Scorecard

Epping v Ongar Cricket Club Saturday 2nd XI on Sat 08 Sep 2007 at 12.30
Ongar Cricket Club Won by 13 runs

Match report With a sense of hope but only a ten man team, missing some 2nd XI regulars, Ongar travelled the short distance to Lower Bury Lane to face local rivals Epping. Skipper Tom arrived with just fifteen minutes to go before the start to find only seven Ongar players ready for action with the Groves trio somewhere between Epping and Shenfield. Having inspected the dusty, cracked and uneven pitch the whole team decided that bowling first was the only option and so the toss was vital. Tom promptly managed to lose for only the second time and Ongar were predictably inserted as Epping felt they had a strong side that would make light work of Ongars batting.

Third team skipper Sukks and Sammy Adders opened and with Sam mixing resolute defence with some sound back foot pulls and cuts while Sukks unveiled some delicate late cuts through the vacant third man area, Ongar confidently cruised to 35. Sadly Sukks pleasant innings was cut short for 14 as a straight one breached his defence. Six more were added before the uneven bounce undid Sam as he got a leading edge to mid off.

Madcock and Tom played watchfully with Tom content to leave the better balls outside off stump and nurdle the straighter ones while Madcock reigned in his usual game to introduce the odd leave in to his repertoire (it's true! We all saw them). The game plan worked and Ongar negotiated the twin spin attack successfully and made it through to drinks without any further loss. During the drinks break it was decided that Matt should accelerate. The ploy worked and the partnership reached 53 when Matt was bowled by one which turned a little more. Next in was Simmsy who after some recent disappointments was content to play himself in. At this point it was Tom's turn to take a lead but after sweeping one for four it attempted the same shot next ball and was out LBW to one that stayed a little low.

2nd XI stalwart Sam Sweeting was next to stride the crease with Ongar 98 for 4. For a while Sam played himself in as Simmsy grew in confidence and made a mockery of his recent poor form. In one over from Epping's youngster Simmsy & Sweeting plundered 16 runs which set the scene for the acceleration as Ongar started to dream beyond 150. Simmsy was eventually stumped by the ping's veteran keeper for a well deserved and well crafted 57. Sweeting stepped up to the plate at this point and guided the Groves trio of Ben, Jack and Ian, and indeed Ongar to a final score of 203.

After the best away tea of 2007, (with the homemade scones a particular highlight), Ongar strode out to the middle for a team huddle. Ongar attacked early on with the Adcock twins bowling seam up from either end. Matt struck first with Sukks pulling off a stunning one handed catch at slip. It would be a lie to say he took the ball Collingwood style in mid air while diving full stretch seeing as he stood completely static apart from sticking out his arm but nonetheless it was a great catch. After the ball had been prised from Sukks hand Epping's number one rode his luck a little slicing the ball past and over fielders on various occasions. After Madcock had bowled the six overs that the bowling regulations allow, Ian Groves came on from the Pavilion end and bowled two tidy overs before Epping started to pick him a little and hit out. By this time Sadcock had switched to spin to try and take advantage of the dusty conditions. It worked quickly as the number three was adjudicated to be LBW. The Epping number four had played in their first team earlier in the year and looked in good form as he continued to support the opener.

With young Billy Ayres bowling his floated spinners Ongar had the rare sight of a spin pair bowling in tandem. Billy got some good turn and gathered some well deserved respect from the talented Epping pair but it was Sammy who made the much needed breakthrough by building up the pressure against the big hitting number one before the pressure told and he was bowled trying to go big. As the holidaying Pete Ellis often says "One brings two", with Peter away no one said it and so, for once it actually came true as the Epping number four tried to pull one away but succeeded only it hitting it straight to a precisely positioned Billy Ayres fielding at backward deep square leg. It was a great catch by Billy as the ball was travelling pretty low and fairly hard but Ongar's talented rising star took it like a pro and was duly mobbed by his team mates. It felt like a turning point as Epping still needed 70 something and were now four down. Epping's captain strode out to the crease and remembering his capitulation against Pete Ellis in the home game Tom immediately replaced Billy with Madcock from the pavilion end. It was a little unfair on Billy who had bowled 5 tidy overs for 32 but it worked like a dream as Matt bowled the skipper second ball as he backed away.

Batsmen seven and eight also departed without scoring as Sam Sweeting took a sharp chance at silly mid off to give Sam his fourth wicket and Sam then bowled the number eight after some more tight bowling had increased the pressure once more. Eppings dangerous wicket keeper Farrar was next in and with the number four Twitchett still there with 50 needed it could have gone either way. The two batted sensibly before Sweeting took another sharp chance at gully to give Matt Adcock his third wicket. As the youth bowling regulations caught up with Matt again he had to be withdrawn from the attack and was replaced by Ian Groves. With Epping eight down, their number 10 showed that he should be further up the order as he played some nice glances and drives which should have put the lower middle order to shame. The Epping pair played sensibly and started to make an Epping win look increasingly likely no matter how tightly Sam and Ian bowled.

With two overs to go Epping needed 14 to win with eight down. It really could have gone either way as Sam started his 24th consecutive over. The ball and the game turned massively in Ongar's favour as Simmsy, who'd had a mixed game behind the stumps on a pitch that was really difficult to keep on, held a fine edge from the number ten like he'd been keeping all his life. Ongar went wild but knew not to underestimate the Epping youngster who came in at number eleven. It didn't matter either way as Sam bowled yet another pearler that bowled the unfortunate youngster.

And so after the disappointment of the near misses of Epping and Woodford Green at home Ongar had done it and finally won a game. It was truly a well deserved victory with everyone in the team contributing in someway or another. Special mention of course should go to Sammy who took fantastic figures of seven wickets for sixty eight off twenty three point two overs, and Simmsy who had driven Ongar towards the 200 but the top six had all made double figures with the bat and Ian G and Billy Ayres had made run scoring difficult, while everyone had put in committed performances in the field and only once chance had gone down.

With a young team Ongar had finally proved that they could be competitive and hopefully with a little more self belief and the right preparation over the winter could build on this one match unbeaten streak next season.

Ongar Cricket Club Saturday 2nd XI Batting
203 for 7
Player Name RunsCatchesStumpingsRun outs
Mark Suker Bowled  14 1
Sam Adcock Caught  23
Tom Stock Lbw  14
Matthew Adcock Bowled  39
Chris Sims Stumped  57 1
Sam Sweeting Stumped  27 2
Ben Groves Bowled  4
Jack Groves Not Out  3
Ian Groves Not Out  0
Billy Ayres   1
A.N. Other  

Epping Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
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Epping Batting
190 for 10
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Ongar Cricket Club Saturday 2nd XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Sam Adcock23.206879.712.91
Matthew Adcock12.0036312.003.00
Ian Groves7.003800.005.43
Billy Ayres5.003200.006.40
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