23rd May 2010

U15s edged out in thriller

Bransgore 129-6, Sway 124ao. Bransgore won by 5 runs.

A close result was always on the cards as the two sides are so evenly matched - and so it proved. with the game going down to the last few balls - a fine advert for Colts cricket with the all the lads getting on and played in an excellent sprit.

Sway won the toss and elected to bowl on the Bransgore plastic. David Steadman and Andrew Straw both bowled excellent opening spells with some superb deliveries - and can count themselves extremely unlucky not to pick up early wickets with almost half a dozen chances that either went wide of hands or were put down. As a result Bransgore were able to make it to 93 before they lost their first wicket, Straw taking the catch off the bowling of Darren Clark. Wickets then started to fall more regularly and Sway put a squeeze on the Bransgore innings. Niall Gallagher sent the bails flying with his very first ball sparking wild celebrations and the biggest bundle of the season to date. Clark took two further wickets to finish with 3-32 off his 4 overs, and Steadman deservedly claimed a wicket in his final over to finish with 1-16 off 4. In the end Bransgore's total of 129 on a plastic strip could be described as "par".

Sway opened with Steadman and Gus Wooley and the two motored along quite nicely picking the singles and the boundaries until Wooley was bowled for 15 with the score on 33. Niall Gallagher and Max Baybut did not hang around however Joe Fussell partnered with Steadman and soon got the innings back on track. Crucially Bransgore managed to remove Steadman for 30 (his first dismissal of the season - average >100) and from this point the task started to looked trickier. Andy Straw (13) and Laurie Symons (14no) kept Sway in the game but when Straw was run out, Sway needed 20 off the last two overs. The penultimate over was bowled by a spinner and crucially there were a couple of FJ style pukka pies - if these had been dispatched then the game might have ended differently. However, they were either mis-hit or well fielded and Sway ended up needing 10 off the last over. Lewis Marden played on and Nathan David was run out leaving young Henry Marden facing needing 7 off 3 balls to win. Marden picked up a single then off the next ball Symons took a single and realising that this would leave Marden on strike, attempted a second run - and was run out to leave Sway all out and 5 runs short.

Despite the defeat there were a lot of positives to take from the game - everyone played a full part and it is doubtful that there is a better colts skipper in the league or a team that has such a fine team spirit.

Next up, Wellow & Plaitford in the cup at home on Tuesday - a really big ask and consequently a  McDonalds bonus game!!!