By David Fox
This week Broadstairs travelled to Linden Park looking to keep up their 100% league record. Winning the toss skipper Hardy had no hesitation in batting, despite losing 3 of their top 5 this week. Tom Marshall was promoted up the order and despite a scare in the first over, got us of to a steady start. It was Fox (16) in the fourth over who took the attack to the home side, hitting 3 boundaries back to back, but just an over later his confidence was his downfall when he managed to find the cover fielder with a gentle drive.
When Mondal (1) fell in the next over and we were 20-2 there were a few nervous looks. There shouldn’t have been, as we have shown this season how resilient and together we are as a batting unit. Benfield joined Marshall and the two set about building a partnership and getting us a score on the board. Both were finding regular boundaries and able to hit singles to keep the scoreboard ticking over through the first drinks break and up to the 20th over, when Marshall (26) top edged a sweep to deep mid-wicket but he had managed to get us up to 87-3.
Hardy joined Benfield and despite a few misunderstandings with running, both looked comfortable, Jake managed to hit a couple of maximums and both were able to find regular boundaries. Jake brought up his second half century of the season and earning us our first batting point passing 125.
However, Jake lives by the sword and in the 29th over was caught on the boundary for an important 69. George Kidd joined the skipper at 140-4 with 21 overs remaining. Too many times in the past this is where we have collapsed to 180 all out, but there is a determination in this side that I haven’t seen for a long time. Kidd was able to support Hardy, finding singles to get the in-form captain on strike. Reverse sweeps, 6 hitting and plenty of 2’s & 3’s saw Hardy also bring up his second half century of the season.
George was adjudged LBW in the 41st over for 13 and a quick cameo from Adam Jacob (12) including a 4 & 6 then led to Freddie Corner (15) joining Hardy who then brought up the 200 with a maximum. The captain eventually fell for a superb 80, run out in the 49th over and with Chris Kidd also run out on the last ball of the innings, we had set a total of 247.
We knew that Linden Park come out blazing and that fact hit home when Hassan hit George for 26 in his first over. 10 more from Ellison’s next over and they had 39 from 3 overs. But as has happened so many times in the past, Broadstairs stayed calm and Hassan fell into the trap of ‘bowled Ellison caught Kidd’, slashing at a decent length delivery and Chris taking a head high catch. When George found the edge of Campbell’s bat and Hardy held on we felt we were in the driving seat, even at 50-2 after 8 overs.
Ellison and Kidd turned the screw, not giving anything away, and the young seamer (obviously George) picked up his second, nicely caught low down by Jake at cover. Brad then grabbed his second, Ben Allinson taking the catch this time and after 15 overs the home side were struggling at 59-4.
Ellison finished his spell with 2-36 and then taking a catch to give George his third wicket with a surprising bouncer that the batsman could only top edge down to fine leg. A superb spell from George after going for 26 in his first over only conceding another 10 in his next 9 overs!
The 2 opening seamers were replaced by left arm spin, Chris and Milind. Chris struck almost immediately bowling Burford and what followed after that was a bit of an implosion by the home side. Milind bowled Holman and then 2 balls later Lane hit the ball straight to Tom at point and set-off, only for Tom to throw the ball in and claim the run out. At 82-8 it was only a matter of time and also a chance to introduce Freddie’s off spin. It was in his third over that he struck with his first delivery, bowling Erxleben. Then with his final delivery Milind took the catch and we had won by 122 runs, bowling the home side out for 125.
A superb all-round performance, this week the MoM goes to the captain for his well compiled 80.
Next week we welcome Whitstable to Park Avenue in what promises to be a sturdy test for the 1st XI.
Broadstairs 247-9 (50). Matt Hardy 80, Jake Benfield 69, Tom Marshall 26
Linden Park 125 all out (33) George Kidd 3-36, Bradley Ellison 2-36, Freddie Corner 2-23, Milind Mondal 1-10, Chris Kidd 1-20.