Crawley
Down 142 all out. Gnome 143/3.
YOUNG GNOME TEAM OUTGUNS CRAWLEY DOWN
Probably the youngest Gnome team in many a year beat Crawley Down by
7 wickets with more than twenty overs to spare.
With an average age of under 24, slick fielding and educated running
between the wickets made a refreshing change from the usual combination
of shin pads, miss-fields and slow singles.
Anton, captain for the day (by injury and default - certainly not as
a result of an AGM vote) managed to lose the toss and Gnomes took the
field in a 40 over match with 3 regular members and their mates.
Team:
Ollie (age - 20)
Ollie's mate - Alistair Anderson (age - 20)
Barney (20)
Barney's brother - Tom Cargo (15 and 363 days)
Buddy (19)
Buddy's first buddy - Andy Hicks (19)
Buddy's second buddy - Ben Jackson (19)
Stitch's son - David (28)
Errol Gordon (30 est.)
Anton (34)
Anton's old mate - Jonty Rhoades (38!)
On a track
that certainly suited the bowlers, Buddy and Andy Hicks opened the bowling
with a level of pace and aggression that I expect hasn't been seen from
a Gnomes bowling attack in many a year. Gnomes began with 10 fielders
(Errol's watch was running slow again), and CDCC were soon in trouble
losing their first 3 wickets with just 14 runs on the board.
Bowling with a lethal combination of pace and swing, Buddy registered
a double wicket maiden with his second over.
In the 10th over with the score on 50, and the CD batsmen consolidating,
a double change ensued with, the old men of the team, Finneran and Rhoades
coming into the attack. Rhoades exploited his height to extract good
bounce from the track and break the back of the innings with three wickets.
K. Hawkins played some lusty blows in an exciting innings to take the
score past the 130 mark, but was bowled by Ben (Buddy's second buddy)
with a fast swinging yorker. Ben and Andy wrapped up the tail and the
innings closed on 142 in the 29th over.
Bowling figures:
Ben 3/8 from 3, Buddy: 2/20 from 5, Andy 2/27 from 5.2, Justin 3/35
from 7, Anton 0/13 from 3, Tom 0/33 from 6. Barney conceded just 4 byes.
Alistair and Ollie opened the Gnome innings after tea - the first time
he had batted in four years. Alistair was out to a good ball for 4 after
a short innings that showed much promise for the future. With the score
on 6 for 1 - enter Ben Jackson.
After a conservative first few balls, Ben proceeded to give the Crawley
Down bowlers a lesson in hitting sixes. Several massive blows square
of the wicket were followed by a mightily lofted off-drive that cleared
the clubhouse roof. Ben's 50 coming from an estimated 22 balls!!! -
Without a doubt a new Gnomes record.
Ben was finally caught behind trying to beat the unbeatable - a 54 ball
hundred!!! His innings of 63 encompassed eight sixes and two fours.
Ollie played a patient knock, interspersed with aggressive blows and
was eventually for a well played 32, with the total on nelson! Debutant
David Ramroop and Barney Clargo steered the team home with 22 and 16
not out respectively.
Gnomes completed a comprehensive victory by seven wickets, scoring 143
at a rate of over 7.5 runs to the over.