Drayton v Aldborough 4th July 2009

Drayton 204-5 Aldborough 205-7

This was a game in which Drayton had a tantalising glimpse of victory only to have it snatched away from them - as much by the benign nature of the Drayton pitch as due to any major failings on their part.

Drayton won the toss and elected to bat, and openers Andy Hawes and Philip Wright found it tough to score early on against Aldborough's pacemen Paul Reeve and Michael Board who both bowled tight lines. The introduction of the change bowlers into the attack prompted a flurry of boundaries, however Jimmy Nichols lured Hawes into a loose drive with his slower ball - Hawes caught for 27 with the score on 59. Howard Davies, promoted to number 3, fell shortly afterwards - gloving a beast of a delivery from Kevin Bacon.

With Bacon his usual tidy self with the ball, Wright and James Reeve were forced to deal primarily in singles as accumulation being the order of the day. Their partnership had reached 68 when Reeve was bowled for 20 by the returning Board. Michael Mario-Ghae was promoted up the order to inject some impetus, and with Wright opening up at the other end they registered a rapid 50 partnership. Wright reached his century with straight six off Board, whilst Mario-Ghae hoisted a huge six over square leg off the same bowler. Drayton's final total of 204-5 was respectable but perhaps 20 below par on a placid pitch.

Drayton knew they had to make incisions with the new ball in order to stand a chance and that was exactly what they did. Ged Cooper was bowled by the first legitimate ball of the innings, and Troy Allan was smartly caught at slip by Gary Smith for 1. Kevin Bacon followed in Mario-Ghae's 4th over, whilst Robert Reeve added the wicket of Plumb caught by Hawes to leave Aldborough 21-4. Thereafter the experienced head of Paul Reeve, added to the equally experienced Tony Fell, Jimmy Nichols and Ashley Barnard were able to dominate - once again proving that once the hardness is lost from the ball at Drayton, batsmen have to be dug out or forced into mistakes.

Drayton's opening bowlers returned to take three further scalps - Mario-Ghae ending with 4-37 and Reeve with 3-44, but Paul Reeve sensibly anchored the Aldborough innings ending with 88 not out as the visitors won with 2 overs to spare.