Provender

Match Report

Graham Smith, our host at Provender, responded to a first defeat to the Stragglers in 2012, by further strengthening a side, which would have given the Australians a fair run for their money! As was amply demonstrated when the opening pair of pace men tore through the Straggler upper order. Jasper Smallwood, however, seemed to be playing on another track as he moved confidently to another half century, only to hole out at long on. At the other end was carnage, as the Stragglers limped to 31 for 4, and even Jasper’s fifty only made it 75 for 5. Again the lower middle order, never a source of runs for the Stragglers of old, came to the rescue, digging in for a couple of well crafted, if very contrasting, fifties (Charlie Munton 58, Harry Wright 62), putting on 103 for the 6th wicket. Harry had been teasing the bowlers, scoring steadily in singles, before he launched an enormous 6 to keep them circumspect. With the demise of these two, the innings subsided somewhat to 208 all out, at least 25 runs short of a really competitive target.

Two shelled catches early in the Provender innings (combined score of the batsmen reprieved – 136!) says it all. Batsmen of quality were up with the pace from the outset, with only a very momentary hint of concern, when the Chairman induced a couple of false shots, with Theo Allport applying the brakes at the other end. The target was chased down with 16 balls to spare.