Scorecard

Billericay v Chelmer Veterans Cricket Club The Midweek Veterans on Thu 14 Jul 2022 at 13-00
Chelmer Veterans Cricket Club Lost by 9 wkts

Match report A strong Chelmer Vets line-up assembled on a hot afternoon to play Billericay Veterans at their ground, although skipper Griff announced he would have to leave the building early as he had tickets to see a leading Elvis impersonator in Basildon. But that's all right, he had won yet another toss and obviously thinking 'don't be cruel' to his own team, chose to bat first, hoping the home side would be all shook up after a long stint under the sun.

Openers Chris Southerby and Simon Cooper started well, scoring 44 inside ten overs before Cooper holed out to midwicket off a juicy full toss. Southerby followed only two runs later, chopping on for 26 and you would need to have a wooden heart not to feel sorry for his missed opportunity of a big score. Paul Lowe and mark Rynn added 46 for the third wicket but Rynn was bowled for 30 when looking well set. Mark Stratton and Paul compiled Chelmer's highest partnership on the day, 48 including a rare all-run four. Sadly the effort only counted for three as one of the pair was a devil in disguise running one short in the heat. An exhausted Paul Lowe was stumped for 42 before a brief cameo of 9 from Darren Smith before he had to retire hurt with rubber legs after twanging a calf muscle. Stratton just couldn't help believin' it when he was brilliantly caught for 42 and it seemed the innings might stall. But with the overs ticking down, Griff decided it was now or never and launched a late assault on the bowling, the ball returning to sender via the boundary on several occasions as he hit a quick 32 off 19 balls including 14 consecutive scoring shots. Supported way down the batting order by Gary Thomas (7n.o.), Chelmer ended on 211 for 5 from their 40 overs.

After tea, when perhaps it was just as well there were no doughnuts or deep-fried peanut butter sandwiches in sight, the Chelmer bowlers made a good start, Phil Bartlett and Nilesh Patel restricting Billericay to 38 from 14 overs, with the fielders unable or unlucky not to take one or two half chances along the way. Suspicious minds were raised when Griff was called for a very harsh wide early on and it seemed that this was always on his mind as he didn't settle into his usual rhythm. Further chances came and went, not least behind the stumps as Ed Oliver missed a couple of tricky stumpings when the ball jagged and one easier one that kept low. Billericay openers Wakefield and Mehotra inched their side nearer to the target but never raced away with it, happy to bat the full distance if necessary. With the skipper now in transit to Bas Vegas, good luck charm Paul Lowe was left to bowl the final over with just 3 runs required. Cricket is a funny old game, and after a dot ball, Wakefield then holed out to Southerby at mid-off. The new batsman sneaked an untimely bye as a legside delivery eluded the keeper, 2 needed from 3 balls. A single to Mehotra left 1 required from 2 and the new batter could only scoop it up into the air, surely to be caught but a little too much hesitation allowed Billericay to take the winning run, leaving Chelmer crying in the chapel. But never has a nine-wicket defeat been so close to an unlikely win.

Chelmer Veterans Cricket Club The Midweek Veterans Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 1b 2lb 
for 5 wickets
4
211		        
Chris Southerby b Brown 26 4
Simon Cooper ct b Black 18 2
Mark Rynn b Mehotra 30 3
Paul Lowe st b Mehotra 42 3
Mark Stratton ct b Marshall 42 4
Darren Smith Retired Out  9 1
David Griffiths Not Out  32 4
Gary Thomas Not Out  7 1
Nilesh Patel  
Phillip Bartlett  
Ed Oliver  

Billericay Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Brown8.0227127.003.38
Wheeler8.014700.005.88
Black8.0030130.003.75
Mehotra8.0138219.004.75
Marshall8.0065165.008.13

Billericay Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 5w 17b 4lb 
for 1 wickets
27
212 (39.5 overs)		     
Wakefield ct Southerby b Lowe 90
Mehotra Not Out  94
Clark Not Out  1
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Chelmer Veterans Cricket Club The Midweek Veterans Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Phillip Bartlett8.031900.002.37
Nilesh Patel8.012100.002.63
David Griffiths5.004800.009.60
Mark Stratton8.013700.004.62
Chris Southerby8.004600.005.75
Paul Lowe1.5012112.006.55
Mark Rynn1.00800.008.00