Plywood Club takes victory in annual cricket
30 September 2013The Plywood Club of London were victors in this year’s cricket match against the Hardwood Club of London. The game was held in searing heat at Matching Green in Essex.
Miles Kember, captain of the Plywood team, won the toss and, sensing some dampness in the wicket, swiftly elected to bowl.
The decison seemed a good one when Andy Banks was caught behind early on. Then a partnership of 110 off the next 12 overs between Guy Goodwin (43) and Charlie Bass (51) seemed to be taking the game away. But with Bass caught at cover and Goodwin bowled soon after the drinks break, there followed a flurry of wickets which put the Plywood team firmly in the box seat going into the lunch break.
Lunch seemed to affect the Plywood bowling attack and an excellent late stand between Andrew Barton (55 NO) and Tony Cardew (35) took the Hardwood team to 251. Ollie Kember (2-27), James White (2-46) and James Davenport (3-27) did the majority of the damage with the ball.
With a very respectable total on the board the Hardwood team took the field full of confidence and, despite some brutal shots from Ben Britain (36), wickets fell at regular intervals with Richard Carter (2-41) and Charlie Bass (3-23) starring with the ball.
Unfortunately the run rate was always well under control and Goodwin's tinkering of the Hardwood bowling attack proved disastrous. Umpire Ian Milne was particularly harsh on his wides and the extras total remarkably finished as top scorer for the Plywood team. A couple of 12/13 ball overs did not help the cause.
Fantastic knocks from Colin Tetley (47) and Ollie Kember (28) took the Plywood team to within touching distance and a partnership between Miles Kember (28 NO) and James Davenport (32 NO) saw them home with a total of 254 for 7.
Man of the Match was James Davenport for his runs and wickets.
The Plywood team comprised Miles Kember, Oliver Kember, Sam Greenwood, Ben Britain, Richard Denton, Richard Needham, Darren Dack, Colin Tetley, James White, Naomal Wijisooriya, and James Davenport.
The Hardwood team was Guy Goodwin, Andrew Banks, Oliver Banks, Charlie Bass, Richard Carter, Matt Godwin, Martin Harrison, Tony Cardew, James Hopper, Sting Sumner, and Andrew Barton.
