GREGSON CC .v. MASTERS ASSOCIATES
(at Bare CC)
Sunday 11th April 2004
40 over match with bowling restriction
Weather: Fair and quite warm Result: Gregson won by 27 runs
(to be formatted asap)
The first game of the season saw the Gregson meeting the Masters XI
on the plastic pitch at Bare. The corresponding Sunday last year saw
a record breaking 27 degrees C. This first game of the season was played
in damp (underfoot) but fair conditions.
Captain McAllister won the toss for the Gregson and chose to bat. Conditions
proved surprisingly difficult for batting, the pitch was fast but exhibited
variable bounce. The outfield was slow. The opening bowlers were quick
and forced many false shots. The Gregson were soon struggling at 30
for 4. Bray(22) and McAllister(32*) came together and it was clear that
they intended to block and push their way out of trouble. Accumulating
runs at just one or two an over, they gave the Gregson something to
bowl at. Bray perished before the break but Richard and Laurie Dow hit
out in the last few overs to drag the Gregson to 105 for 7.
Tea was a Jacobs Join dominated by shop bought cake and vegetable products.
The Gregson were somewhat downcast but the Masters XI were not convinced
they had the match in the bag.
With a relatively weak bowling attack, "veteran wicket keeper" Sparks
took the new ball with young Alex Dow. Sparks bowled with flight and
guile taking a career best 4 for 21. He accounted for the first 3 wickets
(Siraz, Safiq and Faiz). The Master then wrested the initiative back
through a brutal onslaught from Sid Patel (43) . Sid(diq) hit the Gregson
to all parts of the ground and brought the Masters to within sight of
victory. He was the only Masters player to reach double figures.
Callum Paylor was brought on and Sid holed out to McAllister in the
deep. Not his last important wicket this season. Alex Dow was brought
back for his second spell. Laurie Dow was introduced. Alex continued
to bowl well, ripping out the Master's late order. Laurie was wild to
the point of violence (not bad for a bowler yet to attain 5'4 !) bowling
his two victims.
The Gregson bowled out Masters for just 78, winning a low scoring match
by the impressive margin of 27 runs.
Gregson
J Barry ct b Faiz 11
M Sparks ct b Zaid 6
D Barfoot b Faiz 0
E Bayton ct b Mushtaq 3
N Cookson ct b Zahid 2
T Bray b Siddiqe 22
P McAllister not out 32
R Dow run out 7
L Dow not out 6
C Paylor d.n.b
A Dow d.n.b
extras 16
40 overs (for 7 wickets) 105
Faiz 5o 1m 11r 2w
Zaid 5o 1m 10r 1w
Mushtaq 5o 1m 9r 1w
Zahid 5o 1m 11r 1w
Anis 5o 1m 6r 0w
Ayub 5o 1m 9r 0w
Siraz 5o 0m 23r 0w
Siddiqe 5o 0m 22r 1w
Masters Associates
Siraz ct McAllister b Sparks 1
Safiq ct Bayton b Sparks 0
Faiz ct Bray b Sparks 8
Sidu ct McAllister b C Paylor 43
Zaid ct Barry b Sparks 7
Mushtaq b L Dow 1
Moshi b A Dow 0
Zahid lbw b A Dow 0
Ayub b L Dow 1
Siddiqe ct McAllister b A Dow 7
Anis not out 2
extras 8
23.4 overs (all out) 78
A Dow 6.4o 0m 30r 3w
M Sparks 8o 1m 21r 4w
C Paylor 5o 2m 18r 1w
L Dow 4o 3m 2r 2w