Match Report

Stragglers met at Street End on day threatening rain, with three debutants after some issues with selection and, having won the toss and decided to bat, found that the openers had chosen the wrong train (of course, it was going to be late).  The game was dominated by centurions on either side, both alumni of St. Ed’s in Canterbury, and came to an exciting conclusion, with the Stragglers so nearly extracting the most unlikely of rabbits.

Freddie Evans and Arthur Collins were invited to open the innings on the basis that they were present.  Sadly, Arthur’s day did not begin well, when the final ball of the first over clipped the stumps.  This brought Joe to the crease, again coming in earlier than had been intended, and he and Freddie settled into a partnership to give the innings some substance. Freddie (10), having batted with care, launched into one and sent it skywards to fall back to earth to a fielder who had not been obliged to move. Tom Tribe, having missed his opportunity to open, waved at a couple of balls before finding some form, and the run rate ticked up a notable notch – now at more than 8 an over. Just, when we thought that the rain had missed Street End, a shower sneaked around the Downs and the covers came on for 30 minutes. On resumption, the overs were reduced to 35 per side. Tom and Joe kicked on, both offered a life, but Tom (45) managed to pick out a fielder who hung on, and a second 61 run partnership was brought to an end. Angus Solley, on debut, didn’t quite get to the pace of some tidy bowling, and he was followed by Sam Gilliland, keen to build on his knock against IZ. He failed to do so, but Joe was now finding the boundary with some regularity, even with five or six fielders posted around the rope. Angus Balfour (18) kept Joe company for his ton and fell in the final over, with Joe undefeated on 126* and the score at a perfectly respectable 234 for 6.

Thomas Solley (also on debut) opened down the hill, extracting movement off the wicket and generating good pace. He was unlucky to go unrewarded, particularly with a couple of seriously spectacular dives by Arthur in the covers, both of which saved boundaries and came so close to being caught. At the other end, Archie Hills opened with leg-spin, finding good turn and bounce and bowling an opener with his third ball. He removed another in his third over, everything going to plan. However, this brought Matthew Hopper to the crease, and, with Sam Grandsen, they set about the bowling. For the next ten overs, the rate was rushing along at over 10 an over. The game might be done with more than ten overs to spare. When all seemed lost, Angus B found an edge, which did not fly over or through a rather leaky cordon, but was held one-handed by Joe diving to his right, Grandsen gone for 61, the score on 139 for 3 in the 16th over.  Pace was taken off, and the other Straggs leg-spinner, Sam, also found turn and bounce and his doosra. The rate fell back to under 6, and another wicket fell, as Sam then struck with the doosra, and there was a chink, aided by a couple of maidens. Seb Clark (third debutant) was introduced rather late in the day and immediately found line and control. Runs dried up and Seb then took the key wicket of Mr. Hopper, out for 118, unable to control a gentle scoop into the covers.  Four overs remained to score 5 runs. Surely, the Stragglers could not salvage a result from here. A maiden from Seb (2 for 20) with another catch behind for Joe. Sam was done (2 for 22) and Archie (2 for 35) came back on for the penultimate over with scores level. However, number 7, who had been in something of a tangle against the leg spin, managed to smack one back over Archie’s head, to secure victory by 3 wickets with only 10 balls remaining.  With such close results, you look back on the little things, bringing the tree into play and thereby turning a single into 5; a misfield on the boundary leaking another three…. What might have been.