Stowting

Stragglers returned to winning ways at Stowting on another day of roasting conditions, and a bone hard outfield. Sef Rahman has proved to have something of a golden arm since his debut in July, and today he went better still to record his first ‘five for’ in any cricket; and his performance was then eclipsed by Tom Tribe’s quite remarkable 36 ball century, undoubtedly the fastest ever for the Straggs, and the first in 2022. Winning the toss and electing to bat, the Stowting openers set of with intent, dealing well with the pace of Hugo and Nick W, becoming the regular Straggler opening pair. Hugo was somewhat disconcerted by the slope and bowled a very full length, which went on to serve him well with a couple of sharp middle-stump yorkers (2 for 27). It was Sef, however, coming on at first change, who whistled through the middle order. Taking a wicket in each of the 5 overs in his spell, he finished with 5 for 16, an exceptional return, four of which were bowled, seemingly getting the ball to talk. At 114 for 8, Stowting were running out of batsmen, but still had opener Bobby Rumley keeping one end secure, while the wickets fell at the other. Having seen off skipper Seb, and now running out of partners, he began to pick off the bad balls, using the short pavilion boundary to good effect. Harry Heming, turning balls up the slope, gave little away, and managed to remove the number 10 and end a partnership of 41. In the next over, Kieran Premnath only required one ball to end the innings, caught at long-off, Stowting all out for 162, and Bobby having carried his bat for an excellent 98*.

Tom must have been very thirsty indeed, and aware that the Tiger was due to close early, as he set off on the most remarkable display of destructive and controlled hitting. The Stowting bowlers were given little respite, as James Leggett at the other end was content to push the odd single and leave Tom to do the damage. Tom brought up his century in the 10th over, having hit 22 boundaries, two sixes and three singles, along with a miserly 9 dot balls. He went on to lift two more sixes into the pony paddocks before miscuing to mid-wicket, out for 116, the score on 144. James (21) then managed to wave at a straight one in the same over, which lead to a sudden flurry of padding up. Jonathan, trying to put some clear water between himself and the chasing Jasper, almost gave it away, with a hard catch put down by the senior Stowting fielder, before Kieran put another six into the paddock to bring matters to a close, victory by 8 wickets, with runs coming at very nearly twelve an over.