Sunday XI v. Hampton & Solihull
TIE
On Sunday 16th June, Kenilworth hosted Hampton and Solihull for their latest Arden Sunday Cricket League fixture and somehow the match did not fall victim to the recent weather with a full 40 overs a side being bowled as the rain stayed away.
What a thrilling end to the match it was, as Kenilworth took a wicket by a run out on the last ball of the match with the scores level as H & S were trying to come back for the match winning second run. The match ended in a rare tie.
Asked to bat first, Kenilworth openers Henry Curran and Uma Umashanker made a watchful start against the accurate Hampton opening bowlers. After ten overs the home side were 16 without loss, but in the 11th over, Umashanker mistimed a pull and was caught by Mackey off Friend for 6, Kenilworth 18 for 1. Matt Casey then joined Curran, the pair were now looking to increase the tempo, adding 40 together in nine overs, at the half way point, Kenilworth were 56 for 1. The pair bought up the hundred I n the 29th over, meantime Curran went on to complete a solid fifty. But in the 30th over, Casey was bowled by Mackey for a solid 30 the home side 101 for 2, the pair adding 85 for the second wicket. Casey out, looking to force the run rate. The in form George Baines, fresh from his century last week joined Curran the pair were to add 34 together in six overs before Baines was bowled by Rollinson for 19, now 135 for 3, next man in Drew Dyer got off the mark first ball with a four through square leg, both Curran and Dyer tried to get Kenilworth to a defendable total in the last couple of overs, the home side posted 149 for 3 from their forty overs, Curran carrying his bat from ball one for an unbeaten innings of 77, his innings having six boundary fours. Three wicket takers for Hampton and Solihull, as the players headed off for tea.
The visitors began their chase after the tea interval with Speake and Mackey opening the batting, Matthew Dadswell and Geoff Edmunds opened the bowling for the home side, both bowlers bowled a tight line and length, the batsmen finding the runs hard to come by, Dadswell was rewarded with the early wicket of Speake, bowled for 2, Hampton 2 for 1. James was next man in for the visitors, he was more pro active, looking to score, but the Kenilworth bowlers remained disciplined, Charlie Stranks replaced Edmunds from the bottom end, and soon had the wicket of Mackey, bowled for 10, the visitors 27 for 2. Verbort joined James and together the pair were to add a steady 34 runs together, with the score on 61, Stranks had Verbort caught by Geoff Edmunds at short cover, Verbort making 15, after twenty overs the visitors were 61 for 3. Tom Skinner had replaced Dadswell from the pavilion end, he too wasn’t giving anything away, Kieran Umashanker then replaced Stranks from the bottom, Stranks bowling a fine eight over spell. Young Umashanker affected a wicket with his first ball, getting a finger on a drive from James, running out the non striker Gouldingey for 5, Hampton now 72 for 5, this became 75 for 5, with Umashanker’s final ball of his opening over, bowled Friend first ball. James though was resolute, going on to make a fine half century, he and new man in Scots, began to increase the tempo, the visitors now past a hundred, five down, after 35 overs, Hampton were 115 for 5, needing 35 to win off seven overs, Matt Casey replaced Umashanker from the bottom end, Sam Leach had replaced Skinner from the top, as both sides battled it out.
18 runs were needed from the last three overs for H & S with wickets in hand and the match became very exciting.
Casey bowled a superb over, going for just 2, 16 needed off two, Leach to bowl the penultimate over, a four off the second ball for James, three singles and the visitors needed 9 off the last over, a change of bowling again, Edmunds replacing Casey for the final over from the bottom, a couple of two’s, a single, another two.
Hampton & Solihull were left needing two off the last ball for victory, James facing, Edmunds bowled, James squeezed the ball out on the off side, Drew Dyer with quick fielding, got a throw to Edmunds at the bowler’s end – and the bails are off…….WICKET !! …… Scots is run out coming back for the match winning run. The match ends in an incredible tie. WOW!
Hampton and Solihull finishing on 149 for 6 from their forty overs, James ending on a superb 90 not out, so close to getting his side over the line. Bowling honours for Kenilworth went to Charlie Stranks with 2 for 28 from eight overs, Matthew Dadswell with 1 for 12 from six overs and Kieran Umashanker with 1 for 19 from five tidy overs. Kenilworth take 9 points Hampton 8 in a thrilling game of cricket.
What a great end to a good game. It kept the heart racing!
