Over 60's 1st XI Reports 2016
The opening fixture against Suffolk at Old Buckenham was postponed on Tuesday 26th April due to the pitch being waterlogged. The game has been re-arranged fo Tuesday 24th May at Old Buckenham
Seevent 60 1st 1X Report Norfolk 60 v Hertfordshire May 3rd Bishops Stortford
A very bad start as Norfolk, lack lustre and missing a full compliment of 1st X1 standard bowlers, allowed Hertfordshire – who have only beaten Hertfordshire once in 10 years – to amass 226-5 with Duncan Elder on 77. Colin Jackson, Trevor Shales and Clive Bennett kept the runs to a minimum but to win the league, one needs at least 5 efficient performers and Herts possess this in quantity.
Norfolk got off to a bad start when Martin Pearse smashed a half volley, either side, an easy four, but out. From then on Herts strangled the life out of the visitors batting, ending on 156-4 with Randolf Lofthouse on an unbeaten 47.
Norfolk 60 v Cambridge/ Hunts 60 May 17th Tas Valley
With the visitors favourite for second place, the wicket, as usual, looked very good at Tas Valley and Norfolk lost the toss to field first.
Nick Andrews, selected for the Australian Tour took an immediate liking to Harold Van Zanten and had 13 on the board in 4 balls. Then he smashed a full toss on to his pad which bowled him! He was very unhappy....
Nick Lloyd and Mike Ketteridge put on 84 until Ritchie Davies caught the latter off Clive Bennett. Luckily for Norfolk, the two newcomers from the 2nd X1, Lloyd and Graham Sainsbury, were unable to capitalise at the crucial time and posted 199-3, Lloyd on 83 not out and dropped twice and a missed stumping
Norfolk got off to a great start, 30 in 4, and John Lund took an immediate liking to England hopeful Mick Douglas whose quicker pace was just right for the Old Buckenham opener. Neither opener was remotely troubled against a normally proficient and economical attack. Yet another 100 partnership ensued
On 131 in 27 with Lund on 67 and Pearse on 51 it was a surprise to see the former bowled trying to pull a half tracker. Clive Bennett came in and both players played sumptuous off and straight drives interspersed with what is now called the slog sweep, to allow Norfolk 22 points in 41 overs, Pearse 80 not out and Bennett 37 not out.
Norfolk 60 v Suffolk. May 24th. Overstrand
The small and attractive setting at Overstrand on Sea, saw the home team bat on a hard but slow wicket. John Lund had the misfortune to receive an impossible inswinger from David Hinchcliffe on 9, but Martin Pearse and Clive Bennett steadily took the score to 100-1 before the latter decided to slog sweep Peter Webb on 41 and was caught and bowled
Both batsmen drove freely through the offside and straight , interspersed with some bottom hand as and when necessary.. Pearse on 78, with 10 overs left and looking for 130 or so, then pulled one of Grubbs’ rare bad balls and was miles too early, the ball catching the back of the bat before nicking a bail. 160-3
.
3 more wickets then fell in 2 overs before Lofthouse, 32 not out in 23 and Spaxman 18* in 17, saw the home team to 214-6.
Suffolk’s bowling was actually very steady throughout with no weaknesses as such. Norfolk hit 21 fours, Pearse with 10 of them.
Suffolk’s reply was slow, slow, slow. Shales and Jackson were minimalistic as per usual, and Suffolk had 9 off 9, then 62 off 20.
However the back-up bowlers were not nearly as accurate. four balls a plenty....... The remaining 24 overs bowled, went for 155 runs with Suffolk hitting 27 fours and 3 sixes.
What had seemed an easy home victory turned into a procession of boundaries with Peter Boughton 49 in 45, Stefan Marks 53 in 81 and the opener, Gerry Artindale 83* in 123 balls, still there at the end, chipping here and there between the fielders, along with some very nice driving, as Suffolk , bottom of the table, won by 7 wickets with 6 balls to spare.
A very bad loss, in the context of the play offs. Norfolk cannot afford to bowl like that again.
The small and attractive setting at Overstrand on Sea, saw the home team bat on a hard but slow wicket. John Lund had the misfortune to receive an impossible inswinger from David Hinchcliffe on 9, but Martin Pearse and Clive Bennett steadily took the score to 100-1 before the latter decided to slog sweep Peter Webb on 41 and was caught and bowled
Both batsmen drove freely through the offside and straight , interspersed with some bottom hand as and when necessary.. Pearse on 78, with 10 overs left and looking for 130 or so, then pulled one of Grubbs’ rare bad balls and was miles too early, the ball catching the back of the bat before nicking a bail. 160-3
.
3 more wickets then fell in 2 overs before Lofthouse, 32 not out in 23 and Spaxman 18* in 17, saw the home team to 214-6.
Suffolk’s bowling was actually very steady throughout with no weaknesses as such. Norfolk hit 21 fours, Pearse with 10 of them.
Suffolk’s reply was slow, slow, slow. Shales and Jackson were minimalistic as per usual, and Suffolk had 9 off 9, then 62 off 20.
However the back-up bowlers were not nearly as accurate. four balls a plenty....... The remaining 24 overs bowled, went for 155 runs with Suffolk hitting 27 fours and 3 sixes.
What had seemed an easy home victory turned into a procession of boundaries with Peter Boughton 49 in 45, Stefan Marks 53 in 81 and the opener, Gerry Artindale 83* in 123 balls, still there at the end, chipping here and there between the fielders, along with some very nice driving, as Suffolk , bottom of the table, won by 7 wickets with 6 balls to spare.
A very bad loss, in the context of the play offs. Norfolk cannot afford to bowl like that again.
Seevent 60 1st 1X Report. Norfolk v Hertfordshire
June 21st 2016 Old Buckenham
A bad toss to lose as the wicket and outfield were still suffering from rain under the covers and a really saturated outfield, as Martin Pearse and John Lund soon found out. Hertfordshire’s opening bowler, Sandy Reynolds, deadly accurate with one of the most economical rates in the League, soon found his length. However, both openers prospered, attacking any half volley with gusto and the 74 in 22 overs for no wickets would certainly have been 120 or so on a sunny dry day. Pearse on 33 was the first to depart, caught off a skier at cover, and Lund departed very soon after for 38. After that the wheels fell off and after 35 overs the score was 120-6. Derek Dewson, promoted from the 70 team, contributed well and ended on 19 not out as Norfolk reached 161-7 with Captain Shales hitting 16 quickly. The very high looping leg spin of Eric Riddle accounted for 4 Norfolk wickets for 33, all batsman departing in a state of excitement at an easy four...
Duncan Elder and David Robinson progressed without any problems, except the latter could hardly score a run. Indeed, at 50-0 in 16, Elder had 44, as after Trevor Shales and Colin Jackson, the back-up bowlers consistently bowled four balls. Elder hit 11 fours in his unbeaten 105, dropped on 99 by Le Moir off Dewson and Robinson’s dogged 45 in 140 balls ended as Richie Davies ran him out. Even so, 161-1 in 43.5 overs was quite close and it wasn’t beyond the bounds of credibility that, if the roles had been reversed, Norfolk would have won batting second as the outfield and wicket were 100% easier.
