at the heroic rescue, harbouring memories of 3 weeks ago when his 44 rescued the match at home to Bagshot, and despite one splendid off-drive also perished to the impressive Davidson.

By now the game was up, and the draw could not even be salvaged, with Mark Padwick edging his ninth ball to first slip to wrap up in the end what was a comfortable win for the visitors. It was the chairman’s first dismissal for the side since the final match of the 2010 season, at home to Peper Harow.

Pyestock will be looking towards themselves after this defeat as certain aspects of their game will need improving as the season comes to a close.

 

Lower Earley CC 134 All Out

Pyestock CC 98 All Out

Lower Earley CC won by 36 runs