Knockers Vs Sissinghurst

Lose :: Played on Sunday 1st June 2014

Knockers
160-9

Sissinghurst
161-7

Match Report

If it is possible to turn up late to the party twice, then the Knockers did so. A wagging tail made something of a total and Davidson's unbeaten ton for Sissinghurst was almost overshadowed by them being forced to bat for ten overs to get the remaining six runs they needed, losing six wickets in the process, four of which fell to Sachin Rawson.

Winning the toss in this 40 over match, Captain Freddie Young elected to bat first on a very green wicket. The Seldon brothers ambled out to the middle as the visitors settled down to watch a favourite partnership. Paul Seldon (11) hit a few twos in a slow start and watched Stuart (1) fall early, bowled. Rattling stumps were to become something of a theme, Guy Howe (0) being the first to follow in Stuart's footsteps.

Lynden Spencer-Allen (36) looked in great nick from the off and his work stitched together the otherwise threadbare top and middle order contributions. Paul Seldon was also bowled and two debutants, Rachid Aslam (0) and Sachin Rawson (5) went the same way as the ball lifted out of the green off the seam to nick off-stump again and again. Sayem Ahmad (5) lasted a little longer as both he and the third debutant, Aamir Muhammad (5) each hit one lovely straight drive but both soon fell, one after another. Ahmad was bowled and Muhammad stumped off of a wide ball, Sissinghurst's excellent wicket keeper, Winner, doing sharp work for the latter.

Spencer-Allen fell to a solid catch as a partnership with Edward Darry (31no) began to look promising. Freddie Young (20) picked up the mantle instead and helped drag the Knockers from 84-8 from 27 overs to 128-9. Both looked assured and Young's cheeky low scoop shot added a little swagger to proceedings. A miss-hit clip down leg looped up for Winner to pouch to end Young's innings and then Calver (20no) and the hard running Darry got the Knockers to the forty over mark with a healthier, if still very small total of 160. Calver hitting an almighty six as they squeezed a partnership of 32 from the last five overs.

A good tea - fruit cake worthy of second helpings - fortified the travelling side. Stuart Seldon took the gloves as Richard Calver (20-0) opened with a bit of seam bowling. The skipper (35-2) brought himself and his spin on early at the other end. Calver was mean and lean but a breakthrough was not forthcoming. Young couldn't find his usual rhythm and was replaced by Ahmad (28-0) who was also unable to trouble Sissinghurst's opening pair of Davidson (101ret) and Smith (22).

Aslam (26-1) stepped in for Calver and in the 21st over of the innings he bowled Smith with his nippy and aggressive medium pace. Darry was forced to leave the field with a pulled hamstring but the Knockers had the luxury of a sub in Landers and his sterling work at short mid-off brought a new enthusiasm to the game. Rawson (25-4) was unlucky with an LBW shout against Davidson before he retired with a century but would later rip through the Sissinghurst middle-order, backed up by Young finding his feet at the other end.

After 28 overs the home side needed six runs with nine wickets in hand. Rawson, in his seventh over, bowled a wicket-maiden and was to follow it up with two more. The first fell bowled, the second was caught at mid-wicket by Spencer-Allen and Ahmad pocketed the third at mid-on. Then Young got in on the act with two maidens either side of Rawson's final wicket, bowling Mullis. Young bowled two more in his last over - the second of those two maidens - and the forty over mark loomed into sight with 159 on the board. Alas, Rawson went for two off his last ball and a defeated but buoyant Knockers walked off the field with some pride restored.

Man of the match - Sachin Rawson. A spinning masterclass in a nerveless debut.

 

Batting

Batsman	How Out	4s	6s	Runs
Paul Seldon	bowled	0	0	11
Stuart Seldon	bowled	0	0	1
Guy Howe	bowled	0	0	0
Lynden Spencer-Allen	caught	6	0	36
Sachin Rawson	bowled	1	0	6
Rashid Aslam	bowled	0	0	0
Sayem Ahmad	bowled	1	0	5
Aamir Muhammad	stumped	1	0	5
Edward Darry	not out	4	0	31
Freddie Young	caught	2	0	20
Richard Calver	not out	2	6	20

 

Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts
Richard Calver	7.0	1	20	0
Freddie Young	10.0	2	38	2
Sayem Ahmad	4.0	0	28	0
Rashid Aslam	6.0	1	26	1
Sachin Rawson	11.0	3	35	4