Beccles cricket focus

BECCLES A 165 lost to Bradenham A 260-7 by 95 runs in Alliance Division Five

Asked to bowl first in the hot conditions, Beccles A knew they were up against it facing a very experienced side.

Youngsters Fisher and Buck were given the new ball and Buck was put under immediate pressure when Gibb dispatched his second ball for a massive six. When faced with an onslaught in his second over he was removed from the carnage and Salaad Ruddock was asked to bring calm to the storm with the score at 39 after four overs.

This he did, and when Fisher removed Gibb for 29 in his fourth over and Taylor in his sixth the score had receded to 48-2 after 12 overs.

The massively experienced pairing of Moody and Denmark looked rusty early on but the Beccles attack of Aldridge, Riley, Buck and Hunter couldn't match the efforts of Ruddock at the other end in producing consistent line and length bowling. Too many times the batsmen were fed runs. They sent boundaries all around the outfield. The third wicket partnership yielded 145 runs and wasn't broken until the 33rd over.

This seemed to re-galvanize Beccles and for the next seven overs the bowling improved as a further four wickets fell, the highlight being a direct-hit run out from Hunter. As Beccles A wilted in the heat a few singles were given away as the home team had one final push then declared after 44 overs on 260-7.

The Beccles innings got off to its usual disastrous start when Puxley was bowled in the third over. Barber and Ruddock got the scoreboard moving but couldn't stay in, and when Clarke joined Thorpe in the middle the score was 48-3 after 13 overs.

The ex-Haddiscoe pairing batted well with Thorpe caressing the ball between the fielders and Clarke patiently waiting for one in his slot and then thumping it for either four or six. They took the score to 97 in the 24th over with the Bradenham players getting slightly concerned.

But when Thorpe was out for 22 and Young was cruelly run out for nought they reassumed control at 108-5.

Hunter supported Clarke in his one-man onslaught but was unable to score himself, and when Clarke was out for an entertaining 61 any hopes of victory disappeared. At this stage the score was 144-6 with 15 overs remaining, and on a good pitch and very attacking fielding positions in place Beccles should have been capable of attaining maximum batting points and possibly holding out for a draw.

They were unable to do either as the innings tamely gave way finishing with the farcical run out of Buck in the 43rd over for a total of 165 runs.

The bowlers must learn quickly how to bowl to a set field as well as reducing the number of wides delivered, in order to allow the batsmen to chase targets. Fielders must realise that every run conceded is crucial and batsmen must realise the importance of occupying the crease in the first half of the innings if they are to give themselves any chance of posting or chasing scores of 200 plus.

Bob Knights Family Butchers MoM: Andrew Clarke.

BECCLES B hosted North Elmham at Bungay and fell 74 runs short.

North Elmham elected to bat first. The first chance of a wicket fell to Matt Smith who dropped King off his own bowling with the third ball of the game. This proved to be costly as he hit early boundaries and quickly went on to make 51 with only 15 overs of the game gone.

The wickets then started to come for Beccles with good bowling from Dean Cable (3-29) and Alex Stevens (4-54). A final flurry of runs came from Kay with North Elmham finishing on 185 all out. This proved to be enough to win the match.

Early wickets fell with the unfortunate dismissal off in-form Alex Stevens for just five runs making the task difficult for Beccles. In the same over Cockings came and went only facing two deliveries.

Hoare gave Beccles a glimpse of hope. After a steady start to his innings he got the boundaries flowing but fell just one run short of 50. Without anyone else making a sizable contribution and with wickets falling, it left Beccles all out for just 111 runs, 74 runs short.

BECCLES B notched up their second win of the season, against Shipdham A.

Shipdham won the toss and put Beccles into bat - a decision they lived to regret after Beccles flew out of the starting blocks and never looked back.

Opening batsman B Patrick got Beccles off to a good start with a well-deserved 30 before he was stumped off Stubbs. D Cable and Beccles' other opener Alex Stevens made a partnership of over 110. Stevens batted superbly on his way to his 107, which included 13 fours. D Cable also contributed with a mature batting display of 49. Beccles batted all of their overs and made 222 for five.

Unfortunately for Shipdham, Stevens hadn't finished torturing them and bowled exceptionally well and took seven wickets for 16 runs from 4.3 overs. Alex Wright also bowled very well, as did Cable, bowling five overs, taking one wicket for only one run. An excellent display all round by Beccles.

Man of the match: Alex Stevens.

BECCLES entertained the touring Sandridge CC from Hertfordshire at Beef Meadow.

After inviting the tourists to bat on a green wicket the opening bowlers Vihm and Wright soon had the Sandridge openers playing and missing with White, in particular keen to play his shots early on. Consistant line and length caused the breakthroughs which bought recently acquired 'tourists' Flanagan and Watson (who normally ply their trade at Norwich CC) to the crease and they soon punished anything loose.

A moment of magic from Robert Porter broke the partnership with a caught and bowled which will be long discussed in the pavilion bar. Wickets were taken at regular intervals and the innings closed on 148-9 from the allotted 35 overs.

Porter and Vihm put together a partnership of 54 before Porter was caught behind. Wickets tumbled quickly with only Vihm managing to stay in, eventually stumped with the scores level for a very well made 84.

Beccles made very hard work of negotiating the final run, but were eventually fairly comfortable victors.

Kevin Hickman, after coming out of retirement after two years, was hit about the field by an octogenarian and was out first ball of his innings!

MoM: Daniel Vihm.