Longparish Cricket Club

Saturday, 12th July 2008 - 2:00 pm

Steeple Langford: 150 All Out

Longparish 2nd XI: 151 for 3

Match Report

Longparish II travelled to Steeple Langford in search of their first win of the season. With many games called off due to heavy rain in the preceding week, Highflying Steeple Langford keen to play, and take, what they would have assumed to be maximum points against bottom of the table Longparish II. 

On a green damp track Longparish II won the toss and invited Steeple Langford to bat. Under 13 Brad Aldridge opening the bowling along with Matt Paice, Paice taking the first wicket to fall, when in-form Steeple Langford opener A Bennet was caught behind, the Longparish keeper attempting to catch the ball in his mouth before falling to the floor to catch the ball in his gloves. The square leg umpire Grandad Bennet confirming that the catch was clean and asking his son to make his way to the exit.  And so the day went on Longparish regularly picking up wickets as Steeple Langford found batting hard going, reaching 40 after twenty overs. Adam Seidman eschewed his much improved round arm tweakers to charge in off his long run and take 4 for 23 with some hostile left arm pace bowling. Nick Dawney after an initial loosener in which he ended up sliding down the wicket on his stomach, arms akimbo, backed him up with an equally aggressive spell from the opposite end to take 2 for 31. The two Matts, Jackman and Paice were meanness personified with some miserly bowling.  Jackman taking 1 for 12 from 6 overs Paice 2 for 23 from 8.  Another generation of Bennet, colt T Bennet added a valuable 23 from 16 balls before Steeple Langford were dismissed for 150 with an over remaining. 

With batting conditions improving throughout the day, Longparish began their reply well, John Young the first wicket to fall for 38, an over short of the mid innings mark with the score on 68.  Adam Lister batted on with supreme patience as Martin Bearpark and Matt Jackman fell to the accurate bowling of A Bennet, the frustrated captain was then forced to call upon the services of Gordon Bennet as some big hitting by Justin Jackman saw his side to victory by seven wickets with five overs to spare.  Jackman’s 37 including two huge sixes that brought new meaning to the call for more sheltered housing schemes, the ball flying off the roof tiles of the houses that were directly in Jackman’s firing line.