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Quantock Stags lost to Doctors by 5 runs Doctors 133
for 6
Stags 128
for 9
Doctors’ captain Peter Reed won the toss for the 7th successive time and for the 7th successive time chose to bat. The decision had mixed results as Phil Barker battered a belligerent 19 before attempting a pull shot to a ball from Dave Wilsdon which kept low and pinned him lbw on the back foot. Wilsdon (1-15) and Bruce Richardson (2-19) made good use of the bouncy Holford pitch and overcast conditions that allowed lavish swing and with three good catches by keeper Paul Charles the visitors were pegged back at 31 for 3. The Doctors batting had been unusually frenetic until the Cannington Surgery partnership of John Ogle and Charles Macadam produced a fine half century stand. Thoroughbred cover drives were the feature of Ogle’s innings of 36 which ended when he got a thin edge to the deserving Steve Dickens. Simon Scarborough (1-28) and Dickens (2-18) bowled tightly and swung the balance back in Stags’ favour but Macadam (29 n.o.) played the potentially match winning innings which kept he scoreboard moving and allowed Steve Witts (28 n.o. off 9 balls) to come in and smash the ball to all parts. The start of Stags’ innings was no less exciting as Gordon Elkins and Simon Foyle took 10 off the first over and cantered along with consummate ease in a stand of 60 for the first wicket. Doctors’ bowling and fielding had initially lacked its customary sharpness but John Down (1-29) made the first incision by bowling Foyle for an excellent 25 and Mike Sullivan (1-14) applied the brakes as he settled into his habitual rhythm and yielded only 3 runs from his last 3 overs. Elkins spirited innings of 35 ended with a soft run out when he took on Harry Lee at cover who had time to underarm the ball on to the stumps, which left Stags’ main hopes resting on the broad shoulders of Dickens. He played a selection of beautiful pulls and extra cover drives and at 117 for 3 with 16 balls left the home side were clear favourites. The defining moment came when Dickens (35) pulled Lee straight into the hands of Down on the deep midwicket boundary. By now the bowlers and fielders were hampered by steady rain but the ball was still moving in the air and the light was deteriorating. 14 runs were required from the last 2 overs but ice cool bowling from Reed (2-24) and Lee (4-19) saw a clatter of wickets and one final swing of the pendulum in favour of the visitors. |
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