Cricket: Skipper carries Bray to win

Posted on August 7, 2011

A fine all round performance from skipper Andy Norris saw Bray 1sts defeat Studham with just 11 balls to go to keep their faint title hopes alive.

Batting first on a wicket with good bounce and carry the Bray were on the back foot very quickly as some excellent slip catches and a smart stumping saw the Bray slump to 24-4. Partnerships between Norris and Hearn (10), Jacobs (23) and Pearson (15) saw the score to 138-8 when Norris (55) was finally out. Some late hitting from Ellerton (17) dragged the total to 161 which with a fast outfield looked rather light.

Much like the last week however, a low total offered a tempting target for the opposition and Studham went aggresively about chasing it down, finding themselves 25-5 before R Thorne (29) and I Bostock (38) set about repairing the damage. At one point with the pair going well it looked like the win may have been back on, but the introduction of Peacocks' spin saw Thorne tempted into one big hit too many and a fine catch by Flecknell on the boundary saw the last defense breached. This let in Norris who had Bostock lbw and finished with 5-12.

With 4 games to go the Bray sit 3rd, some 76points behind first spot, but with the leaders facing three tricky games (against us and the teams sitting 2nd and 4th) there is still an outside chance of snatching the title...

Scorecard

• Result: Eaton Bray CC - 1st XI Won Batting First by 40 runs
• Date: Sat 6th Aug 2011
• Start Time: 13:30
• Ground: Studham Playing Fields
• Type: League : Four Counties Cricket League - Division 1
• Scoring: Standard
• Toss: Studham CC - 1st XI won the toss and decided to bowl
• Highlights: A.Norris 55, C.Thorne 5-20; I.Bostock 38, A.Norris 5-12

Source: Eaton Bray Cricket Club