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| > Staffordshire CCC v Cambridgeshire CCC Match Report |
Staffordshire’s valiant attempt to defeat Cambridgeshire in two days, after losing the first day to rain, came up short when the visitors survived by batting out time having being forced to follow on. A sixth wicket century partnership between Matthew Pateman and former Yorkshire batsman Simon Kellett rescued the visitors from a precarious position at 100 for five, still 74 runs adrift. 22 year-old Pateman fell short of a deserved century when he chopped a ball from Gareth Morris straight to Ben McGuire at point having scored 92, which included 14 boundaries and two sixes. Kellett went on to complete an unbeaten half century before the two captains shook hands with half an hour’s play remaining, with Cambridgeshire having built a lead of 52 with four second innings wickets wickets remaining.
The effort needed in bowling out Cambridgeshire the first time, and then repeat the act, proved too much as they ran out of both time and steam. Despite this captain Paul Goodwin was full of praise for his player’s efforts commenting, “We stuck at it really well. We bowled fantastically well. Even though they were tiring they kept beating the bat. It was a big ask to take 17 wickets in a day. We were happy it was the best way to try and win the game after losing the first day. There was nothing to suggest in the way they batted first time around we couldn’t bowl them out a second time, but it wasn’t to be.”
Looking at the whole game Goodwin was delighted with the overall performance adding, “We acquitted ourselves really well. Karl (Quiney) at the top of the order did really well and Jimmy Dawson played a very sensible innings. The lower order performed well and built good partnerships, which adds to our strength. To add to that our bowing unit is excellent and yet again performed as we know they can.”
An excellent effort from the Staffs trio of pace bowlers resulted in the visitors being dismissed for 166 in their first innings in the first over after lunch. Resuming on their overnight score of 44 for three, Lewis Bruce and Sean Park remained together for the first half hour of the day before Greg Willott broke the partnership by dismissing Bruce, aided by a good catch at square leg from Jimmy Dawson. Norton left armer Willott then put Staffs very much in the driving seat as he had Park and Simon Kellett trapped lbw to reduce the visitors to 80 for six. Ajaz Akhtar hit a breezy 27 assisted by very attacking fields, before Willott claimed his fourth success of the morning session as Kim Barnett clung on to a sharp chance at leg slip to dismiss Akhtar.
When Craig Barker dismissed both James Williams and Tim Smith, Cambridgeshire looked likely to be bowled out before lunch but Matt Summers and James Smith took them to the break before Smith fell to Willott immediately after the resumption. Willott’s 26 over spell resulted in Staffs career best figures of six for 73, and he received good support from colleagues Will Purser and Craig Barker who both claimed two wickets.
Staffs made the start they needed if they were to force the win, dismissing both openers with 21 on the board. Gareth Morris, on to allow Willott and Purser change ends, made the break through bowling Matt Summers before Will Purser knocked over Bruce’s stumps. The introduction of Ben McGuire into the attack produced instant reward as Willott took an easy catch at mid-on to dismiss David Clarke for 21. The 17 year-old bowler gained a second success to reduce the visitors to 83 for four. This became 100 for five as Craig Barker dismissed Park thanks to a sharp catch at second slip by Morris.
Staffs still had a minimum of 38 overs to try and clinch the win but they were to be denied by the partnership between Pateman and Kellett was to end Staffs hopes.
After the total washout of the first day of Staffordshire’s opening Minor Counties Championship fixture against Cambridgeshire, Staffs enjoyed a splendid second day to put themselves in a strong position. Having been put into bat Staffs posted an imposing total of 340, before reducing the visitors to 44 for three at the close of play.
Staffordshire’s young guns performed exceptionally well with the bat as Staffs continued to demonstrate their early season one day form. Debutant Karl Quiney, having earned his starting place after coming through the Staffs youth system, top scored with 60 after sharing an opening partnership of 64 with Peter Wilshaw. Playing on his home ground Wilshaw was the first to depart, lbw to Tim Smith for 37. Another of the Staffs young, and inexperienced, top order James Dawson helped Quiney to take the total past 100 before Quiney became Smith’s second lbw victim. The 20 year-old Wombourne player, who is studying at Worcester University, struck two sixes and six boundaries in his 99 ball innings.
With the late withdrawal from the starting line-up of Chris Howell there was a surprise recall to the side for Kim Barnett but the 48 year-old departed without scoring a, third lbw victim for the 54 year-old Smith, to reduce Staffs to 113 for three. This brought 17 year-old Ben McGuire to the crease for his first championship innings and the youngster demonstrated his prowess with a lightening 28 from just 20 deliveries, including five boundaries and one maximum. However his youthful exuberance came to an end in the final over before lunch when he was dismissed for 28 with the score on 147.
Stone’s Jimmy Dawson continued his solid display to help skipper Paul Goodwin take the total past 200 before Dawson was caught at backward point for 45. The innings showed signs of faltering when Goodwin was caught at the wicket for 45 and Greg Willott fell without scoring, to reduce the home side to 222 for seven. Goodwin’s 81 ball stay produced nine boundaries. The dismissal of Willott was a significant milestone for former Cambridgeshire captain Ajaz Akhtar, as it was the 40 year-olds 400th championship wicket in his twenty year career with the county.
With the innings in danger of subsiding a Staffordshire record eighth wicket partnership of 92 between Craig Barker and Russ Ballard, in as a replacement for the unavailable Nick James, restored Staffordshire’s supremacy. Barker struck two sixes and six fours in recording a second half century for the county, before becoming the eighth wicket to fall on 314. Ballard and Gareth Morris ensured a fourth batting point for Staffs, before the innings came to a close in the final of their permitted 90 overs, when Ballard was run out for 45.
The veteran Smith finished with figures of four for 46 from his twenty deceptive overs while Akhtar took his tally to 401 with a three wicket haul.
Staffs almost made the dream start, but Peter Wilshaw was unable to cling on to a low chance at slip in Will Purser’s opening over. However Wilshaw atoned for this miss in the next over as he snapped up David Clarke off the bowing of Greg Willott. An excellent opening spell between Purser and Willott had the visiting batsmen struggling and it was no surprise when Purser found the edge of new batsman Matt Pateman’s bat and Paul Goodwin gratefully accepted the opportunity to reduce the visitors to 30 for two. This became 38 for three as the Purser and Goodwin partnership claimed the scalp of Nick Ferraby. The visitors avoided further loss before closing the day on 44 for three. Purser’s 14 over spell was rewarded with two wickets at a cost of just 15 runs with Willott finishing the day with one for 23.
The result maintains Staffs unbeaten start to the season and leaves them in good spirits for their Minor Counties Trophy quarter final against Devon at Leek on Sunday.
Match Drawn. Points Staffordshire 12 Cambridgeshire 8
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