2013 Match Report Woking & Horsell CC

Pyestock Wilt in

Horsell Heat!

Woking & Horsell CC Vs Pyestock CC

Sunday 7^th july 2013

Weather Conditions: Very Hot and Sunny

Pitch Conditions: Wicket: Dry, flat, hard. Outfield: Green, flat, fast.

For the very first time, Pyestock visited Woking and Horsell CC on a scorching day this Sunday.

Captain Neil Butler won the toss and chose to bat on a flat hard track, and it looked a good decision given the conditions.

Jon Ford and Glenn Taylor took to the crease and quickly took a liking to the bowling of Qasim Ashgar and Ejaz Ahmed.

In the 4^th over however the momentum quickly changed as Jon Ford was bowled by Ahmed to give the hosts an early breakthrough.

Glenn was joined at the crease by Jack Bromley who was given the opportunity to find a score having scored only 25 runs in his last 4 innings for Pyestock, and understandably took a while to get going, but crucially stuck around to help build an important partnership for the visitors.

Runs were being added to the scoreboard at a good rate, even if the board seldom worked, eventually forcing an abandonment of the technology and the more reliable plastic numbers on hooks approach. The 50 came up in the 11^th over, coinciding with the first set of bowling changes as Imran Kahn replaced Ashagar and Captain David Lane replacing Ahmed.

Pyestock found the change of pace difficult to begin with and Glenn fell to a catch giving Lane a first wicket. Jack also had an LBW scare and dropped a chance just short of mid off. He survived both and continued to score well with new partner Neil Butler.

As the score tripped over the 100 mark in the 19^th over, Pyestock were confident of a score over 200. They were unsure howver, whether this would be competitive given the batting nature of the wicket and lightning outfield.

Events turned however when Neil was caught to give Khan a deserved wicket and tight bowling that followed meant Pyestock were beginning to get bogged down in the middle sector of the innings.

The changing moment of the match came when Woking & Horsell introduced Mark Worgan into the attack. Within just 4 overs, he had claimed the wickets of Jack Bromley, Kevin Schiffers and Ben Bromley as the visitors fell to 126 for 6.

Vaughan Newcombe and Paul Heath(drafted in due to injuries), battled to restart the innings, but with so much to do struggled to add any major runs to the innings. Paul was caught attempting a lofted drive and Pete Harris was bowled soon after, meaning the Pyestock Innings was ending with a whimper.

Vaughan and Chris McGovern, hauled the total to 180 from 40 overs, but many felt at the half time tea interval that this total was well short of par.

After tea, Andrew Statham and Sagar Nayyar started the chase confidently, as neither Chris Heath nor Jack Bromley could muster a breakthrough, Neil brought himself on with Ben Bromley to try and find a breakthrough in a partnership that grew in confidence with every run scored.

In the 13^th over, Neil struck, bowling Nayyar for 32, marking his comeback from injury. At the other end Statham, was proving powerful, but was living on the edge as he found himself dropped by Vaughan Newcombe and Chris Heath, when both should probably have been taken.

Woking and Horsell passed the 100 mark in the 21^st over and with the loss of only 1 wicket, it looked a formality that they would go on to win the game, however, Pyestock fought back well, Pete Harris took a fabulous catch at deep mid on to dismiss Statham, and 3 quick wickets for Neil Butler, dismissed Rehan Ahmad, Mark Worgan, and Charlie Eve to suddenly the hosts 129 for 5, and Pyestock were back in the game.

Feilding was tightened and every run suddenly had to be bought as the belief drained into Neil Butler’s team, further wickets for Chris Heath saw Khayam Ali and Ejaz Ahmed depart.

Suddenly 40 runs were needed from 8 overs and with only 3 wickets left, no risks were being taken, David Lane produced a solid innings at number 9, but only managed to muster 2 runs in 16 balls before he was bowled by Jack Bromley.

This left Imran Khan and Qasim Ashgar to find 34 runs in 5 overs and 1 ball. The pair batted sensibly and attackingly to reduce this deficit to 6 runs from 2 overs. Chris Heath was re-introduced to bowl his final over, hoping to at least take the match into a final over, however a boundary from the second ball, meant all hope had realistically gone. A single brought the scores level before a towering drive ended the contest.

Pyestock were defeated, but can take a lot of positives from the game, especially in the bowling and fielding department. Only 8 extras conceded in a performance that saw a battle back from near extinction to only lose by 2 wickets with 8 balls remaining. Woking and Horsell was a lovely place to visit with great facilities. It is hoped that this may become a regular battle over the years.

Pyestock CC 180 All Out

Woking and Horsell CC 186 for 8 (A Statham 63)

Woking & Horsell CC won by 2 wickets

Pyestockcricketclub.co.uk Man of the Match: Neil Butler