Sat 25th June 2011

Super Seconds Edge Exbury in thriller

Exbury 153ao, Sway 163-9. Sway won by 11 runs

You are lucky if you play in one of them a season but when you do it only goes to remind you why cricket is such a great sport - two decent sides both playing at the top of their respective games battling it out for 5 hours that saw fortunes swing on numerous occasions and finished with some last over drama.

Sway batted first and it looked like runs might be hard to come by due to a slow pitch and very long grass in the outfield. Rick How opened with Ross Clark but only briefly as the out of form Clark hesitantly tried to pull out of a shot but ended up merely popping up a dolly to mid off. How had played some good shots but when he was cleaned up for 7 Sway were 40-2 with Exbury in the ascendancy. This brought together the potentially destructive partnership of Chris Hammond and, attracted by the promise of sunshine, Joe Rodway in his first appearance of 2011. The pair did not disappoint and the scoreboard was soon ticking over swiftly and spectators were treated to some big hitting albeit Rodway swapped his normal 7-iron for a flatter, harder 3-iron. With the score on 90 Exbury heads were dropping, but not for long as first Rodway then Hammond were bowled for 40 and 37 respectively. Jackson Rogers and Dave Marshall steadied the ship and were just considering a final 10 over push when first Rogers tried to cut a ball too close and was bowled for 17 and then Marshall was run out for 16 in an incident involving new bat Will Woodfine. This left Sway at 136-6 and in real trouble, however, a rapid cameo from Steve Hannibal (11) and all the remaining bats including a priceless 5 not out from Matt "Bugs" Bramwell meant that at least the 42 were batted as Sway finished up on a sub-par but just about defendable 163-9.

Further disappointment followed with the news that regular and baking goddess tea lady was absent through illness, but at least the caramel popcorn provided Sway with an energy rush as they took to the field. If Sway thought they were going to put Exbury under early pressure, they were mistaken. Opening bat Craymer signalled his intentions by smashing the very first ball from Sam Nailor through the covers. Craymer continued to punish anything even slightly wide or overpitched whist at the end Philpott seemed content to play a supporting role, taking the sting out of the Sway attack.

By drinks Exbury had cruised to 60 without loss and Craymer had already passed 50. Whilst Will Woodfine had Philpott caught behind, this merely brought the attacking A Cornwall to the crease. With the game slipping away rapidly, skipper Bennet in a moved inspired in by genius sprinkled with a dose of desperation, turned to Joe Rodway. In a scene reminiscent of I T Botham's return from the cricket wilderness in 1986 against New Zealand, Rodway flexed his pecs and extended a single digit to his bowling detractors by having Craymer caught by Hammond at first slip with his first ball. Sway now started to believe and spirits were lifted further when Cornwall picked the wrong player to hit a deep mid off skyer off the very impressive Rodway (6-2-11-2) to give Marshall his 13th catch of the season. Chris Hammond came on to try and take the pace off the ball and struck twice to reduce Exbury to 99-5 with the game was evenly poised. Exbury then rallied with the experience of P Livermore and G Miller taking the score onto 122 with the RR a not-very-demanding 4 or so an over. Sway now clearly had to bowl Exbury out and Sam Nailor was able to bowl at full tilt supported by suburb accuracy at the other end from Woodfine. In another game changing moment Livermore was caught by Rick How at point - the grandfather diving to his right to take a superb catch that resulted in an unseemly hip-breaking bundle. Exbury now had the experienced and powerful Miller at one end but weaker batsmen at the other. With 4 overs to go Exbury needed 21 with 2 wickets in hand. Then a big six from Livermore ruined a barren spell meaning then needed 12 off 2 overs. A fine over from Nailor marooning Miller meant Exbury needed 11 off the last over to be bowled by a slightly nervous looking Woodfine (9.3-4-33-4). Nerves steadied he bowled a superb line. Miller had clearly decided that a couple of lusty blows would do the trick, but at the first attempt was caught on the deep mid wicket boundary by the ever reliable Hannibal to seal a dramatic and hard fought victory for Sway.

Joe Rodway - top bowling performance