The 2s made the trip to scenic Crowhurst Park needing a win and played their part in what turned out to be a cracking game of cricket with over 450 runs in a match that went to the last over.
Winning the toss and electing to bowl, Dan Woods and Akeem Ifill opened up the bowling vs the opening partnership of Justin Harley and Joe Lovell. CP made the better start with Harley racing to 26 mostly in boundaries before a bowling change had him caught off the bowling of Peter Billinghay. Lovell quickly followed caught and bowled by Woods who nearly got taken out knee high by the flying Akeem who cannot have heard the bowlers call. Could have been one of those moments! What was to follow was the only controversial moment of the game as CP’s best batsman, skipper Lochie Whitehead, looked in trouble off a good LBW call which wasn’t given. However in the appeal process he had strayed outside of his crease and with his stumps thrown down looked a goner. It was for some reason not given. These things happen but it looked very out, not that Whitehead minded too much as he and Nick Taylor then put on 100 for the 3rd wicket. CP looked on for a big score around 300.
It was only when from another bowling change, this time skipper Matt Charman, that the partnership was broken as Whitehead was bowled round his legs. The run rate then dried up as Charman (4-47), Dan Maskell, Martyn Box and Lewis Mamoany (all with a wicket each) put the pressure on and wickets fell. It was only some late hitting from Constable and Wadeson that enabled CP to finish well with a good 239-8 off their 53. We fielded incredibly well given the heat and never stopped working to try and keep CP in check after their fast start, a great effort.
Another top Div 6 East tea was taken, thanks CP and we began our run chase. Now some might question the skippers wisdom of letting Steve Cromb and Charlie Punter open the batting but to be fair to those two they fancied it and what a start they made. Both looked assured all around the ground and put on 70 for the first wicket including a delightful straight six from Punter and some classy shots from Cromb. When Cromb fell LBW then Punter shortly after in came Akeem Ifill and Aaron Barnes who both looked in good nick from the off. There are no better strikers of a ball in our league than Akeem and one cover drive in particular was just class. However Aaron (52 n/o) proved the perfect foil as CP were made to fetch the ball from all over in a partnership of 120. When Akeem was out for a brutal 77 it was just a question of whether CP could salvage a draw. Martyn Box joined Barnes and although it got a little tight at the end we always looked like we were going to win and both took us to the last over needing three. Martyn clipped one off his legs and the game was won. All 5 batsmen this week did a brilliant job and Martyn as always proved mature beyond his years with an important 18.
So a great win vs a good CP side puts us in good spirits for another big game vs Hellingly this weekend.