Match Report


23/05/1999 v LEEDS AND BROOMFIELD

won


A hard fast track awaited Old Dartechs at the rural ground of Leeds and Broomfield in full view of Leeds Castle. Andew Cruickshank bowling downhill with the wind behind him made full use of the conditions and soon had Leeds and Broomfield in trouble. Bowling with good control and pace he produced a series of unplayable inswingers to pick up two quick wickets. Richard Coverly was bowling uphill from the "tree" end (like Canterbury the tree is inside the boundary) and he cleverly adjusted his length to cope with the conditions bowling few loose deliveries.

Debutant Bob Moore replaced him and soon showed his potential as he started making the ball swing around. Leeds steadied as the skipper recovering from a broken leg showed good technique in keeping Cruickshank out. A run out courtesy of a fine stop at cover had Leeds reeling at 45 for 6 ( Andrew having picked up two more wickets ) and then Bob produced a straight ball which beat the Leeds skipper who was playing for the swing.

At 47 for 7 Leeds were looking at a very low score but a fine innings from the no 7 took the score to some sort of respectability. On a fast small outfield any firmly hit shot soon raced to the boundary and even the sheep at mid on could do little to stop the runs flowing. Eventually Martin Smith produced a number of fine deliveries to mop up the tail and Leeds finished on 101. After a fine tea Clive and Richard Coverly opened the innings. Richard drove at a ball outside off stump but failed to get over the ball and gave a catch to cover. Jock came in at three and quickly began where he left off last week smashing the ball to the boudary at will not seeming to care about the line or length of the bowling. Clive soon joined in as it became clear that this was actually a very good batting track. Playing as if it were a 15 overs limited over match Andrew and Clive ran some very quick singles.

The openers gave way to the change bowlers who bowled a little bit tighter but by this time both batsmen were in prime form and racing each other to their fifties. At one stage it was possible for each to score a half ton. A shameful piece of jug evasion had Clive swinging across the ball and he was bowled for 42 however Andrew Deal scored 5 runs to deny Jock the opportunity to score a second successive fifty who finished on 48 not out. In all , Old Dartechs had scored the required runs at more than 6 an over, and both sides made an early trip to the wicketkeepers pub in the Village. Not a bad way to finish.


v LEEDS AND BROOMFIELD 101 for 10

Wickets

Runs

Clive Stringer

42

Richard Coverly

0

0

9

Andrew Steene

48 *

Andrew Deal

5 *

0

21

Bob Moore

2

18

K Nunn

0

12

Martin Smith

3

16

Adam Deal

A Cruickshank

4

16

Jonathan Stringer

102 FOR 2 ---won