PDQ 2 Rpts cont
15th August - Boxted v West Bergholt - Boxted won by 8 wickets
Having been asked to field by the visiting skipper Boxted started steadily with 10 players due to Matty Francis’s late arrival through over sleeping. With Booker in the unusual position of opening the bowling on claiming the first wicket with Bergholt attacking the game as though it where a twenty twenty contest. The nextr over brought Dell his first victim. Both Booker and Dell contiuned to provide a procession of wickets with the pair obtaining 4-39 and 4-50 respectivly. This brought a change in the bowling with Ed Whybrow entrusted with the ball, supprisingly claiming a wicket as well. With various options given a go at bowling Khaira was called into the attack to claim teh last wicket witht he ball falling onto the batsmens stumps. Bergholt where dismissed for 132.
Loosing Matt Francis early fo 5 and Pearce for 8, Boxted made steady progress towards the target. Matt Wilson played some good shots accompanied by Khaira with both reaching undefeated 50’s to give Boxteda comfortable victory within 24 overs. Wilson reached his maiden first team fifty shortly before the finish with Khaira reaching his 50 with the last ball of the run chase. This was a far better performance from the Boxted side and a return to winning ways.
23rd August – Gosfield Vs Boxted – Gosfield won by 45 runs
Boxted with only 8 players (surprisingly as the 2nds had 11) lost the toss on a baking hot day and had to field. With gaps aplenty to find, the score quickly mounted, but with many outstanding performances in the field it was never allowed to get out of hand. The first wicket fell at 62 well caught by Ian Evans off Mike Booker’s bowling. Jon Wilson bowled a good 5 over spell and was rewarded with the 2nd wicket as Pat Gilbert held a routine catch behind. With wickets in hand the home side accelerated despite Evans keeping things fairly tight with his new around the wicket line, and should have had a wicket or two, but found no joy from a number of good appeals. Mike Dell came back to pick up a couple of late wickets and finish with2-50, one well caught by Pearce. In the circumstances a final total of only 261-4 was a good effort by Boxted.
A good start was required and Evans 30 and Matty Francis 17 got the innings moving well. However with their demise and that of the skipper at 96-3, we needed a good stand to keep us in contention. Gilbert 79 and Booker 54 accelerated well and despite a number of close appeals (what little memories the hosts had) put us in a possible winning position adding 106 before a final little collapse (as we didn’t have many left for a large collapse) saw us all out for 216. On reflection probably one extra player may well have made a difference and all 11 would have surely seen us claim victory.
13th September – Boxted Vs Earls Colne & Bures – Boxted won by 1 wicket
In a match reduced to 40 overs aside, Boxted mainly through an excellent opening spell of 2-9 from 9 overs by Mike Booker kept things under control. His wickets falling to a caught & bowled and a first and well judged slip catch of the season by Ian Evans. With the wicket already showing unusual deteriation espeically from one end, batting soon became more difficult. Richard Cutter although expensive picked up 2-38 from 6 one to a good catch by Graham Dell. At 95-4 in the 26th over a total of well over 150 was possible, but tight bowling by Mathew Francis 3-10 and Evans 3-23 kept things within acceptable limits, as they were backed up by catches from Cutter, Dell again, Rohan Khaira and Mike Pearce. A final total of 131 with a couple of extra overs to get them looked very tempting at tea.
Pearce and Alex Carter riding their luck including Carter bowled off a no-ball put together a good opening stand worth 49 before Carter went for 12. Pearce by now at his most commanding was joined by Will Stairmand 12 and added a further 40 to put us well on our way. However with the wicket not getting any easier the dismisal of Pearce for 58 with the score at 102, saw a collapse that soon saw us 105-6. A further wicket soon followed but a useful 13 from Evans took us to within 5 of victory before the wicket beat him and when 9th man Booker was out we still needed 3 for victory. Michael Dell came out to join the limpitt like Cutter who was supporting with a patient 0 not out (at the easier end). Dell after a couple of sighters turned his 3rd ball round the corner and managed to secure the 3 runs for victory.
20th September – Boxted Vs Gt Totham – Gt Totham won by 82 runs
Boxted with only 8 players on a good cricket wicket (amazingly as only one game this weekend) were forced to field first and were soon up against it as 69 was added for the first wicket inside 10 overs until Michael Dell took a well judged caught & bowled. Debutant Luke Blackham after an initial nervous first over bowled a tidy spell, and with Jon Wilson 2-23 kept things as tight as we could with 8. Jon’s 2nd wicket being another caught & bowled. With a score of around 300 a possibility Matt Francis 2-49 from 9 and Ian Evans 3-43 from 7 enabled a little control, backed up by catches from Dell, Matt Wilson and a stumping from Mike Pearce. Bunny taker Michael Booker claimed a late wicket and a runout by Pearce of the last ball left the visitors all-out for 252, which was a commendable effort by the 8 in the field.
Boxted needed a good start and got it from Evans with run a ball 34 and Matt Wilson with 39 adding 51 in the first 12 overs. Pearce with 18 ball 32 took us past the 100 mark in the 17th over, but his and Wilson’s departures stopped our chase. Jon Wilson with 13 kept the score moving and an experienced 30 from Francis took us up to 170 all-out. For the second time this season a possible victory had been thrown away by the lack of numbers.
