Knockers Vs Bledlow Village

Lose :: Played on Thursday 25th July 2019

Knockers
192-7

Bledlow Village
195-6

Match Report

Match two of tour offered a very different proposition to the first: searing heat, roaring hangovers, a Knockers team with a Hankering for a victory, a Bledlow team hunting revenge for their loss to a Doubleday-Potts inspired Knockers team in 2016, and Finn Kinsler O’Sullivan joining us to from the Irish demolition of the English batting line-up at Lords. As Goodson recovered from the inversion brought about by his lunchtime catching and batting practice in the River Thames (Health and Safety concerns were allayed by the donning of Marsh’s batting helmet), skipper Finn manufactured his own inversion as he lost the toss in the 35C heat yet Knockers still found themselves batting first. In hindsight an ominous sign!

The Knockers top three was compiled of the three Wootton moonlighters, sent in at the top of the batting order as reward/punishment for their previous day’s efforts. Calver and Rawson opened up, although Calver looked all the worse for his late night antics. His fluorescent yellow tank-top and his short short shorts did suggest he was trying to hide his weary head in plain sight. Calver departed to some good bowling for two but Rawson looked calm and composed as ever with the bat, an especially notable feat as Charles strolled to the crease at number three. Charles scored a sensible 15 before departing, breaking a partnership that was nudging 50. Springett was next at the crease and the two Knockers batting supremos kept the scoreboard rolling over with consummate ease and some glorious strokes to the fence.

Rawson was out just after notching his second fifty of tour (55), and Springett followed not long after for 39 leaving Ziggy and Lyster-Binns at the crease. Although still reeling from an elbow injury collected the day before (supposedly from a poorly executed throw, but there are suspicions that the real cause was erroneous shapes being thrown on the dance floor), Ziggy looked as though he was back to his usual run-scoring heroics before being bowled for eighteen. Lyster-Binns scored his first Knockers runs although his innings was curtailed just as he was starting to settle. Ed Marsh kept the late-innings momentum rolling with a run-a-ball 24 and with Tom Elliott manoeuvring his way to a well-taken unbeaten twelve and Kuts chipping in with five not out, Knockers posted 192-7 from their 35 overs.

The hungover hoard of seam bowlers woke up at this stage and made their way through the fantastic tea offering in the sanctity of Beldlow’s large pavilion. Although he did have to prise a few players from the depths of the deep armchairs on the balcony Finn rallied the troops and led the Knockers out to field. Agnew opened up with Goodson in what initially seemed to be a race to the bottom for the most pained bowling action. The bowling belied their bowling actions, with tidy spells from both rewarded by a wicket apiece. The strength of the Bledlow batting came to the fore as Ziggy and Kutner replaced the opening bowlers. Kuts struggled to replicate his searing form from the day before, as both were on the receiving end of some controlled power hitting.

Marsh yet again bowled some spellbinding overs and picked up two extremely well earned wickets. Finn decided his best line of attack was to, well, attack with some short pitched chin-music and was unlucky that some misdirected shots didn’t fall to hand. There was little unfortunate about his run-out earlier in the innings as his bullet throw left the batsmen stranded significantly short of his crease.

Calver bowled two overs tight overs and picked up a wicket as Bledlow closed in on victory. His effort ball was a certain highlight although the mid-delivery stride grunt perhaps was a subtle telltale sign that particular variation was on the way. Bledlow sealed the win with four wickets remaining and just under 6 overs to spare. It was a well-deserved victory for our hosts whose batting line-up was just too strong for a bowling attack hindered by the previous night’s misdemeanours. Bledlow were most hospitable to our weathered Knockers touring party so thanks go to them again for being excellent opponents.

HA

 

Batting

Batsman	How Out	4s	6s	Runs
Richard Calver	bowled	0	0	2
Sachin Rawson	caught	0	0	55
Charles Doubleday-Potts	caught	0	0	15
Ed Springett	run out	0	0	39
David Bowen	bowled	0	0	18
Ben Lyster-Binns	caught	0	0	5
Ted Marsh	bowled	0	0	24
Tom Elliot	not out	0	0	12
Christian Kutner	not out	0	0	5
Hector Agnew	dnb	0	0	0
Rory Goodson	dnb	0	0	0
Finn Kinsler O'Sullivan	dnb	0	0	0

 

Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts
Hector Agnew	7.0	1	28	1
Rory Goodson	6.0	0	35	1
David Bowen	5.0	0	38	0
Christian Kutner	3.0	0	26	0
Ted Marsh	5.1	0	42	2
Richard Calver	2.0	0	7	1

 

Match Photos