Pacific were blown away by a devastating spell from Strongroom
skipper, Simon Ray, collapsing from 52 for 0 to 56 for 8. Despite a
defiant stand by Nigel Wilkinson and James 'Mr' Smith, the 103 target
always looked hard to defend. With plenty of time in hand, Strongroom
finished comfortable winners. D Proctor finishing the game with two
lusty blows back past the bowler for a deserved 5 wicket win.
Pacific 103 All Out (T Vanderpump 30, J Smith 18, S Ray 5-6, D Gower 3-15)
Strongroom 106 for 5 (J Morris 19, B Shearer 18, N Wilkinson 2-15, S Rees 2-25)
With 7 players at the start, Pacific skipper Rob Bastin took the
unsurprising decision to bat first on a Highgate Woods wicket with
a bit of give.
His decision looked a good one as openers Shayne Rees and Tim
Vanderpump were comfortable early on, with Strongroom's bowlers
struggling to find their line. However Rees (12) got one that stayed
low from J Gower (5 ovrs, 1 mdn, 3 for 15) with the score on 52. The
fall saw both skippers join the fray, with Simon Ray coming out the
winner trapping Bastin (1) leg before with a ball staying low and
cutting sharply in.
Dan Bird (0) followed 2 balls later bowled and Pacific veteran Jim
Davies (0) completed the perfect over for Ray (5o,1m,5 for 6), clean
bowled second ball by one that again stayed low. The variable bounce
resulting from Ray's extra pace produced two more quick wickets in the
next over, with Steve Emmins (2) and Allan Roberts (0) both
bowled. The final nail in the Pacific collapse (52 for 0 to 56 for 8)
was provided by Gower, with Tim Vanderpump chipping one to Mid-wicket
for a punchy 30, before Matt Patel was trapped plumb in front for
nought.
With the mantra 'get forward' pulsing through their heads, Nigel
Wilkinson (9) and James Smith (18) eased Pacific closer to the
respectability of three figures, before Wilkinson fell to the tall
Aussie Brett Shearer (3o,0m, 1 for 6). Smith pushed on with Strongroom
stand-in Jolyon (5), to reach the 100 before falling to a straight one
from Proctor (4.2o,0m, 1 for 9), Pacific all out for 103 off 37.2
overs.
The overcast conditions which accompanied the Pacific collapse were
replaced by a gentle sunny day for the Strongroom reply, and the two
Aussie openers Shearer (18) and Englefield (8) made the most with some
strong driving. Englefield departed after a solid start, slashing a
wide full toss from Rees (6o,0m, 2 for 25) to the waiting hands of
Wilkinson at point.
Both Pacific openers bowled a tidy line, but couldn't find the
breakthroughs needed for victory, as Gower (18) joined Shearer in the
run chase. Shearer was trapped in front by Rees, but the runs
continued to flow, with Morris (19) and Wilson (16) both
contributing. Pacific's change bowlers, Davies (5o,2m, 1 for 14) and
Wilkinson (3o,0m, 2 for 15), both chipped in with useful spells, but
the runs kept coming. It was left to Proctor (14*) to score the
winning runs with two boundaries back past the bowlers head with only
22.3 overs completed - a well deserved win for Strongroom, played in
excellent spirits.
MOM - Tim Vanderpump a patient 30, while all around were losing theirs.
Packing the Kit - The whole middle order, collapsing from 52 for 0 to 56 for 8.
XI:- Rob Bastin*, Steve Emmins+, Jim Davies, Nigel Wilkinson, Matt Patel, Shayne Rees, Allan Roberts, James Smith, Dan Bird, Tim Vanderpump & Jolyon
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