Scorecard

Newenden Cricket Club Sunday 1st XI v Stone-in-Oxney CC on Sun 25 Sep 2016 at 12:30pm
Newenden Cricket Club Won by 36 runs

Match report
Date : 26/09/2016
Venue : NCG
Result : Newenden won by 36 runs - Newenden 256-8 ( Bradney 47, Holder 44, Cuthbert 38 ) Stone-in-Oxney 220 all out ( Rummery 4-41, I Jones 3-17, Bradney 3-45)
Man of the Match : Harry Bradney
Played : 17 Won : 13 Drawn : 1 Lost : 3
If there is a lesson to be learnt from yesterday's game, it is " Never give Newenden a second chance", for as we have shown throughout the season, we have a habit of raising our game when it really matters.
As we all arrived for the final time this season, the NCG looked magnificent. Bathed in sunshine, not a cloud in the sky with a perfectly manicured outfield and a dry and lively looking track. We could not have asked for more for the last game of the 2016 season. Special thanks must go to the tireless work that Peter Bourne and his team put into the ground on an annual basis, a time consuming and often under appreciated role, that is absolutely essential to the running of the club.
We had a strong looking side, perhaps a little light on some of our recognised bowlers, but on paper you would have backed us to beat most outfits. After Jonesy had won the toss, we opted to bat, as we always do given the choice. We expect to score heavily and this is backed up by the fact that we have only failed to score over 200 once when batting first, and that was at Sandhurst, and we all know what happened there.
So it was not only surprising, but very disappointing,that today would be the day that the top order decided not to turn up. Wickets began to tumble from the 2nd over and we found ourselves floundering at 56-8. I did not realise at the time, but this was obviously a preconceived idea to lull Stone into a false sense of security. Jonesy was umpiring at square leg, when their captain approached him with an unusual offer. He suggested that we turn the game into a T20 test match, with both sides having two innings. We thought this sounded like a great and novel idea, so accepted. This really brought the game alive, and our lower order began to plunder runs at a rapid pace, with Cuthbert and Bradney, putting on 60 odd in the final 6 overs before the break. We ended up on 115 from our first 20.
Stone then came into bat for their first innings. Rummery bowled his customary aggressive yet disciplined spell from the top end, which saw the Stone openers just relieved to get to the other end. Young George Jones opened up from the Pavillion End and picked up two key wickets from his four overs, aided by some particularly sharp work from Sloan behind the stumps. Stone's innings centred round a great knock by the Tenterden 1st XI captain, Tevis Knight, who bludgeoned our attack for a quickfire 60. Cuthbert finally picked up his wicket towards the end of their 1st innings, but they had reached 162 off their 20, which meant a lead of 47.
After a wonderful tea, which was laid on by the White Hart, Newenden went out for their second innings. We had to score fast just to get rid of the deficit, so the bat was thrown from ball one. We lost a few early wickets, but were scoring at a decent pace. It was Holder that took control of the innings and stabilised the situation, with a calm and measured knock, he finished up on 43 not out, after being ably assisted first by Bradney(21) then by JB(22) who was stumped on the last ball of the innings. We had scored a healthy 141, which meant that Stone would have to score 95 to win.
With such a low target, we knew that our only option was to bowl them out, so we needed to get amongst them early on, and that is exactly what we did. Rummery steamed in from the top end, and soon had Stone on the back foot. He picked up an early wicket, which started to sow the seed of doubt in the suddenly not so confident Stone. Jonesy snr opened up from the Pavillion End, and for someone who has under bowled himself this season, it was like he had never been away. Hitting a fantastic line and length, he picked up a wicket in his first over, with young George ' Buckets' Jones, pouching a steepling catch as if he was shelling peas. The wickets continued to tumble, Jones picked up two in two balls, the first with one of the most casual of catches I have ever seen ,taken by Holder a short square leg. The momentum was swinging firmly in our favour. Rummery continued to crank up the pace, and also took two wickets in two balls, with the second one being one of the balls of the season, a rasping, unplayable delivery, that would have been far too good for far better batsmen. This brought their danger man to the crease, probably a little earlier than he had hoped for. A couple of hefty blows, and concerns began to show, but Bradney had other ideas. Maintaining a superb line, just back of a length, he started to test the batsmen, and then came the key moment in the match. Tevis Knight attempted to put Bradney back over his head and into Lossenham Lane, but did not get enough on it. The ball was flying down towards mid-off, where I was standing, having dropped a similar catch in the first innings,the game rested on this being taken. The team looked on expectantly, the crowd looked on nervously, I looked on increduously, as suddenly I heard the cry that everyone wanted to hear, ' Karl's!!!' - I have never been so relieved to see anyone arrive in my life. Karl of course took the catch, and we could all breath again. Bradney then took another wicket, which brought their last man to the crease, leaving Stone needing 36 off the last 6 overs. Harker had picked up the mantle from the Pavillion End, and as he was about to end his final over, he clean bowled their last man, leaving Newenden to enjoy one of the unlikeliest of victories in our history.
It was a great day, which both teams enjoyed, and the game was played in a spirit that was a pleasure to be a part of. A fitting end to a great season.
I will send out an end of season report next week, once I have worked out what I going to do with myself for the next 7 months.

Newenden Cricket Club Sunday 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 9 wickets
0
256		        
Philip Morris Caught  15
Ian Jones Caught  13
Jonathan Bourne Bowled  34
Karl Rummery Caught  15 1
Richard Gutteridge Bowled  7
Charlie Harker Caught  9
Wayne Holder Bowled  44 1
Winston Cuthbert Not Out  38
George Jones Bowled  0 1
Harry Bradney Caught  47
Charlie Sloan   1 2

Stone-in-Oxney CC Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Stone-in-Oxney CC Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
220 (36.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Newenden Cricket Club Sunday 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Karl Rummery10.0041410.254.10
George Jones4.0038219.009.50
Charlie Harker6.2040140.006.32
Harry Bradney8.0045315.005.63
Winston Cuthbert3.0134217.0011.33
Ian Jones4.001735.674.25