This week saw Phil Wood‘s 4th XI take the trip to fellow strugglers Alvanley 3’s. Alvanley by name anyway but they play in a totally different area, ask Clive Moore if you ever need directions.

With Upton only six points behind them in the league, this would be a great game to win and a chance to start building momentum after last weeks superb performance against Westminster Park.
Saying that Alvanley had also had an emphatic victory last week after bowling Maritime out for just 37.

Five changes to last weeks starting 11, Nick Cockrell, Jon Cockrell, Clive Moore and Rob Chapman all returning to the side and a first start of the season for Sean Cooper, taking over from Shaun Marsden behind the stumps.

Phil won the toss and decided to bowl first.

Phil and Henry Clark opened the bowling, Phil bowling a great length beating the bat on multiple occasions, edges from the batsmen just evading the fielders.

The breakthrough came in the ninth over, another edge from the batsman and a regulation catch for wicket keeper Sean.
Henry then removed the other opener in the 12th over, bowling the batsman with one that just trimmed the bails, the score was now 39/2 and considering the small dimensions of the pitch we were doing really well to keep the scoring rate under control.

Phil continued his spell, bowling a consistent line and length, chances came but unfortunately they were put down in the field.

Eben Raja replaced Henry and took a wicket in his first over, the score was now 62/3 after 16 overs.
At the drinks break, the score was 78/3.
A 10 over spell from Phil finishing with 1/29 but if the truth be told, on another day could easily have finished with a five wicket haul.

Jon Cockrell replaced Phil and continued were Phil had left off with some good accurate bowling. Eben claimed his second wicket in the 24th over with the score on 99, a fine catch from a top edge taken by Henry at third man.

Alexa Harrison replaced Eben and the batsman decided to chance his luck straight away, the small boundary being cleared with a 6 from her first ball.
The batsmen had decided it was time to accelerate the run rate.

It wasn’t long before Jon was claiming wickets, another catch for Sean behind the stumps.
Another wicket followed in his next over with a French cricket style LBW. The easiest of decisions given by the umpire (154/6).

It was at this point that the innings seemed to get away from us with Alvanley scoring 60 runs in the last 6 overs, Jon picked up his third, compliments of a catch from brother Nick, Henry claimed another in his final over but somehow Alvanley had raced to 221.

Upton would have to do something that they had failed to do all season…..Score over 200 to win the game.

Bob and Nick opened the batting for Upton and with the score on 6 in the third over Nick (5) was harshly adjudged to be LBW.

Jon was next in, keeping the scoreboard ticking over, six of his first seven scoring shots sent to the boundary for 4.
With the score on 40 Bob (5)was given out LBW.
Sean was next in, looking very good considering it was his first game of the season. When on 14 he was bowled with one of the very few balls that stayed low on the day, the ball couldn’t have been much more than 6 inches off the ground when it struck the stumps.

Clive joined Jon in the middle and kept the score moving along nicely. At drinks we were 90/3 and seemingly in a decent position to win the match.

The drinks break should be abolished !
…… especially when Upton are batting as not for the first time this season we lost a wicket in the very next over.
Jon playing beautifully offered up some catching practice when on 45.

Alexa joined Clive, the Alvanley bowlers were now making scoring difficult, scoring was hard work and we were dropping behind the required run rate. Despite a gallant 50 run partnership the game was getting away from us.
An exhausted Alexa (19) was stumped, Clive followed soon after with a swashbuckling 38, Phil tried to up the run rate but was caught with an outstanding one handed catch as the ball looked to be sailing over the rope.

The last few overs saw the score taken onto 168/8, 54 runs short of our target.

Next week we try again when we host Mere Europa’s 1st XI.