31/07/2010 - Holmbury St. Mary (a)

Holmbury St Mary  204-9            Newdigate   215-9

In form Newdigate travelled to bottom of the table Holmbury St Mary hoping to extend their three match winning run.  However, the home team were to have different ideas.

Choosing to bat first, Newdigate lost captain Richard Callcut early, but Matt Clarke and Dan Jones knuckled down in testing conditions.  With the pitch offering inconsistent bounce, the Holmbury openers, James Crawford and John Mayer, bowled an immaculate length, and after 20 overs, the visitors were creeping along at 52-1.

With the introduction of the change bowlers, the pair kicked on, and both made well deserved 50s.  With the score on 121 from 30 overs, the platform was set for a big total, but the pursuit of quick runs lead to regular wickets with only Ruky Wickremasinghe (29) making an impact.  The returning Crawford took 5 wickets in his first 3 overs back, to finish with 5-36 from his 15 overs allocation, and Newdigate had got themselves into trouble at 166-9.  It needed a defiant last wicket partnership of 49 from Tim Pople (38 not out) and Ben Crook (10 not out) to push the visitors up to 215-9 from 48 overs

In reply, Holmbury started well with the openers putting on 41 before the introduction of Crook removed Russell for 18.  Unfortunately, the bowler injured himself in doing so, and Crawford and Birdseye progressed quickly.  Unable to stem the flow of runs, captain Callcut turned to his occasional medium pace, and immediately yorked Crawford for a well made 62.  From this point on, wickets fell regularly, but the score kept ticking along with Birdseye chancing his luck to make 81 before being bowled by the resurgent Crook.  Until this point, the home side looked to be heading for a much needed win, but Newdigate now applied the brakes, and with Callcut snaring the 9^th wicket in the last over, a win for the visitors became possible.  However, the last pair successfully negotiated the final 4 balls, and secured the draw.

The result doesn't help either side, with Newdigate losing ground on leaders Westcott, and Holmbury still rooted to the bottom of the table.