Kings vs Cuddington Casuals

SUNDAY 22nd AUGUST 2010

Kings won by 3 wickets

Cuddington Casuals were the visitors to Kempton on a cool and cloudy afternoon, the visitors came with an impressive record having only lost 3 times this season, whilst two of their batsmen boated impressive centuries. Despite the cloudy overhead conditions the visitors elected to bat first, however their innings got off to the worst possible start when opener Joel Miah superbly got the first ball of the innings to nip back and 'castle' opening bat Knight (0-1). With a leg bye being scored off the second ball, and skipper Barlow on strike, Miah repeated his first ball to send both openers back with first ball ducks (1-2). Kings looked likely to strike again as new bat Dhillon came out playing his shots, and he nearly offered a catch to mid off, and soon after did so, driving Sones to Daye at mid off, unfortunately the chance went down. However Miah was still producing the fine form he has shown in recent weeks and he induced the outside edge which Berrett took low down (24-3).  Sones continued to cause the batsmen problems, but was having no luck in picking up a wicket. Simon Pipe was introduced as Miah took and rest and after a period of solid resistance Vincent was dismissed when, with the batsman out of his ground, the ball was deflected onto the stumps by Berrett to give Pipe as deserved wicket (63-4). Pat Daye replaced the unlucky Sones, and he reeled off 3 tight overs before Kings rung the changes. Moore and Smith, following his success the previous week, were introduced but this allowed the batsmen to so start to cut loose. Johnson in particular started to up the scoring considerably, but he should have been dimissed when he drove Smith straight at mid on where Blissett spilled the chance. The scoring rate continued to climb at Johnson played the second half of the innings with a different approach. Some risky singles gave Kings some hope of a run out, and this duly happened when Tom Mumford's quick work in the field saw Sattur run out (137-5) and although Johnson and A Sattur continued to push hard it ultimately cost Johnson his wicket when Blissett had time to take aim and throw down the stumps at the bowlers end to dismiss Johnson for a well crafted 89. By the the time innings drew to a close the visitors had managed to take their total to 188 from their 40 overs

Kings reply got off to the worst possible start when in the first over Miller pushed at a wide ball from Thomas and Knight took the catch behind the stumps (0-1). Mumford and Miah started to recover things watchfully but when Mumford pushed a ball back to West the bowler got down well to take a low return catch (20-2). The fall of the second wicket brought Berrett in to join Miah and the two started to score with freedom, Miah espacilly playing some superb drives off Thomas, and then Dhillon, the latter being dealt with no remorse - 3 overs costing 31 runs. There also seemed little danger from P Sattur, both batsmen were easily stroking him through the covers forcing back the fielders. So, it came as a surprise when Berrett mistimed his shot and picked out the fielder at mid on (88-3). From a comfortable position Kings then found themselves in a worse position as Blissett, having just offered a difficult return chance off a straight drive that went to the boundary then tried to repeat the shot and nicked behind (93-4).  It was important that a solid partnership followed to keep Kings in the game, and a match winning one followed when the impressive Miah and leading run scorer Simon Pipe took control of the game. Miah duly reached a chance less fifty and it was surprise when he mistimed to mid off to be caught for 63 (138-5). With the gloom of a cloudy day starting to descend it was important the new batsmen stayed with Pipe and fed him the strike. Pipe continued to strike the ball cleanly and despite losing partners in Daye (148-6) - and Young (156-7) Pipe duly reached his fifty as Sones kept the other end secure. A lusty blow from Sones took Kings took closer to their target before he then worked a ball off his legs for the winning runs. Despite the rash of wickets the cool batting of Miah and Pipe had seen Kings over the line with just under 3 overs to spare

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