Martham v Drayton 'A' 4th July 2009
Drayton 'A' 187-9 Martham 188-5 The Martham jinx struck again. This was a match which was there for the taking, but which drifted away from Drayton A, before eventually building into a closer contest
Martham were without a couple of their stronger players; Drayton were a couple of bowlers light, too, and Nigel Massingham arrived at the ground with his hand strapped, having dislocated his thumb on Friday. In the event, he batted well, putting on 31 for the first wicket with Mike Sutton, facing two young Martham pace bowlers, who got plenty of bounce on a fast wicket, which also seamed from the start.
When Sutton left to a good catch at deep point, Richard Taylor and Massingham (28) dug in and proceeded to 70 by the twentieth over. Skipper Graham Crowe (13) played himself in, then hit Spencer for two glorious boundaries before being bowled. New man Nash Panday (18), returning to cricket after several years premature retirement, looked promising.
Taylor, having played an unusually patient innings, reached the 39th over and decided to hit out and was promptly bowled for 59. Neil Chamberlain (13 not out) took control in the final three overs, hitting an enormous straight(ish) six, to ensure that Drayton A reached a respectable 187 (just a bit more than the magic four per over).
New Martham skipper Matt Beckett opened with Randell. It was vital for Drayton to dismiss these two and make inroads into some of the less experienced Martham batting. Matt Beckett had other ideas: anything short was cut or pulled. Off spinner, James Pepper, opening the bowling, bowled well, but any slightly loose balls found the middle of the bat. Martham had 100 on the board by the 19th over, and Drayton�s fielding started to look lethargic.
Beckett had raced to 76, without giving a chance, when Pepper bowled the off-spinner�s dream ball, luring the batsman down the wicket and turning the ball to bowl him on the inside. Pepper�s figures of 12-4-38-1 scarcely do him justice. Jamie Scarff returned to ball uphill and instantly bowled Randell in the first over of this second spell. Drayton�s fielders looked suddenly more alert. Fraser Dobson, in particular, was watchful and brave on the bumpy outfield throughout the innings.
Perhaps it was desperation or perhaps Crowe had watched Pepper and decided that slow was the way to go. He threw the ball to Taylor, who, after a couple of rather arthritic-looking overs, loosened and bowled fairly accurately, removing the next three batsmen (including the dangerous Spencer) in a spell of 9.5-2-26-3, thanks to good catches from Ryan Pointer and Crowe and a smart stumping by Neil Chamberlain.
Fortunately for Martham, they still had teenager Sayer, who played with patience and maturity for 41 not out and saw Martham home with 19 balls to spare.