Match Report
16/05/1999 v GROVE
lost
Clive and Tony started off confidently against The Grove on another glorious day at Sutton at Hone. Tony was out to an unplayable ball after scoring 9 and this brought Jock to the wicket. Jock started hitting the ball to all parts of the ground being particularly severe on anything pitched marginally short. Clive was out to a reflex catch at point from a square cut right off the middle after weathering a tight piece spell of bowling from Bond. Steve Lawton making a welcome return looked comfortable until he got a lifter which just shaved the glove. Meanwhile Jock was scoring quickly at the other end on his way to 83 and after losing Richard Coverly and Howard Davis in quick succession finally found a useful partner in Adam Deal. Adam produced another spirited knock of 24 not out including some scorching off drives. The skipper (Martin Smith) failed for the first time this season and debutant Andy Deal did not last long. Jonathan Stringer surprisingly failed to add to his record number of not outs and the innings closed on 144. This should have been a winning score on a pitch which was giving quite a bit of help to the seam bowlers and with unpredictable bounce. However Old Dartechs were short in the bowling department and only Richard Coverly managed to threaten the Grove batsmen.
The Grove scored the necessary runs in just 24 overs for the loss of only one wicket and Old Dartechs were left to rue the absence of Bob Dunkley who who, along with the Chairman, was watching Charlton being relegated at the Valley.