Match	Haverhill				v	Copford
Date:	1-Jul-06
Result	Haverhill won by 75 runs.
Innings Of	Haverhill							Innings Of	Copford
Winter	L B W				b.Catley	7		C.Smith snr	L B W				b.Dellar	30
Youngs	c.Rawson				b.Dinnes	85		Gray	c.Wallis				b.Sullivan	7
M.Wilkins	c. &				b.Grove	11		Merry	c.Hoque				b.Youngs	30
Dellar	c.Merry				b.Rawson	15		Curtis	c.Poole				b.Dellar	2
Godwin	c.Merry				b.Dinnes	16		Parker	L B W				b.Hoque	19
Poole	c.Catley				b.Dinnes	5		Soterion	c. &				b.Hoque	24
Wallis	Not Out					31		Rawson					b.Wilkins	4
Sullivan					b.Rawson	14		Seagrove	c.Wallis				b.Hoque	4
Woodley					b.Rawson	1		Dinnes					b.Hoque	2
Hoque	Not Out					1		Catley	c.Winter				b.Wilkins	1
Bowes								C.Smith jnr	Not Out					0
					Extras	19							Extras	7
					Total	205							Total	130
				For 8 wkt								for 6 wkts
Bowling	O	M	R	W				Bowling	O	M	R	W
C.Smith jnr	6	0	19	0				Sullivan	7	3	16	1
Catley	12	0	46	1				Woodley	5	1	45	0
Grove	8	3	32	1				Youngs	7	2	10	1
Rawson	8	0	49	3				Dellar	8	0	19	2
C.Smith snr	6	0	26	0				M.Wilkins	8	3	15	2
Dinnes	5	0	27	3				Hoque	6	1	18	4

With two middle order batsmen unavailable for the game Haverhill’s batting line-up was a little under strength.

The fall of the early wicket brought M Wilkins (11) to the crease who showed grit and determination in playing balls that often came through at varied height and pace. Unfortunately one ball was two paced and straight enough that caught Martyn lightly playing though his shot and scooped up an easy catch to bowler.

A Dellar (15) once again looked solid and played some well-hit ground shots with one exquisite on drive to the boundary which would have Richie Benaud phrase “superb shot” ring loud and clear. Adam unfortunately caught in two minds tickled a half chance to the keeper when he half shouldered arms and was caught behind.

D Godwin’s (15) flair brought a few cheers but was just a flash of his potential for a big score with Rob Sullivan (14) being the typical antipodean tail ender and trying to put a straight short delivery which didn’t bounce as expected into orbit only to bowled middle stump. Evidence of a lack of concentration when batting.

Two Haverhill batsmen held the session together Simon Youngs (85) and Neil Wallis (31 n.o) at each end of the batting order. Simon battled well on a difficult track that saw worm burners one ball and chin grazers the next. He despatched bowlers in the air and along the lawn with good timing. At times he battled the heat, the loss of wickets, and playing on a difficult track but he pulled through with flying colours. N Wallis arrived slightly higher in the batting order as usual and was instrumental in the “tail wag” due to his targeted well placed hits. N Wallis arrived at the crease when 200 may have been out of Haverhill’s reach, with the support from the other tail order batsmen and his experienced hat on, 200 was achieved.

Haverhill 8 for 205.

It was obviously going to be a day for the slower bowlers however Haverhill’s initial approach was to maintain the past winning formula with opening with quick bowlers. R Sullivan (7 overs – 1 for 16) bowled below par however got the occasional delivery to rise from the ashes of the wicket to the surprise of the opening batsmen. J Woodley bowled with pace however once again struggled with his length. Luck is not a friend of Joe Woodley at the moment. He had one batsmen edge twice through slips then attempt a pull shot to top edge it over slips. 3 balls in a row, at least one should have been a wicket but cost 12 runs. Welcome to fast bowling.

A slower paced attack needed to be introduced and S Youngs (7 overs 1 for 10) and A Dellar (8 overs –2 for 19) had the credentials and past success in upsetting the middle order. They did so again by applying pressure through accurate bowling. A Dellar was bowling very well when removed from the attack which seemed a strange move.

Nurul Hoque (6 overs – 4 for 18) was introduced to the attack whose sharp “no fuss” line and length was superb. When despatched back over his head his smart thinking to bowl a slower delivery next ball paid off with the batsmen skying his next stroke for an easy caught and bowled.

N Winters superb catch at third slip off Martyn Wilkins (8.3 overs 2 for 15) brought the innings to a close. Tight bowling from M Wilkins, S Youngs, A Dellar and N Hoque applied to much pressure for the opposition to respond.

Copford All Out for 130

Personal comments:

Today’s match was played in the true spirit of the game, with batsmen leaving the crease even though the umpire had not given them out. Very difficult decisions of caught behind can be missed by the best umpires in the world but when a batsmen knows that he has hit it and turns and walks to the boundary it’s a sight to be seen and admired.

Watching the football matches recently also prompted me to think how two sports, both originating in England, have become so vastly different in terms of the conduct of the professional players, their wages and the trouble that seems to follow football supporters around the world.

What I find mid boggling is the way these sporting professionals conduct themselves while under the global media microscope. Are these players not aware that technology today can trace the depth of a crater on the moon ? Football stadiums have countless cameras and zoom lenses and computer assisted technologies to probe every inch of the field. Yet, when a footballer comes within 20 metres of the goal (obviously where the earths gravitational pull is at it’s strongest) they tend to go wobbly at the knees and lose the ability to remain on their feet. They trip over thin air and fall rolling over, and over and over and over.

Try facing an angry, steamed up Harmison with the new ball at 90mph with a shield of plastic between your legs and the future prospect of having children in the back of your mind. Talk about wobbly knees.

I am of course bias.

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