Match report for 28th July
Broadstairs travelled to Harvel, with dark clouds surrounding the area but no rain falling it was a good day to bat and score quick just in case of a downfall.
With Matt Hardy away and Chris Flint feeling under the weather, Matt Frewin won the toss and decided to bat. Jay and Nathan opened up and tucked into some very loose deliveries, 43 runs coming in the first 10 overs. Both batsmen were playing and leaving nicely, some nice cover drives and punishing the short deliveries that were frequent enough.
It was the change of bowling that livened things up, Khan bowled with a lively pace and excellent lines, both batsmen playing and missing. He struck in his second over, Nathan adjudged LBW for a well made 34 with the score on 67. And in his next over Jay drove fiercely back to the Khan who got a good hand on it but only managed to divert the ball onto the stumps, running out Harry Carter for 0. The unluckiest way to be dismissed, even more so for the second time in 2 innings!
Tom Marshall (3) was caught behind in Khan’s next over and after 20 overs we were 91-3. Jay reached his half century which only had 4 singles, one 3 and the rest boundaries. Jake Benfield had joined Jay and was quickly into his stride, finding the boundary with a beautiful cover drive and hitting a maximum into the neighbouring field.
At drinks the game was nicely poised at 116-3. Khan then struck in his penultimate over, Jake attempting to hit over the top and being caught on the boundary for 39 from 31 deliveries. Matt Frewin joined Jay who was nearing his ton and with 20 overs to go we were 152-4.
Khan finished his spell, showing why he’s one of the top wicket takers this year, but the spinners were unable to contain Jay & Matt with both hitting maximums at will. Frewin is having a new lease of life after purchasing a new piece of willow. Jay reached his second hundred of the season, a superb knock and there were still plenty of overs left.
There were some murmurings of a potential double century, but even for Jay, he’d have to go some to get that today. We moved into the final 10 overs, well placed at 217-4. The hundred partnership was brought up in the 45th over, however Frewin fell for 37, offering a return catch to the bowler, a quick cameo from George Kidd 7 from 4 deliveries including a maximum and then Jay also falling in the same over for a superb 148 from 133 deliveries. Harvel must be sick of seeing him after his earlier season 95 against them and last year’s 138!
Chris Kidd (18) finished the innings with Oli Frewin (4) and we fell just short of 300, making 296. Surely a winning score, but would the weather scupper our hopes.
We needed to bowl 20 overs to ensure a full game and with dark clouds and a bit of rain in the air, Brad & Chris Flint opened up as usual with maidens, however, Chris grabbed a wicket with his first delivery, Jay taking the catch at mid-wicket, 2 overs later he had Pattinson caught behind by Tom and he followed that by bowling Piggott. Flinty was having a Broad moment and when Brad bowled captain Mitchell we had Harvel 23-4 after 10.
Brad then picked up his second, bowling McSweeney from a shorter than normal run up due to the weather and after 20 overs Harvel were 49-5 and we had a completed game should the rain come. Chris & George Kidd were into the attack and Harvel were just trying to hang around. It was George who struck first, bowling the annoying Saunders with a decent yorker and to overs later Chris claimed his wicket, nicely caught by Matt Frewin.
78-7 from 30 and it was now just a matter of time. Al Saunders had other ideas and decided to have some fun. Meanwhile Oli replaced George and struck with his first delivery caught by Jay in the 33rd over. We then had to wait until the 42nd over as Saunders started hitting boundaries and McSweeney hung around until Oli grabbed his second with Nathan taking his 13th catch of the season and George came back to finish the job claiming his second wicket.
Harvel were dismissed for 147. Chris Flint was the pick of the bowlers this week with his devastating spell of 8-4-27-3.
MoM was a tough call, but Jay just edged it with his innings of 148.