Knockers Vs Staplehurst

Win :: Played on Sunday 14th September 2014

Knockers
200-3

Staplehurst
193-9

Match Report

A rare win at Staplehurst with a pulsating finish as the hosts nearly blasted their way over the line at the death. Paul Seldon's second ton of the summer together with two spells of tight and testing bowling from Ben Cobb helped make an enjoyable end to the Knockers' summer.

A 1pm start saw a grand total of three Knockers at the ground ready to play. While Guido tore himself away from his Babecast harem, James Thompson scoffed back burgers at a family lunch and Lando couriered kit and players from all over Kent, Paul Seldon and Tom Watts set about proving that we had enough to play. There can be few sights more enjoyable for a Knocker than to sit back and watch Snellers in full flow. By the time the rest of the cast had appeared he was well on the way to his fifty while Tom Watts kept up his end of the bargain with an innings that was a snapshot of his summer - some fine drives mixed with difficulty getting off the square. The partnership was broken on 95 following the distraction of drinks as Tom missed one on his stumps.

LSA then sauntered on with fifteen overs remaining and a few quick singles saw a sudden rush of blood as he took a huge swipe at what must have been an annoying wasp - so far from the ball was the bat. Snellers didn't take any notice as he sussed out Staplehurst's switch to slow bowling. LSA started moving up the gears with a few boundaries until he saw the finger with the score on 123 from 25 overs. Guido, having had his seminar on other uses for fingers cut short, limped out to the middle and took guard somewhere near the square umpire. It seemed to work for him as he smashed ones off the toe of his bat in front of middle stump, avoiding a run-out where the umpire was the only man present who didn't see it. Once Paul had finished chuckling he took note of the score and hit two sixes in succession - both helped over the boundary by home players, before hitting fours all around the park to get him into the nineties. Another four brought up his ton while Guido edged closer to his stumps and joined in with a few boundaries of his own.

Snellers holed out in the 34th over to a smart catch on the ropes. Ben Cobb then watched Guido farm the strike but his one was well taken to allow the senior partner to protect him.

A serious spread for tea slowed down Knockers' fielding efforts as Sayem struggled to find his line. The Staplehurst opener must also have had enough to eat as he sent a juicy half-volley straight back into Sayem's safe hands. Banger bowled up hill and as his pace built up he proved too much for the other Staplehurst opener and quickly followed it up with another, both bowled in his four over opening spell.

Sayem stayed on as Sachin took over from Cobb. Rawson's variation was a serous test for Staplehurst's first fifty-maker, Connel. Sachin was unlucky to have one dropped by a sleepy mid-off who was possibly daydreaming of previous sexual exploits, real or imagined. A rare turn out by Dr Mitchell did the visitors the power of good, removing a man justifiably named "Savage", who was quickly reducing the needed run rate single handedly. LSA took a sharp catch with the gloves from a nick down leg side as the batsman walked to prove he was more gentleman than his brutal batting had suggested.

Connel was still plugging away for Staplehurst and in Saunders he found a partner that planned on sticking around. A tiring Sachin's penultimate over was hit around but he recovered well to keep the Knockers in it while Snellers took a few overs to decide to use the track. Paul bowled Connel with Staplehurst on 119 for five with a good fifteen overs remaining. Sachin gave way to JT who in turn gave way to a returning Banger.

A forty partnership by the home side was broken by the power-axis of Cobb-Howe. Guido played pat-a-cake with the ball at long-off, claiming the catch just at the point Banger was to unfurl some kindly words along the lines of "good effort Howe". Cobb soon bowled another, clipping the top of off and once Snellers bowled round the batman's legs at the other end a win looked a formality with ten-man Staplehurst on 174-8 and two overs remaining.

Saunders had other ideas, taking two early boundaries off a Banger too eager to bag a five fer. The final over came with Staplehurst needing 14 to win and Snellers holding the ball. Saunders sent the first for four. The second was driven to long-off where Sayem flicked the ball up off his ankle just shy of the boundary and hurled it back as Staplehurst pushed a risky two. Snellers hit the stumps with Saunders well out of his crease. Unfortunately, those stumps were at the wrong end and Staplehurst now needed eight from four balls with Saunders, having just made 50, on strike. Then, even rarer than a Knockers win at Staplehurst, the visitors saw a Lando catch. Fielding at cover, the only man for forty yards either way and Saunders picked him out to bring Snellers' third wicket in a man of the match performance by the centurion. Cracking end to a worthwhile season.

 

Batting

Batsman	How Out	4s	6s	Runs
Paul Seldon	caught	16	2	111
Tom Watts	bowled	5	0	35
Lynden Spencer-Allen	lbw	2	0	13
Guy Howe	not out	4	0	31
Ben Cobb	not out	0	0	1
Sachin Rawson	dnb	0	0	0
John Mitchell	dnb	0	0	0
Sayem Ahmad	dnb	0	0	0
Scott Landers	dnb	0	0	0
James Thompson	dnb	0	0	0

 

Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts
Sayem Ahmad	7.0	0	37	1
Ben Cobb	8.0	1	30	4
Sachin Rawson	8.0	0	48	0
John Mitchell	3.0	0	24	1
Paul Seldon	6.3	1	36	3
James Thompson	2.0	1	9	0