Folkestone

Match Report

On a blustery Sunday afternoon, a mix of Straggler youth and experience, complimented by two debutants, took on a strong Folkestone side.  With conditions overcast and rain forecast, KP won the toss and decided to bowl, only for the sun to reappear 10 minutes later. That said, the Stragglers made early inroads (44 for 3 after 10 overs) with the reliable opening duo of Jasper W and Freddie Evans. This was followed up by the miserly bowling of Sef Rahman and raw pace of James Felton, leaving Folkestone sitting 83 for 3 at the halfway point in their innings.  Over the next 15 overs, Folkestone rallied, but continued to be kept (mostly) at bay as pace was taken off the ball. Archie Brown and Jonno kept things tight, but the experience (and quality) of Folkestone’s overseas player (108 and a partnership of 168 for the 4^th wicket) ultimately proved to be the difference between the Stragglers chasing a sub-200 score and the eventual total of 232-6. Credit is due to Jasper (3 for 43), whose relentless death bowling proved lethal with 2 wickets in 2 balls (the hat-trick sadly proving elusive) along with a sharp run out.

With the Chairman’s arrival at the break to officiate in the middle, the pressure was on. Out strode the opening pair of Pete Cooper, on debut, and George Long, who bravely saw off the new ball. George (10) fell to a straight one, paving the way for a one-handed Patch Mitchell (20), fresh from significant finger surgery a few weeks before (diving catch at Torry Hill in June), to build a 50-run partnership, which ended just before the drinks break to leave the Straggs in a promising position at 92 for 2.  Pete (55) went on to register a maiden half-century for the club, but, as has happened rather too often in Straggler chases, the middle order wobbled towards a full-blown batting collapse, even as Folkestone donated a goodly range of extras – second top scorer with 30. James Felton (15) smacked a couple of smart boundaries, but wickets now fell at regular intervals, slowing the momentum of the chase, but not without a highlights reel of sweep shots to the boundary from debutant, Sam Challenor, and a dogged fight to the end from Jonno Ross (17), last man out, the Stragglers falling 62 runs short, all out for 170.