Stragglers of Asia vs Broadhalfpenny Brigands – Sunday 4 August 2019, Broadhalfpenny Down

Result: Match drawn

Team batting first: Stragglers of Asia 

Team batting second: Broadhalfpenny Brigands

Report:

Stragglers, guests, family and many supporters made the annual pilgrimage to one of the homes of cricket for the fixture against Broadhalfpenny Brigands.  On arrival as ever there was a most welcome and energising picnic lunch laid on very generously by erstwhile match manager Mike Halliwell.

Stragglers won the toss and elected to bat, the brothers Russell opening the innings to the delight of their family and friends.  They got Stragglers off to a decent start, the Brigands opening bowlers as usual bowling their nagging line and length on the typically slow, low Broadhalfpenny track.  Will Russell holed out for 26 but that brought in Tim Harris to join Tom Russell, and there followed a super partnership of 114 between these two newly-elected members, at a scoring rate of nearly 7 an over.  This stand put Stragglers in a strong position, likely able to make a positive declaration.  Harris went for 62 from 64 balls, with 9 fours, and then as Russell approached his century, Cavanagh, Phil McDuell and Jonny McDuell all went cheaply.  Russell got to his hundred in 124 balls – his second fifty coming in 34 balls – with 11 fours, and promptly Cavanagh declared at 211 for 5 from 40 overs.

Brigands started slowly against good opening bowling from Parker and Parkyn, both achieving some lateral movement although of course there was not much in the pitch for the bowlers.  It took a change to Lerwill’s slow-medium to bring a wicket, comfortably caught by Harris, but then the Brigands No. 2 and 3 batsmen put on 79 for the second wicket at better than 5 an over, bringing the game within reach of the Brigands, as they became more comfortable and expansive against the Stragglers’ change bowlers.  With Jonny McDuell already on and bowling well from the pavilion end, Cavanagh brought back Parker from the top end, thinking that Parker, Parkyn and McDuell between them were most likely to take wickets and restrict the Brigands’ scoring rate.  Indeed Parker bowled Northwood with a beauty and not long after bamboozled Henderson with a perfect slower ball; from the other end McDuell was in excellent rhythm, taking 3 Brigands wickets (3 for 36 off a straight 15 overs in the end) – he might have taken more – as Brigands lost 5 wickets for 21 runs in the space of 7 overs.  The nature of the game had changed swiftly, from the Brigands top order accelerating confidently, to Stragglers striving to take the last 4 Brigands wickets in the last handful of overs.  Alas it was not to be – but in the end an honourable draw.

Another excellent day at Broadhalfpenny Down – Jonny McDuell’s fine long spell and Tom Russell’s maiden century being particularly memorable.