Knockers Vs Bromley Town

Win :: Played on Sunday 27th June 2021

Bromley Town
156-8

Knockers
159-6

Match Report

Knockers arrived to a muggy, gloomy looking Bromley Town CC and what looked like a good batting deck. Skipper Marsh had successfully persuaded the opposing captain to scrap the toss and allow us to bat first due to a low turnout at the time. Sadly, Akhil & Bleasey decided to show up so we actually had to toss. Unsurprisingly, we lost and were asked to bowl, shock. Thanks Akhil and Bleasey, much appreciated. An agreed 35 overs a side with 7 per bowler was chosen and we started with 9 on the pitch, grateful for 2 Bromley Town fielders with Cal McCulloch behind the sticks.

Blease and Ted Marsh opened up, bowling plenty of maidens for fun. Extras and byes were top scorer for the first 10 overs, which was a bit tough on Callum who did a sterling job as a stand-in keeper. Continuing on the openers and then Ollie kept it tight in the first 15 overs, Blease finally demolishing the stumps to earn a very well deserved wicket and between him, Ted and Ollie Knockers kept Bromley Town to 54-1 at the 15 over mark.

A change of pace was chosen as the way to make the breakthrough with Ziggy turning them square and Anand bowling his usual darts. Both had success taking wickets with McCulloch taking a smart stumping off Ziggy as the umpire reluctantly gave his own teammate out, a common site in Sunday cricket. But Ziggy was unlucky with Bleasey dropping 2 catches and then exclaiming “I’m having a shocker here lads”. Catches would have definitely helped the spinners keep it tighter in the middle overs but Bromley’s middle order began to accelerate, playing their shots but with some great boundary riding and tight fielding we saved boundaries and stopped 2s. Ollie Marsh found the breakthrough, taking a fantastic reaction caught and bowled chance that was smashed back at him. He simply stuck his right mitt out and strutted off with no celebrations at all. Clearly, a normal day at the office for the skipper. Their middle order resistance got them to 72-4 at 21 overs to 132-4 after 31 with 4 overs to go. Rory Goodson finally decided to show up at around over 28 and mopped up the tail swiftly before having his last ball of the innings being carted into the river for a humongous six. Knockers being set 156 to win, which on the wicket and time in the game felt manageable.

Jai and Ed Got the boys off to a fast start. Ed playing some glorious straight drives and pull shots and Jai playing some inventive shots as they bludgeoned their way to 58 -0 after 8 overs. It looked like Knockers were on for an easy victory, but Jai got out trying slog a straight ball from a spinner and Ziggy reluctantly gave him out LBW. Their spinner continued wreak havoc cleaning up the Prof and Skipper marsh for a golden duck. The first time the Marsh brothers batted together lasted one ball, sadly. Ted continued marching along reaching 50 playing some powerful shots and some clever cricket by rotating the strike and running hard with Neil, Blease and later on Akhil. His innings continued pushing the total closer and closer to the target.

Neil Dave provided ample support for Ted before also being dismissed by one of their handy spinners. William Blease arrived in at seven and given his previous ton at this ground big things were expected. He looked good, providing great support to Marsh while he continued demolishing the attack. The run rate slowed somewhat in the middle overs from with Knockers reaching 100 from 25 overs, now needing 55 off 10. It looked like the game was going to get close.

We were five down and a man short but there were runs in the tail (and mid-track pinch hitting from Roz). By the time Blease departed trying to play a reverse sweep and getting caught behind off a seamer, the game was back under Knockers’ control. Ed at this point was in the mid-70s and started getting closer to the jug. But his very own scallywags on the side-line, and much to Jai’s dismay and requests to be quiet, were jinxing the 100 from this early. So, if anyone is to blame its Goodson, Skipper Marsh and Anand.

Akhil Anand entered the game with 31 needed of 6 overs and tricky spin to deal with. The game had tipped back into looking in the balance, but some solid striking and hard running between the wickets by Ted and Akhil simplified the equation to 15 off 18 balls. Marsh at this point was on around 95. Akhil then decides to hit two 4s to win the game against the rest of the team’s shouts, leaving Ted Stranded on 97* and still searching for his first ever Knockers ton. In summary, a strong performance by Knockers with great fielding and tight bowling followed up by a tremendous innings by Ed Marsh alongside some absolute shithousery from Anand, Goodson and any clown on the side line who jinxed Marsh’s ton.

 

Batting

Batsman	How Out	4s	6s	Runs
Jai Shah	lbw	2	0	18
Ted Marsh	not out	13	1	97
Callum McCulloch	bowled	0	0	0
John Mitchell	bowled	0	0	2
Ollie Marsh	bowled	0	0	0
Neil Dave	lbw	0	0	4
Will Blease	caught	1	0	10
Akhil Anand	not out	2	0	19
David Bowen	dnb	0	0	0
Rory Goodson	dnb	0	0	0

 

Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts
Will Blease	6.0	3	3	1
Ted Marsh	3.0	2	1	0
Ollie Marsh	7.0	1	21	1
David Bowen	7.0	0	32	1
Akhil Anand	7.0	0	33	2
Neil Dave	2.0	0	16	0
Rory Goodson	3.0	0	21	2