Knockers Vs Otford
Win :: Played on Sunday 22nd June 2008Knockers
215-3
Otford
97-10
Match Report
Guthrie Miller, the Knockers captain, bludgeoned his way to a fine maiden ton (114) including 20 4s while sharing 165 for the first wicket with Paul Styles (43). Knockers finally posted 215 with cameo performances from Ollie Boreham and Scott Landers at the end. Only Newton (2/53) obtained any real joy with the ball.
The Knockers’ bowling attack then piled on the pressure. Lynden Spencer-Allen (3/19), generating a fair pace from the pavilion end, made the decisive contribution breaking through the stubborn Otford tail-enders with only 4 overs left. Key contributions were also made by Andy Darry (2/7) and ‘big’ Ben Rumary (1/15).
A blustery cross-wind puffed away far more than the Knockers in this breezy victory over 10 man Otford. In a side made up in the main of club stalwarts, there was something of a pleasant reunion about this sunny day near the North Downs.
While Boreham, Howe, Rumary and L Spencer-Allen amongst others exchanged banter by the pavilion, captain G Miller (114) and P Styles (43) set about the Otford attack putting on a 168 run partnership for the first wicket.
Miller was the main scorer, having to use strength to score boundaries in a pace-free bowling line-up which was dampened further by a slow wicket. Styles took a long time to get going, waiting for the pacier bowlers to offer his fine shot selection a chance to shine.
The day belonged to Miller however. His unforgiving strokeplay saw off five Otford bowling changes and the hundred partnership was brought up with his own score in the seventies. He went on to to achieve his highest Knockers score of 114 before falling with about 25 minutes of the innings to go. Otford were by now down to 9 men as their wicket keeper had to leave the field with a dislocated finger.
G Smith (12no) joined the now free scoring Styles before the later fell to be replaced by O Boreham (15). Smith finished 12 not out as Boreham swashbuckled to a quickfire 15. Landers (2no) returned to the fold for the penultimate over as the travelling side posted a healthy 215-3.
L Spencer-Allen's (3-19) pace clearly unsettled the openening partnership in Otford's response. With both him and K Cowan putting the pressure on, the home side lost two wickets before the score began to tick over in earnest.
E Darry and A Darry (2-7) then took over with accurate bowling that ate into the heart of the Otford middle order until the tail end went sensibly for wicket retention over shot play. The unlikely pairing of B Rumary (1-15) and G Howe was called upon to spice things up.
As the shadows grew longer and the overs remaining slipped to less than double figures, a seemingly unlikely draw loomed into prospect. G Miller stepped into the fray briefly as a quick thinking Spencer-Allen's run out as the batsman waited for an LBW decision out of his ground saw the fight drain out of the Otford team despite a brave return of their wicket keeper. Spencer-Allen and Cowan returned to wrap up the innings for 98.
Batting
| Batsman | How Out | 4s | 6s | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Styles | bowled | 0 | 0 | 43 |
| Guthrie Miller | bowled | 0 | 0 | 114 |
| Geoff Smith | not out | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Oli Boreham | caught | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Scott Landers | not out | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Lynden Spencer-Allen | dnb | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Guy Howe | dnb | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ben Rumary | dnb | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Edward Darry | dnb | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ken Cowan | dnb | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andy Darry | dnb | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynden Spencer-Allen | 9.3 | 2 | 19 | 3 |
| Ken Cowan | 11.0 | 5 | 19 | 1 |
| Edward Darry | 8.0 | 1 | 17 | 1 |
| Andy Darry | 6.0 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| Ben Rumary | 3.0 | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| Guy Howe | 2.0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Guthrie Miller | 1.0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
