Chalke Valley

Max Bird

With water under foot on the outfield, and puddles on the roads, the match against Chalke Valley could have easily been called off. However, the fantastic facilities at Butts Field include an artificial pitch, and the game was played under sunshine and blue sky, even if it was a bit slippery for both bowlers and fielders.

At 2:30 the game began, with ex-Coombe player Dingle Mercer opening the batting with Valley captain D.Brown. They began with an opening stand of 17, but James Wallis struck in the 7^th over, bowling Brown for just 9. M.Harris joined Mercer in the middle, and both looked set for a long innings.The former Coombe man played predominantly leg side shots on his way to 28. Ellis dismissed him with Mark Leckie’s calm catch at mid on. But he had made his mark on the match, frustrating the away side’s bowlers. Holland then went out to the middle and continued Mercer’s form by supporting Harris: the two batsmen taking quick singles, ticking the scoreboard over. Max Bird came on to bowl four accurate overs, taking Holland’s wicket in the process, dismissing him with a well flighted off cutter. M.Cuff came in and added 11 before falling to Matty Mould, Neil Smith taking the catch at slip. No more wickets fell, the home finishing on 187. M.Harris scoring a fine, un-beaten 74.

At the break Coombe Bissett would have felt that the target was achievable, but the Valley’s opening bowling pair of Frampton and Kwiatkowski didn’t allow the openers, Shaw and captain Vaughan to get going. Shaw was the first to go, bowled by the slow, loopy bowling of the cunning Cuff. Johnson was then out LBW by Kwiatkowski, although the decision was a poor one. Vaughan then had a rush of blood, coming down the wicket to hit the ball, but missing and getting stumped. With Ant Jeffery and Matty Mould at the crease the match was still on but A.J took a big swing at a straight ball, unfortunately getting bowled. James Wallis and Matty Mould put on a sensible and controlled stand of 42 before Wallis was dismissed for 10. N.D.Smith walked out at number 7 and played some nice shots. He was looking set before making Coombe Bissett history. He became the first ever Coombe player to be dismissed by a girl, a title, we assume, he is very proud of. Leckie went out to bat and was unbeaten on 4 by the end of the innings, Matty Mould the pick of the batsmen hitting 34. Extras also played a part during the game contributing 40 runs to top score in Coombe Bissett’s total, and 27 to the Chalke Valley innings.

Chalke Valley Coombe Bissett

A.I.Mercer ct Leckie b Ellis 28 D.R.Shaw b Cuff 5

D.Brown b Wallis 9 G.E.Vaughan st Holland b Cuff 12

M.Harris not out 74 C.R.Johnson lbw b K’owski 0

J.Holland b Bird 27 A.C.Jeffery b K’owski 2

M.Cuff ct Smith b Mould 11 M.J.Mould not out 34

P.Hill not out 11 J.Wallis b Brown 10

J.Frampton N.D.Smith ct Harris b Crosse 7

C.Topp M.J.P.Leckie not out 4

A.Kwiatkowski F.J.P.Ellis

C.Crosse M.D.D.Bird

E.Cuff N.P.Bird

Extras 27 Extras 40

Total 187 Total 114

For 4 For 6

Jeffery 5-1-11-0 Wallis 7-0-28-1 Leckie 5-0-26-0 Frampton 4-0-14-0 Kwiatkowski 6-2-10-2

Johnson 6-0-32-0 Ellis 4-0-24-1 Bird 4-0-26-1 M.Cuff 4-2-4-2 Crosse 7-0-23-1 Topp 4-2-4-0

Mould 4-0-31-1 Brown 4-1-15-1 E.Cuff 3-1-15-0 Holland 3-0-10-0