Sunday XI v The Jesters 2nd September 2012

M&B continued their successful Sunday campaign with a surprisingly easy 6 wicket victory in the end, after chasing down 215 for victory over The Jesters at Bray. After losing the toss M&B were asked to field on an already gloomy day, with the prospect of even darker conditions in which to bat to come.

Opening bowlers Matt Armstrong and Arul Appavoo bowled relatively tight lines to keep the openers in check early on, albeit they were quick to pounce on anything short. Appavoo made the initial breakthrough getting opener S.Douse caught behind off a rising ball, just short of a good length. The wicket brought Louie Harris to the wicket who looked relatively comfortable from the outset. Armstrong completed his allocation for an analysis of 8/2/29/0, although he never really threatened as always he was relatively economical. Appavoo finished with figures of 8/0/36/1, which represented a good return considering he hadn't bowled for a number of weeks. First change Jamie Kiddell celebrated his opportunity to bowl by bowling J Douse, courtesy of his slower ball, just as the opener was upping the scoring rate. Kiddell did though benefit from the elderly umpire who failed to call a number of wides which the batsmen struggled to reach! After a few weeks off Chris Butler again bowled a controlled spell of his flighted filth to produce figures of 8/0/38/0. Although the bowlers produced decent returns Harris was scoring the lion's share of the visitors runs to the extent that his partner only scored 22 in a 3rd wicket partnership of 98. Harris was particularly strong on the leg side with his pulling and flicks. Harris benefited from the generous drop by Kiddell on 88 and punished him by plundering a further 32 in the final overs to finish off undefeated on 120 out of the visitors final total of 215 for 4 in 40 overs. Atif Amin finished proceeding at the Road End with a tight spell of 4/0/17/0 while Ollie Good picked up two wickets with his away swingers at the end.

With the light not good at the start never mind after tea, 215 was not an easy total especially with M&B really relying on the top four to score the bulk of the runs. Luckily for M&B the openers did not disappoint as public schoolboys Cameron Jacobsen and George Parsons posted 58 for the first wicket in 10 overs, despite playing out two cheap overs from the spinner early on. Jacobsen from the outset dealt mainly in boundaries, with his punishing drives through cow and occasionally more conventionally through the offside. Momentum shifted early on when the Jesters skipper decided to take himself off after 2 cheap overs and put on their first change, who conceded 36 in 3 overs. Parsons was more circumspect early on before unleashing his well coached repertoire of shots. Probably as a result of stage fright Parsons was dismissed lbw as his parents drove down the entrance to watch him ! Unfortunately there was no respite for the Jesters as new batsmen Yusuf Qureshi was equally as punishing as Jacobsen, albeit not as brutal. The second wicket partnership proved to be the telling moment of the match as the M&B batsmen totally took the game away from the Jesters, posting 126 in a mere 15 overs. Indeed Jacobsen's power and brutality had dire consequences for the defenceless Jesters fielders, as two fielders were driven from the field to nurse nasty bruises, the result of getting in the way of Jacobsen's rasping drives.

At the drinks break M&B were well placed at 129 after 20 overs. The drink seemed to energise Qureshi, who went into over drive with his driving, pulls and cuts. Indeed over confidence brought his downfall as he aimed for another punishing shot and missed with the inevitable death rattle. That said 69 including 8 4's and 3 6's was a highly satisfactory return for the victory quest. In the meantime Jacobsen pushed relentlessly on to a well earned century until the Quershi blitzkreig put the equation in doubt. Unfortunately for Jacobsen Amin was more concerned with his own runs and crashed two boundaries to leave the scores level meaning Jacobsen required a 6 to win the match and reach his century. The result, a huge effort at an enormous drive, resulting in the bat flying out of his hand and hurtling towards the square leg umpire, whilst his stumps were disturbed. Out for a brilliant 95. which included 12 4's and a 6 and the man of the match award. Just like the bowling it was left to Good to tidy up and end proceedings with a squirt over the slips for 1 to bring victory by 6 wickets with over 8 overs to spare and only 10 minutes light left !