Clive & Joey Steer Sunday Friendly Team to Victory
Great Melton Sunday A Team beat Thetford Saxons by 6 wickets at Shadwell in the Norfolk Friendly Alliance
The Sunday friendly team debuted at Shadwell without skipper Kevin Frazer who was unwell. Simon Carding captained in a match played to an ‘old' style timed format – a two-and-a-half hours' first innings with 20 overs from 6pm for the second innings.
Having won the toss Thetford were invited to bat and started steadily against an accurate opening spell from Stuart Wilson (6-2-5-0) and Ryan Howard (4-0-12-0). M Fowler then accelarated pulling anything short through the leg side. However, Rob Smith persuaded him to pull over the top of a straight one to end his innings. P Merryweather struck a couple of boundaries before being the victim of a sharp stumping by Joe Greenslade off the skipper's bowling. Ben Carding and Joe then combined to take advantage of a fatal hesitation to run out J Lawrence.
Peter Frazer joined the attack and got some turn inducing Thetford skipper K Greyson to drive to short mid-on where Clive Gristwood took the catch rather than face a dental bill. As the home side tried to get some momentum, Peter bowled J Lang. Sam Carding bowled an accurate finishing spell picking up the wickets of M Allison and R Millar. Young Thetford batsman T Caley batted for the full innings of 43 overs for a patient 35 but a competent bowling and fielding performance had restricted Thetford to 131-8.
The Melton reply stuttered early on with a poor run out of Rob Smith, however the extras tally was keeping the run rate required down. Ben Carding, George Frazer and Ryan Howard were all bowled as the match was in the balance at 42-4. Joe Greenslade then joined Clive Gristwood and, after a patient start, the partnership grew. With the grass quite long and only 5 boundaries throughout the Melton innings, many quick singles and 2's kept the scoreboard ticking over. With victory assured Joe and Clive retired after an excellent partnership of 84, Joe scoring 30 and Clive 31.
The game was played in an excellent spirit and offered a good opportunity to bring on junior players into senior cricket and allow established players to find form.
Thetford Saxons
M Fowler b. R Smith 43, T Caley Not Out 35, P Merryweather st. Greenslade b. Simon Carding 13, J Lawrence Run Out (Ben Carding) 7, K Greyson ct. Gristwood b. P Frazer 0, J Lang b. P Frazer 4, M Allison b. Sam Carding 2, R Millar ct. B Carding b. Sam Carding 2. C Wilson b. S Wilson 1. Total (W 17,Nb 3,b 4) 131-8 (S Wilson 8-3-9-1, R Howard 4-0-12-0), M Mawby 3-0-24-0, R Smith 7-3-17-1, B Carding 3-0-9 -0, Si Carding 5-1-14-1, P Frazer 7-0-34-2, Sam Carding 6-4-5-2)
Great Melton
R Smith Run Out 2, B Carding b. Kerling 7, R Howard b. Wilson 8, G Frazer b. Wlson 0, C Gristwood Rtd 31, J Greenslade Rtd 30, S Wilson Not Out 1, S Carding Not Out 0, Total (W 27, Nb 2, b 20, lb 4) 132-4 (D Kerling 5-0-10-1, E Allison 4-1-10-0, C Wilson 5.5 1-9-2, M Allison 5-1-19-0, J Lang 4-0-12-0, K Greyson 5-0-18-0, P Merryweather 1-0-7-0, T Caley 2-0-23-0)
Clive Gristwood
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