Scorecard

Ongar Cricket Club Saturday 2nd XI v Southend On Sea on Sat 23 May 2009 at 1.00pm
Match was Drawn

Match report After the draw at the Lane the week before Ongar reconvened at the home of Ongar cricket for another home game against an unfamilar Southend on Sea 2nd XI missing several faces from years gone by.

Skipper Tom had decided that if he won the toss batting was the only option under sunny skies and another good looking Ongar wicket (many thanks to our pitch curator and his assistants). The toss was duly won for the first time this season and Ongar set about the minimum target of 200.

Progress was quickly curtailed however as Nick Suker, having already edged through the slips slashed at a high and wide one and was caught behind. Tom looked solid enough and was happy to let Tall Paul batter three fours in one over off the wicket taking bowler. The pair took the score to 34 when Tom misjudged a off cutter and was bowled, a dismissal that brought Ongar's only ever overseas export Nobby Clark to the crease. Nobbler looked every inch the globetrotting batsman he is when he drove his first ball through the covers for a sumputous boundary.

It wasn't to last though and Nobbler was bowled for 6 when he was unfortunate to get another good ball, which like the one that got Tom, seamed in a long way.

Samuel 'The Pieman' Sweeting was in next and at 43 for 3 this was the time to put all that winter coaching to use. Sam had been told by his skipper (a) To mind the edges on his borrowed bat & (b) That if he scored a 50, his jug would be financed by his skipper. Perhaps it was the match situation, perhaps it was the DJ Powell coaching or perhaps it was the free jug that focused his mind but Sam immediately looked a model of concentration to rival even Mr Chaggar.

Paul continued to play in his attacking manner with a beautiful on drive the pick of his strokeplay. It couldn't last however and in the face of some decent Southend bowling (the best the 2's have faced in the league so far) he was bowled by the Southend skipper. And so the O's were 68 - 4, 68 for 4 quickly became 68 for 5 and then 68 for 6 as Ongar spent 5 overs not scoring and losing the further wickets of Stuart Stokes & Jamie Watson.

Peter entered the fray next, and the Speedy Hire man helped ease Ongar off 68 which had become rather troublesome score.

Peter had spent much of his spell as scorer loudly berating those batting before him for slow running so it was no surprise that Ongar's 8th wicket pair stole a few singles but also provided some hairy moments as the Pieman was not quite as Speedy as the equipment hire manager. Peter provided Sam with important support so it was a shame when he was dismissef for 6 trying to work a ball to leg.

Ian "Gilo" Groves was next in and picked up where Peter had left off in providing Ongar's sturdy no 5 heroic support. The said Mr Sweeting was not exactly moving up the gears but he did put the short boundaries to good use with edges through the slips and more Chinese cuts than Jackie Chan. However to say that all Sam's runs came off the edge would be unfair as there were enough bottom handed pulls and drives to send Mr Powell into palpatations.

Ian's contribution came to an end as he was bowled for6. The low scores of Peter and Ian hide the real importance of their innings as they provided important stickability to enable Sam and the often unsung Mr Extras to help push up the score.

As the Pieman edged (no pun intended) to 50 who better to guide him there than Ongar legend, president, and taxi lynchpin David "Powelly" Powell. Coming in at 10 was DJs choice and oh how it worked as the normally sedate batting coach setting about creating havoc (well compared to normally)

Sam reached his 50 with DJP at the crease but not without missing a very sraight ball while on 49 which fizzed past his off stump. Upon hitting the milestone Sam saluted the crowd, the scorebox and promptly kissed the edge of the bat. With DJP hitting some creamy fours, 175 was in sight but with 2 required Powelly was on his way back to the hutch, having been caught in the covers.

The second eleven overseas player Super Mario was number 11 and promptly dispelled any fears that the 175 would not be reached with a cracking leg glance for four more. Sam took control anyway and by the 50th over Ongar were 188 for 9. The four balls of the 50th over were extraordinary as Sam heaved mightly across his stumps for the first and missed, as did the ball. The second was pulled for a lovely boundary and the third put paid to those who reckon Sam can't drive (his motor insurers being one) as he drove gloriously for four more. With Ongar on 197-9 it should have been easy to pinch 3 more for the extra 2 points but Sam let the red mist descend and was bowled heaving to leg once more.

As the teams trudged off, Tom wasn't sure how much to congratulate the debutant fifty maker or how much to berate him. Sam immediately staggered to the chanigng rooms for a well deserved flop before quickly recovering to supervise tea.

Batting second SOS looked fairly resolute seeing off both Peter from the Castle end and Jamie "Broady" Watson from the Pavilion end. With Jamie replaced by Super Mario Ongar were still searching for the break through until Peter struck taking the first of three LBW decisions.

Mario wasn't to be out done and claimed his first wicket and then quickly his second having first softened up the number four with a toe crunching yorker. Peter had to keep up with the Picceri and took another LBW and then bowled the number 6. The sixth wicket pair were resolute however and it despite the best efforts of Mario & Peter controversy was the next to strike as a dubious LBW in Ongar's favour gave Peter wicket number 4. The decision was so bad that there was talk of reversing the appeal but SOS took the decision gracefully.

The poor decision seemed to stiffen the resolve of SOS batsmen and so Mario and then Peter were replaced by Ian and then Paul. Ian took the next, and Ongar's last wicket as he clung Stick like to a one handed return catch off his own bowling.

Despite the return of Broady and a bit of DJP Ongar were unable to take the final two wickets and so a draw was the outcome and probably the fairest and most deserved result.





Ongar Cricket Club Saturday 2nd XI Batting
197 for 10
Player Name RunsCatchesStumpingsRun outs
Tom Stock Bowled  Bowled by one that jagged back 14
Nick Suker Caught  Caught behind, slashing hard 4
Paul Stolworthy Bowled  Bowled by inswinger 30
Neal Clark Bowled  Bowled by one that jagged back 6
Sam Sweeting Bowled  Ugly ugly ugly heave that didn't connect 66
Stuart Stokes Bowled  Missed full toss 0
Jamie Watson Bowled  Played back to good ball 0
Peter Ellis Lbw  Slapped on pad attempting to work to leg 6
Ian Groves Bowled  Beaten on the drive 6
David Powell Caught  Caught in deep employing too much bottom hand 23
Mario Picceri Not Out  Not out following highly stylish 7 7

Southend On Sea Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Southend On Sea Batting
117 for 7
Player name Runs
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Ongar Cricket Club Saturday 2nd XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Peter Ellis16.0040410.002.50
Jamie Watson6.012100.003.50
Mario Picceri8.0122211.002.75
Ian Groves7.0211111.001.57
Paul Stolworthy4.001800.004.50
David Powell2.02000.000.00