Saturday 7th June 2008
St James CC v Bank of England XI
Bank of England 169 all out. St James 139 all out.
R Pierson ct 43 4-0-19-0
A Woolley lbw 8 3-0-19-0
J Stretton lbw 16 2-0-10-0
J Smith st 0 7-3-17-2
J Kleinveldt b 24 11-2-28-5
R Boyle b 9
D Owen b 0 8-1-24-0
J Boyle b 21
S Smith ct 1 5-0-30-0
D Smith b 4
R Bush no 4 8-2-12-2
On a nice day for cricket St James arrived at the Bank of England full of
confidence with a strong team. We were asked to field and Robin and Stan opened
the bowling. Robin asked to be taken off when the batsmen clearly enjoyed pace
on the ball and Jack took up the challenge and immediately claimed the first
wicket courtesy of another stunning Ryan catch at point. The Bank’s number three
looked a powerful hitter and he hit Stan for a couple of hard boundaries and
Jack for one as well. But then Jack got him out as he leg glanced one which Dave
took beautifully behind the stumps. It was an important breakthrough as the
Bank’s middle order couldn’t match his rate of scoring.
Dave Owen bowled an excellent containing spell, tying down the Bank’s batsmen
and using his height to get good bounce. At the other end John Kleinveldt set a
clever field and had the Bank’s batsmen frustrated as they kept finding the
fielders including the eager footed Andrew who stopped many a single from short
mid wicket. John worked his way through the middle order, several batsmen were
clean bowled trying to hit out while Jack picked up a catch in short on the off
side. Richard replaced Dave and picked up two wickets as the Bank’s lowed order
crumbled away. With nine wickets down we generously brought on Andrew and John
Stretton on and unfortunately the Bank’s last pair found some useful boundaries.
Andrew almost finished them off when he was swung down to deep square where
James made a tumbling effort to catch it but the ball ran away for four.
Still at tea we felt that with a strong batting order we could chase 169. The
pitch had played ok for batting. There were certain areas on the pitch where the
ball died and batsmen had to be alert. Andrew and Robin opened and soon found
they had to dig out straight balls which kept low. They went slowly but well as
they found singles to take off the accurate Bank openers. Andrew was given lbw
for 8 when hit on the foot in front. Soon after Bank brought on their off
spinner who bowled for the rest of the afternoon. He got some turn and kept an
accurate off stump line and caused us problems all afternoon.
Johnno and Robin developed a partnership of 28 as Johnno found the boundaries
and Robin took singles. At one point though Robin ducked out the way of a beamer
and stuck his bat up like a periscope and hooked it for four. Johnno fell
playing across the line to the offspinner for 16 and Jack followed a few balls
later stumped off the same bowler.
The run rate had climbed to six an over but that looked no problem with John
Kleinveldt at the wicket. He hit six fours to make 24 but then missed another
straight one and departed exposing St James lower order to a tricky run chase.
Robin and Ryan ran well together as usual and Robin finally began to find the
boundary and run 2s. Ryan belted his usual collection of 4s before missing a
straight one and departed. Dave Owen went for a duck soon after also missing a
straight one.
Robin was now joined by James and they put on 27 as James showed good restraint.
With ten overs left and the run rate required hovering at six or seven runs an
over, the win still looked possible. James clubbed some fours down the ground as
Robin continued to work the off spinner through square leg and drive the other
bowlers through cover. James was dropped before being dismissed for 21 by the
off spinner who bowled a beautiful full ball which turned sharply. Stan soon
departed chipping the ball in the air and Dave was then defeated by the off
spinner trying to force the ball back down the ground.
Robin managed one more boundary as did Richard before Robin chipped the ball to
long on and was caught for 43. It was another entertaining run chase from St
James but to fall short again was a disappointment. Robin was voted man of the
match and yet another Ryan catch nominated as Champagne moment.