Bickley Park CC – 3rd XI vs Catford and Cyphers CC – 3rd XI

Report

Bickley slide to second straight loss after a brilliant batting display at Warren.

Offering further evidence that this league is wide open and gaps in class been associated so far, Catford and Cyphers skipper won the toss and opted to bat on a warm overcast day. Bickley without much of its regular bowlers marred by selection issues again assembled to state their intentions to put their foot down and play the same level of professional cricket we had aspired to all season and to bowl in partnership to fill the gap with returning bowlers Chris Jacob and Zoe Hainsworth opening the bowling attack. Chris Jacob got his early breakthrough bowling opener B.Panayi for a duck putting the pressure on the opposition with two quick wickets later, however their middle order managed to resist the attack and managed to take advantage of the extras given by Bickley and along with some good stroke play managed to reach 125/4 in 20 overs. Bickley with fewer bowlers to opt for struggled to stop the flow of runs and Catford and Cyphers managed to put up a strong total of 237/9 in 40 overs of which 47 runs came from extras.

Bickley went out to chase a big total of 237 with openers Sahil Chug and Mark Hardy, though Mark was unfortunate to get out in the similar fashion as last week getting caught at silly mid-off. Sahil Chug with Chris Jacob managed to put a valuable partnership to steady the start losing Chris at 40/2 in the 9th over. Bickley’s pursuit needed to maintain the run rate and not to lose wicket at the same time and in form Samit Sundaresan along with Sahil Bhagat gave the boost needed to take to partnership of 100 runs between them but unfortunately Sahil was out edged to the keeper at 49 runs and Bickley were 3 down at 120. Samit kept on going with his ruthless batting attack creating a nuisance for the opposition bowlers most to mention where he smashed N.Zardan for 24 runs in the 22nd over of the match. Maxy Reynolds contributed a valuable 22 with Samit to take Bickley to 182/5 where he missed a straight bowl to be lbw by S.Gold. Victory was on sight but Samit unfortunately got out to Barnard straight after leaving Bickley at 186/6 with a brilliant knock of 72 by far the best batting innings this season. Needing 54 of 48 balls Finn and Amish got out rapidly leaving home team at 191/8. Sunny batting down the order due to injury issues along with Matt, both gave hope to glory taking to 214 in 36 overs where skipper fell victim to S. Gold by a catch at the boundary by D.Garrow with needing 24 of 24 balls Zoe was the last wicket to fall leaving Bickley 21 runs short of victory.

All in all it was a great match with a fantastic batting display with a mix of young and experienced squad. However lessons need to be learned in terms of bowling where team will be determined looking to improve for a win against Bexleyheath next weekend.