Crowthorne & Crown Wood Cricket Club

Scorecard

Crowthorne & Crown Wood Cricket Club Crowthorne Midweek XI v Lower Earley on Wed 01 Aug 2012 at TBC
Crowthorne & Crown Wood Cricket Club Won by 5 wickets

Match report Dark clouds loomed and rain was in the air, it was a nervous few minutes for the Crows early arrivers. But the skipper was confident, using his weather app he correctly predicted we were just on the edges and getting the last drops. It briefly brightened, but the majority of the match stayed overcast.

The skipper lost the toss, and Crowthorne was sent out to field. So followed a match consisting of 14 wickets but none bowled, 11 catches were taken and the sparkling yellow stumps only troubled for the 3 run outs.

Lower Early set about their task in test match style, trying to see off the opening bowling pair of Jeff Cluett and Childs. Cluett was particularly tight, only going for 3 runs off his 2 overs. But the skipper had seen enough and replaced Cluett with Cluett, this time Anthony. The pace slowed and the batsmen finally opened up.

This led to a great spell of bowling, as the skipper brought on his strike attack in Carson and Elsey. The Mallard tore through the Lower Earley batsmen like a steam train, taking 2 wickets with his first over. Elsey then followed up with 2 wickets in his 2 over spell, to send Earley a message of intent. Crows were here to win, no matter what style of bowling they chose.

The first seven wickets all went to catches, with Crows being particularly good in the field. Jeff Cluett and Will Avrili took Carson's two, Jeff with a theatrical dive. Davies and Shaw took Elsey's two. Only "Tracksuit" dropping in the field.

Meanwhile Ant Avrili was brought on for Carson, and took the fourth wicket in-between Elsey's two, with Jeff taking a more theatrical diving catch this time. Avrili was very tight with his bowling, despite Earley now having sent on their dangerman at number 6.

Elsey took a rest, Knight came on. Lobbing it up, he teased the batsmen, but troubled them. Lower Earley's Ish complained about moving fielders, then promptly got out next ball, when the fielders were still, with a "lept like a salmon" (in his own words) catch by O'Loughlin at slips.

Davies was on now, and bowling from one end, skipper O'Loughlin decided it was time to show his spin magic. His opening over proving very tight. But the Earley number 6 was still in, and he was improving the score well.

With 3 overs left, the skipper knew he only had one choice, and that was to throw back on his two strike bowlers. Elsey came in, and took his third wicket of the night, with a catch from Tracksuit (the seventh of the night). Then Carson was on for the final over, facing the number 6. A wide and then an easy but straight second ball, and they tried to take a quick single, but they weren't prepared for the speed of Ant Avrili, who scooped it up and threw with pinpoint accuracy to take out the stumps.

Five balls left, and one wicket. Earley got number 6 back on strike, and he duly hit a huge six. Then last ball, with only runs to gain, they went for a second run, and again chose the wrong fielder. Ant Avrili was there for a second time and his arm didn't fail him. Two run outs to Ant.

Good display by the Crows, with really only one batsmen proving a thorn, Lower Earley set Crowthorne 146 to win. Looking through the team Crowthorne were confident they could reach that total with their strong batting line up right down to number 11.

Out went Tracksuit and dead-eye Ant Avrili to open the batting. And Tracksuit strolled back at the end of the first over, having skied the ball straight up. Out went Usain Shaw, who duly returned with speed in the third over, having got a four, then being caught.

Davies joined Avrili, and settled in quickly getting up to 16. But then he got out to another catch, this time well taken low down. The skipper was needed out there, and out he strolled. Ant retired on a well earned 25, before Elsey went out to the crease. Elsey stroked his first run for the club, but then next ball a mix up saw him short and run out.

Carson walked out with intent, following on from his 22 not out in his last T20. He hit one for two off the second ball that wasn't a wide (3 in a row had been), then a sublime four off the fourth. But next ball he swung too early, and chipped up a dolly for mid-on, and so the eleventh catch of the night.

This proved to be the final wicket of the night. Childs went to the crease and proved unbeatable. It was getting darker out there, which proved tough for the fielders. The Skipper retired on 27, and then Childs retired on 26 with only six required for the victory.

Jeff Cluett was already at the crease having replaced the skipper, and he was totting up the runs, finishing on 20 not out. But it was Anthony Cluett who took the winning runs in the dark, taking two fours off his two balls. Crows obtaining 148 and taking the win with an over to spare.

There were a lot of notable performances, Elsey with 3 wickets, Carson with 2 wickets, Jeff with 2 catches, and Ant Avrili with 2 run outs. Will Avrili was solid as ever behind the stumps only conceding 2 byes, and aiding in the 2 run outs. Usain Shaw and Tracksuit proving there's no quick runs to them. Batting saw Ant Avrili, O'Loughlin and Childs all retire, and Jeff get 20 not out, Davies chipping in with a quick 16, and Carson's sublime four (hey, I'm writing this). Anthony Cluett then stroked two fours off two balls in the dark. All round team performance.

Debuts: n/a
Ducks: n/a
Baggy Greens: n/a
6s: n/a
First Wicket for Club - J Elsey
Captain - Julian O'Loughlin
Wicketkeeper - Will Avrili
MOM: Ant Avrili for bowling figures of 2-0-9-1, two run outs, and 25 retired.

Lower Earley Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 16w 2b 2lb 
for 9 wickets
21
145 (20.0 overs)		     
KP ct  J Davies b. J Elsey 16
Steve ct  J Cluett b. J Carson 11
Akif ct  W Avrili b. J Carson 4
Amit ct  J Cluett 16
Jeff ct  D Shaw b. J Elsey 0
Olly run out  A Avrili 62
Ish ct  J O'Loughlin b. M Knight 12
Andy ct  M Knight b. J Elsey 13
Gary run out  A Avrili 1
John Not Out  1
   

Crowthorne & Crown Wood Cricket Club Crowthorne Midweek XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Jeff Cluett2.00300.001.50
Matthew Childs2.001300.006.50
James Carson3.0020210.006.67
John Elsey3.002137.007.00
Anthony Cluett2.00919.004.50
Joe Davies2.001700.008.50
Mark Knight2.0022122.0011.00
Julian O'Loughlin2.001200.006.00

Crowthorne & Crown Wood Cricket Club Crowthorne Midweek XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
11w 1b  
for 5 wickets
12
148		        
Mark Knight ct  b. Gary 1 1
Ant Avrili Not Out  25 3 2
David Shaw ct  b. Gary 4 1 1
Joe Davies ct  b. Maynard 16 3 1
Julian O'Loughlin Not Out  27 6 1
John Elsey Run out  1
James Carson ct  b. Woodhouse 6 1
Matthew Childs Not Out  26 3
Jeff Cluett Not Out  20 3 2
Anthony Cluett Not Out  8 2
Will Avrili   1

Lower Earley Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Gary4.001929.504.75
Ish Hussain3.202300.006.90
Davison3.002900.009.67
Maynard4.0034134.008.50
Woodhouse2.0012112.006.00
Akif1.00100.001.00
Olly0.401500.0022.50