Sunday XI v. Harborne
WINNING DRAW
On Sunday 2nd June, Kenilworth hosted Birmingham outfit Harborne for their latest Arden league Division Three fixture and achieved a winning draw.
After two delayed starts due to rain, the match now reduced to thirty overs per side. Harborne won the toss and asked Kenilworth to bat first. Openers Henry Curran and Darius Potten-Ravenshad new they had to make a solid start, but with score on seven, Curran was bowled by Grover for 3, this brought Ben Maney to partner Potten-Ravenshad, from the first ball Maney was in good touch, both players were looking to score off every ball, with the score on 29, Potten-Ravenshad was also bowled by Grover, this time for eleven. Skipper Matt Casey joined Maney at the crease, Maney was in positive mode, he was the dominant partner in the pairs partnership, they had put on 28 when Casey became Grover’s third victim, caught for four, Kenilworth 57 for 3 after 11 overs . The inform keeper batsman George Baines was next in, Baines was soon in full flow, along with the aggressive Ben Maney, the quickly added 45 together, in six overs, Maney finally out for a solid 37. Charlie Stranks was then unluckily run out backing up, after the bowler got a boot to a drive from Baines for one, Kenilworth now 104 for 5 in the 18th over. That wicket bought the left hander, George Jayaratnam to partner Baines, Jayaratnam was in typical aggressive mode, Baines too, Baines bought up his fifty with a sublime straight drive for four. Jayaratnam was in imperious touch, clearing the ropes three times, then bringing up his fifty with another huge six to the long boundary, the pair added a rapid partnership of 101 on only twelve overs, before Baines was bowled by O’Lyttle for an absolutely brilliant innings of 82, his innings containing 10 x 4. Joey Poole joined Jayaratham for the last over, Poole ended on 4 not out, Jayaratnam was 52 not out, his innings contained 4 x 4 and 4 x 6 off 26 balls. Kenilworth posting a very decent 226 for 6 from their thirty overs. For Harborne, Grover starred with 3 for 15 from six overs.
Robinson and Powick opened up for Harborne, they would need a good start if they were going to get close to their target. Opening bowlers Joey Poole and George Jayaratnam kept things tight, putting pressure on, this was rewarded with the wicket of Powick for 4, bowled by Jayaratnam, Harborne 16 for 1. Pagel joined Robinson, Charlie Stranks replaced Jayaratnam from the pavilion end and soon picked up the wicket of Pagel for 8, the visitors now 32 for 2. Stranks then had next man on Rauf caught behind by George Baines for 2, Harborne 36 for 3. Robinson stood firm, and gradually compiled a solid fifty, together with Wilcox, they added 51 for the fourth wicket, Wilcox caught by Joey Poole off Henry Currans first over, Wilcox making 7, Harborne 87 for 4. Samir, 13 not out and Robinson carrying his bat for a decent 68 not out, after their thirty overs, Harborne finishing on 116 for 4. Charlie Stranks with 2 for 2 for 10 from four overs, George Jayaratnam with 1 for 11 from four overs and a wicket for Henry Curran, 1 for 12 from three overs.
Kenilworth with the winning draw, taking 15 points for their efforts, on a day where Baines and Jayaratnam starred.
