Eltham CC

Match Report

Match report Eltham CC Vs Footscray CC

Having returned from a successful and sunny tour down south, it was back to the regular fixtures, with the picturesque Hall Place providing the backdrop for the first of two games against Footscray CC.

The home side batted first, and with Tanveer taking a wrong turning inside the Blackwall Tunnel Eltham started with just ten on the field. In Tanveer's absence Richard Page and skipper Peter Swain opened the bowling, and after a shaky start in which wicket keeper Andy Redman was kept busy, their pace and swing proved too much for the top order. Swain picked up the first, with a vicious inswinger sending the off stump cartwheeling, and Page quickly joined the party tempting an edge behind with his swing. Swain kept the pressure on by bowling the number three, leaving Footscray reeling.

However, they then stabilised the innings with a good fourth wicket partnership that frustrated Eltham, playing some sensible cricket dotted with big hitting over the top. The partnership was finally broken with the score in the 60's, with both falling in quick succession. The first was a great catch by Swain off Peter Fisher's leg spin, snaring a very hard-hit drive. Tanveer, having emerged unscathed from the tunnel, picked up the other, Jon Killingley covering a lot of ground to catch a spooned cover drive.

Now clearly on top, the remaining five wickets fell quickly with Fisher Jr and Tanveer improving their averages. Andy Redman helped Fisher with some quick glovework and another stumping, and Fisher also picked up an LBW, whilst Tanveer's pace helped him bowl Footscray's number eight and set up a good catch, albeit at the second attempt, from Gary Bill. Bill himself rounded off a good performance in the field as the last man hit his own wicket backing away from Bill's loopy spin.

This left Eltham with a modest target of 82, with Tanveer and Peter Fisher having the pick of the bowling figures (3 for 5 and 3 for 6 respectively). Swain recorded figures of 2 for 21, Page 1 for 39 and Bill 1 for 1. A good performance in the field.

Captain's orders were to knock off the runs quickly to give the opportunity for a 20 over game later, so openers Colin Wouldham and Asjad Mir started well, with some excellent scoring shots to take advantage of a short boundary. However, both fell in quick succession, Wouldham falling to a good catch behind square on the leg side for 14, and Mir to a bottom edge to the wicket keeper for 20.

Already half way to the total, Killingley and John Fisher were left to finish the game off, and despite an uncharacteristically slow start and some confused running between the wickets, they comfortably guided Eltham to an eight wicket victory, scoring 24 and 12 respectively.

A slightly unconventional Sixteen16 game followed, with nine players on each side, and each fielding player having to bowl two overs each. Eltham batted first and scored a quick 152 for 2, with notable performances from Page (72 not out) and Peter Fisher (43 not out) adding to Redman's 11 and Tanveer's 8.

The bowling performance was solid despite the lack of experience through the attack, and Footscray never looked like reaching the target, eventually ending up on 92 for 7, 60 runs short.

All in all, two comfortable victories on a great summer day - only Richard Page will leave unhappy as his 72 won't count for the averages!

Reporting: Jon Killingley