Cricket: Young Bray Side go down at Mentmore

Posted on May 18, 2010

On Sunday a young Bray team containing five players under 18 (and only 2 of over 25!) travelled to neighbours Mentmore.

Mentmore won the toss and were persuaded to bat on good looking pitch. Roff and Tickell opened the bowling and both bowled very well keeping their lines tight and not allowing the batsmen much room to score runs. They were backed up by good fielding from the young side and Tickell made the early breakthrough by taking the wicket of Kirchner snr for a duck.

Baines followed not long after, bowled for 17 with both Roff and Tickell constantly missing the outside edge with late swing. Recent recruit and resident 16 year old Holbrook with his leg spin joined the act with a ball that clearly wasn't in batsman Lewis' arc and bowled him for 8 to leave the home team in a bit of trouble close to drinks. Opener Nutley was still going though and quietly went to 40 before also being bowled by Holbrook with a turning delivery. Skipper Peacock rotated his bowlers often and debutant bowler Ross Taylor was unlucky not to pick up his first wicket for the club after Ryan Peacock dropped a powerful hit shot backward of square off the youngsters bowling. Veteran dangerman sayers coasted to 83 not out along with Newton who hit 63 not out and Mentmore ended on 238-4 off their allotted 40 overs. Bray fielded very well and can be happy with their efforts, with a few exceptions and Jake went into tea as normal, happy.

The break seemed to drag on longer than normal as both teams listened to England smashing the Aussies in the 20/Twenty final before realising a game of their own was still to be completed. Ryan Peacock opened up with Roff, a combination not used before and the result seemed to be effective enough with the explosiveness of Peacock coupled with the steadiness of the latter. Things were going along fairly well until Roff was sent back for 4 by Kirchner.

Ryan continued in his normal vain scoring at a good rate and hitting regular boundaries as well as clearly doing damage to Mentmore's Nutley in the process who took no further part in the game after trying to catch a fiercely hit hook shot. Unfortunately he got out not long after for 17 bowled by Sayers and was followed by Tickell for 3, trapped lbw by a typical full ball from the same bowler. Captain Peacock in at 4 started the rebuilding process along with vice skip Jones and things went along fine for at least an over, until Roff triggered Barm for 5 to a delivery that was heading well towards fine leg! Daniel Vettori a.k.a Matthew Ringsell joined his young skipper and a partnership was built as both players picked off loose deliveries as well as being careful in valuing their own wickets. When Ringsell departed for 11 Peacock jnr was joined by Eaton Bray stalwart Lewis Taylor who rolled back the years patiently rotating strike for his skipper to keep the runs ticking along. However, the run rate was rapidly rising and with the radio at full blast on the boundary Josh decided to listen to the finale of the World Cup final and hit a loose drive to backward point for a well grafted 58. Lewis was joined by Curtis Anthony who hit some good shots on his way to 11 not out but for all the efforts put in by all eleven players, the asking total was always going to be a bit out of reach as they finished on 154 all out.

A really good effort and every Bray player on the day can be happy with effort put in.

-- Veteran skipper (20)

Scorecard

• Result: Mentmore CC - Sunday Friendly XI Won by 84 runs
• Date: Sun 16th May 2010 @ 14:00
• Ground: The Cricket Club
• Type: Friendly
• Scoring: Standard
• Toss: Friendly XI won the toss and decided to bowl

Source: Eaton Bray Cricket Club