BB: 223 - 6
Old Seagullians: 124 all out
BB win by 69 runs
BB came away with a well fought victory on Sunday and revenge for last year’s defeat against the Old Seagullians in an entertaining 35/35 over afternoon match held in the well-appointed surroundings of Marden Cricket and Hockey Club. This was a real team effort with numerous valuable contributions from the high spirited BB collective.
After a gloriously summery Saturday, rain was typically in the air during a nervous Sunday morning of forecast watching. Arriving at the ground to find the covers on, a prompt 1.30 start looked in doubt. However, the groundsman was reassuringly relaxed about the wicket and duly removed the covers as the light rain abated and a successful BB coin toss saw the home side batting first on what looked to be a beautiful surface.
Brother T Page and Candidate G Lines started solidly, if slowly, amassing 42 in the first 9 overs against an accurate Seagullian seam attack before Page holed out for 22 as he attempted to increase the run rate. Brother Bax then took the crease after a few years out of the game and looked every bit the player of old. He too, however, was caught trying to accelerate the run rate which remained around 4 an over. Having been informed that Marden CC had put on 328 in 40 overs on the previous day, the c. 150 this rate would produce seemed a little light. It was therefore a relief to see Brother B Berger head to the crease full of intent and soon start to find the boundary whilst Lines continued his solid innings until the 19th over when another catch saw his demise for 34 and the score on 82 after 19 overs. This brought Brother Regan to the crease, who combined with B Berger to produce the partnership of the innings (92) and move the score rapidly up to 173 from 30 overs. However, momentum looked at risk of disappearing from here as first Regan fell just shy of his half century to another catch and then one over later Berger pulled a hamstring setting off for a quick single called by Brother Richardson and retired hurt on 44. Whilst sadly that was the end of B Bergers match, BB were not done. The ever dangerous Richardson pushed on, plundering 20 quick runs (including two powerful 6s) from 12 balls accompanied first by Brother Baird and then Cornwallis with BB finishing on 223 from 35 and batting contributions from most of the side.
The rain, which threatened but had stayed away until this point, then began to gently fall during a delicious tea taking place on the upper level of Marden CC’s impressive two tier pavilion. Covers were brought on by sandwich-holding, flip-flop attired players as discussion turned to what level of rain reduction would allow the match to restart. The Umpires remained adamant that the rain needed to stop entirely and after much debate over wind direction and whether the sky was getting brighter, the rain did stop and the covers were removed. Given the loss of around 25 minutes and concern over late Sunday night travel home, the BB scorer Tim Redsell was only too happy to dust off his Duckworth Lewis calculator. The DL app spat out a revised total of 193 from 28 overs, which the Seagulls grumbled slightly about before the first pair walked out to join an energised BB fielding troupe.
Brother Richardson led the bowling charge with a fiery spell down the hill, regularly beating the bat and only conceding 6 runs from his opening 4 overs. His final over brought the first wicket thanks to an age-defying one handed diving grab by Brother Holden-Craufurd. The very next ball the two combined again to send their number 3 back to the pavilion with the Seagulls rocking at 22 for 2 from 7 overs. The hattrick ball narrowly missed the outside edge and a packed slip cordon remained for the remainder of Richardson’s double wicket maiden. Brother Meredith meanwhile had been toiling from the other end with his deceptively fast and accurate arm, which helped keep his economy rate to below the 6.3 required for victory.
The remaining Seagull opener was then undone by a sharp piece of fielding from G Lines who threw down the stumps at the non-strikers end from square leg in the next over. The single had looked easy, but Line’s laser arm capitalised on some lazy running in. 22-3.
It could have been all but curtains for the Seagulls when J Gilbey went up for an LBW appeal in the next, and his first, over having replaced Meredith. The umpire appeared to not see or hear the large inside edge and raised his finger to the Seagull number 4, only for Brother Baird to ask for the decision to be overturned and the batsman to remain. Given Baird’s split BB/Seagull allegiance it was suggested this was perhaps too sporting a gesture. Brother Regan certainly felt so after seeing his 2nd and 3rd overs disappear for a surprisingly expensive 28 runs thanks to some lusty blows from the number 4. As the score moved from 22 to 75 over the next 7 overs, the game seemed very much back on particularly as Regan and Gilbey’s over limits approached with limited additional BB options to fill the middle innings. The situation was not helped by their number 4 being dropped twice, the first by Brother Bax who could be seen back peddling from slip for a top edge off his old friend Gilbey’s bowling before watching it bounce out from unseasoned palms. The second Gilbey can only blame himself for as a powerful lofted drive slipped through his fingers. He may instead count it as a saved boundary. Thankfully it was third time lucky for Gilbey who clean bowled their number 4 for 32 with a lovely in-ducking full length delivery. Gilbey would repeat this delivery in his 5th and final over for an LBW and the removal of their number 6 for a duck to take the score to 95 for 5 from 18 overs.
10 overs left and under 100 to score. Game in BB’s favour, but still not over, particularly with the talented Seagull Captain E Kneale approaching the crease to partner their well-set number 5 on 20. However, with the exception of the two dropped catches, the BB fielding display had been exemplary. This narrative was only added to by a further run-out. This time a thick-padded leg glance saw Holden-Craufurd flapping off a glove and hurtling around to collect the ball as the batsman called a quick single. This turn of speed surprised everyone including the on-strike batsman who sent his partner back. Too late though. With the non-striker stranded more than half way down the wicket, Holden-Craufurd attempted to throw down the stumps like a man possessed. Thankfully Brother Page stepped in having seen the throw was hard and off-target and deftly caught it off his toes before striding back to remove the bails whilst both batsman watched from the strikers end. Thankfully there was sufficient maturity displayed to avoid a squabble as to who was out and the Seagull number 5 walked back to the pavilion.
A further 2 wickets then fell courtesy of cameo overs from Brother Baird and G Lines. The latter bowling the Seagull Captain with a fine spinning delivery that clipped the top of his off stump. With the score stuck just over 100 and well short of the BB total, Meredith was brought back to finish things off. He achieved this in his first over thanks to a solid catch from Richardson in the covers. The Seagulls finished on 124 from 23 of their 28 overs. A well navigated BB victory in a match that kept a bit in it for both sides almost until the end.
Handshakes all round ensued before well-earned and delightfully social pints in the excellent Marden CC pavilion bar as the sun, which had hidden for much of the day, finally shone down on the pitch and surrounding mid-Kent fields and orchards.
