3rd. XI v. Overbury II
WIN
On Saturday 13th July, Kenilworth’s 3rd. XI made the long trip to play Overbury 2nds away in the Cotswold Hills League Division Six fixture and a great all round performance saw them victors by a narrow 2 runs.
Losing the toss again, Kenilworth were asked to bat first, Openers skipper Geoff Edmunds and Dan Roden made a solid start to their side’s innings, putting on 37 together in eleven overs, when Dan Roden was unluckily out hit wicket off a wide delivery off the bowling of Patel, Will Machin, making his first appearance this season, joined Edmunds, after a crisp four, Machin was bowled by Posgate for 6, Kenilworth 53 for 2. The late arrival of Uma Umashanka, meant instead of opening, Umashanka was in at number four, but he didn’t last long at the crease, caught off the bowling of home skipper Hayden for 6, Kenilworth 60 for 3, this soon became 62 for 4, when Andy Dadswell was bowled by Posgate. Geoff Edmunds was still going strong, along with young Yas Joshi the pair began the rebuild, until Edmunds was adjudged lbw to Hayden for a fine 36, Kenilworth 81 for 5. This became 92 for 6 when Joshi was bowled by the returning Gillett, Joshi making a decent 19. This bought all rounders Matt da and Ed Smith together at the crease, Kenilworth needed a partnership now if they were to post a defendable score, the pair duly delivered, both men playing aggressive cricket, both men hitting five fours each, as they put on 47 together for the seventh wicket in seven overs, Dadswell falling to Gillett, bowled for a decent 23, Kenilworth 139 for 7, Smith then fell lbw to Hayden in the next over, the visitors now 139 for 8 in the 36th over, Louis Smitheson and Gareth Knights at the crease, a case of how many the pair could manage to acquire, Knights got off the mark with a straight six, but was caught soon after for 6, 148 for 9, when Smitheson was also caught off Bramley for 6, Kenilworth were all out for 156 in the 39th over, Daniel Barrie finished 2 not out. For Overbury, Hayden took 3 for 25 and two wickets each for Gillett, Posgate and Bramley. As the players headed off to tea, time would tell if the visitors had enough runs.
The Kenilworth opening attack of Ed Smith and Matt Dadswell were after early wickets, and both men obliged, Smith having Haynes lbw for 5, the home side 8 for 1, this became 12 for 2, when Matt Dadswell had Hayden brilliantly caught one handed by Ed Smith at short cover, Hayden making 2. After a five over spell, Dadswell was replaced by skipper Geoff Edmunds, Edmunds striking in his first over, having number four Goodwin caught, again by Ed Smith, the home side struggling on 28 for 3 in the twelth over. Edmunds struck again in the 18th over, having Bramley well caught by Dan Roden for 22, the home side 54 for 4, and game definitely on. After the drinks break, Kenilworth had two opportunities off the bat of Gillett and Posgate, both men new to the crease, Gillett decided to play his shots, looking to be aggressive all the time, a series of fours, a big six, plus surviving three further chances, he went to his fifty with a straight drive off Dan Roden, Roden though had his revenge in the same over, Gillett going for one big hit too many, picking out Will Machin on the long on boundary, Machin taking a very decent catch. The game swinging one way and the other, Posgate still in, a lot rested on him, the side needed forty off the last ten overs, the home side having 41 overs, as they got the one that Kenilworth didn’t use up.
Smith returned, immediately had new man in Lawrence bowled for 2. Overbury 122 for 6, this became 132 for 7, Patel caught behind off Geoff Edmunds for 1. The key was Posgate, but he was run out by a throw from Will Machin to keeper Dadswell, attempting a second run, Posgate out for 38, Overbury now 143 for 8 in the 35th over. Edmunds switched his bowling around in the last four overs, each over a different bowler, each bowler bowled a fantastic over, a maiden from Edmunds, a maiden from Smith, left the home side needing eleven to win from the last two overs, Dan Roden to bowl the 40th and penultimate over, but three dot balls to batsman Darling, the pressure now on him, he responded with a leg side four and a two, a dot to finish a very fine spell of bowling.
So the last over, five needed for Overbury, skipper Edmunds to bowl, four dot balls to number ten Doble, a single off the fifth ball, Darling facing the last ball of the game, Edmunds to bowl, Darling can only manage a single, and Kenilworth have won a brilliant game of cricket by just 2 runs, Overbury ending on 154 for 8 from 41 overs, all eleven players for Kenilworth were heroes, everyone played a key role, in a fantastic team performance.
Wickets for Geoff Edmunds with 3 for 21 from nine overs, Ed Smith with a fantastic 2 for 12 from nine overs, Matt Dadswell with 1 for 26 off nine overs and 1 for 51 from nine impressive overs from leg spinner Dan Roden. Kenilworth take 19 points for a brilliant team performance, where they never stopped believing, skipper Edmunds rotated his bowlers superbly.
3rd. XI team photo of the side at Overbury:
