Knockers Vs Linden Park

Win :: Played on Sunday 3rd September 2023

Knockers
209-4

Linden Park
182-10

Match Report

Half centuries from Paul Seldon and Jay Seetharaman, four wickets by Freddie Young and a hat-trick from Seb Horner led all-round contributions to this victory at Linden Park.

A stifling September day greeted Captain Marsh whose mysterious ways saw us batting first once again in this timed game. With a dance floor induced injury forcing him to worm (pun intended) his way out of bowling duties, he went out with Jay to get us underway. Ollie and Jay stuck to their ends almost as much as Lepage and Prescott, two bowlers intent on being as stifling as the weather. Unfortunately, they each preferred what the other was facing and Lepage’s tidy swing was rewarded with a bit of added movement off the deck to take the skipper’s off stump.

An eighty-odd partnership then blossomed between Jay and Matt, Jay getting beyond his usual shaky twenties to get back to batting his developing and needed anchor role which was complimented by Matt’s aggressive approach. It was hot and hard running with a large boundary and a slow outfield but Matt did clear the rope with a little assistance at deep square. The pair brought up the hundred in the 26th over before Matt was caught on 45 off Thomas but not before hitting his 500th run for Knockers which also stretched his lead for this summer’s run-getters.

JJ gave us a brief display of his promising cricket career, for which some coaching could well make good of a fine temperament and decent hand-eye. Thomas then picked his second wicket, bowled. Seb replaced him and looked in great nick until mid-off took a great diving grab.

This brought the returning Snellers in against his Saturday side. John Harvey installed himself within earshot at mid-wicket but his gentle jibes couldn’t prevent another show from the great man. Jay yet again anchored in the wilting heat with aplomb, rotating the strike well while Paul’s timing was on display and although the innings centred around Jay’s quality unbeaten 73, Snellers fired us on to a competitive total with a fifty off thirty balls as Knockers declared on 209-4.

Freddie and Neil opened the defence on a deck that had provided assistance to bat and ball. Freddie was turning the ball square while Neil probed with a nagging length. It was Freddie who struck first with a diving caught and bowled. Freddie’s prodigious turn undid a dangerous looking Prescott, who chopped on.

This brought Sumasander to the crease who was to go on to lead Linden Park’s chase with a high calibre unbeaten century. Neil held on at point for Freddie’s 100th Knockers wicket, accounting for the remaining opener, Hayes. Scott took over from Neil while Freddie soldiered on. The moon ball very nearly did for an accumulating Sumasander but it was Freddie who struck again with Ziggy grabbing at mid-wicket to end his wonderful twelve over spell with figures of 12-2-38-4.

Still Sumasander chipped away and a partner or two could have made this a very tight affair. Ollie took one off his single over as his offies produced a catch from Snellers. It was Horner who then cracked the game open. JJ held a looper at square, a straight one did for the next man and then hard hands helped the ball to Ziggy as Knockers crowded in for the hat-trick ball. The first Knockers triple in a very long time and his reward for this maiden over? Straight out of the attack.

Ziggy was by now plugging away at the other end and he was bang in form. Sumasander was still picking off any bad balls, a few good ones too, but Knockers were working their way through his partners. Ziggy’s rippers got a feathered edge that Freddie pouched and a win looked on at 146-9. One of Luke’s seamers spiked on a length busting the nose of a capable looking Lepage. With twelve men available, Harvey stepped in to replace him and it brought the game back into question. Sumasander got a well deserved century and Harvey was showing that he knew where the middle of the bat was. Suddenly, 177 was on the board with five overs to go.

JJ was unfortunate that a somewhat generous no-ball was given mid-celebration after Ziggy had held at fine-leg. Ziggy was to bring his season’s total to sixteen wickets as Luke waited an absolute age for a high one to come out of the murky autumnal evening sky to hold on at deep extra cover and complete proceedings.

Seb got the drinks in as Knockers watched the sun go down on an attractive Linden Park ground that had had its fair share of observers. A handy win to balance the season’s books all things considered. Just two to go folks.

 

Batting

Batsman	How Out	4s	6s	Runs
Ollie Marsh	bowled	0	0	11
Jayatheerth Seetharaman	not out	6	0	73
Matt Landers	caught	5	1	45
Seb Horner	caught	0	0	8
James Johnstone	caught	0	0	2
Paul Seldon	not out	7	1	64
Neil Dave	dnb	0	0	0
Luke Stevens	dnb	0	0	0
David Bowen	dnb	0	0	0
Freddie Young	dnb	0	0	0
Scott Landers	dnb	0	0	0

 

Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts
Freddie Young	12.0	2	38	4
Neil Dave	8.0	1	33	0
Scott Landers	5.0	0	31	0
Ollie Marsh	1.0	0	4	1
Seb Horner	1.0	1	0	3
David Bowen	6.3	0	29	2
Luke Stevens	4.0	0	14	0
James Johnstone	2.0	0	23	0

 

Match Photos