Eltham CC

Match Report

Match report Eltham CC Vs Natwest CC

ECB INVESTIGATING ALLEGED AUSTRALIAN FORWARD DEFENSIVE SHOCK

On a fine day in sunny (wonder how many times I'll be able to say that this season!) Beckenham, Eltham arrived at the Fitness Exchange with only 10 players. However, out of the sunlight came another Mr Bulpitt - Matt's brother Tom had been coerced into helping us out! So, we had 11 players to start the game. Matt went out to do the toss and despite the players encouraging him to call either heads or tails instead of "sides" Matt decided to stick to his guns and promptly lost, with Eltham being sent out first to field.

Opening bowlers Page and Swain started excellently with some quick and aggressive bowling. Page took the opening wicket, helped out by some tight bowling from Swain and Mir who took 2 wickets. The opposition started to push along well, so the changes were then rolled out with Fisher coming in to bowl, taking one wicket. He was joined by Wells and a late 2 wicket cameo from Bulpitt (he doesn't win the toss but he can bowl!!) Then came the declaration on 170 which was a strange one as the oppo had nobody padded up to bat so the captain declared (I can imagine much to the annoyance of his colleague who was on 49!)

Then came Eltham's innings. The openers strolled confidently onto the field and that confidence seemed to be well founded as Mir and Fisher made a very good start, the first wicket not falling until 44 runs had been made and the second at 105. Then came Bulpitt who batted excellently and seemed in very good touch until he was bowled (being very annoyed to find he was on 48!) Then along came Collins and Swain who dealt excellently with everything the bowlers threw at them including the quickest bowler who switched half way through to spin bowling! (b>(Nothing wrong with that - Ed)

Then came the biggest shock of my fledgling career as a reporter. Swain allegedly played a good (although that's under debate!) forward defensive stroke which, as was pointed out earlier, is under investigation by the ECB since itwas only seen by a handful of players and the rest of the team did not believe it had happened! Collins and Swain then made the winning runs shortly after a nasty incident where 2 of the oppositions players both dived for a ball and clashed heads. In stepped Fisher after batting bowling and fielding to field for the oppo! (He did a great job especially as he was given the task of fielding at mid wicket!!) All in all a great victory for Eltham who for the majority of the game had only 10 men. (although big thanks to Matt's brother Tom for filling in the field).

Reporting: Andy Wells-Gaston