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Newlands 2nds XI v Chigwell and Hainault
35 over friendly Sunday 25 May 2002

Chigwell and Hainault 126 for 9

Newlands 2nds 130 for 5

Newlands 2nds won by 5 wickets

Newlands 2nds won this encounter with some margin to spare although the game was rather closer than it appeared until Dan Markeson (50) and Julian Wood came together with 4 wickets down and only some 30 runs on the board. The game was played in a generally good spirit on a good wicket with a mixture of cloud and broken sunshine overhead. As the winning runs were struck it began to rain for the first time and with little prior warning. Chigwell's tears?

Three of Chigwell's top order made starts, Gold, Solarz and Sinclair all making 11, but it was not to be - wickets were lost too cheaply as it turned out. Not for the first time it was captain Danny Myers to the rescue with a patiently crafted 42 as partners disappeared at the other end. It wasn't until 9th man in, Lloyd Duddridge, that Myers found a partner that stuck around for a while and by then the innings was drawing to a close. Myers finally succumbed and it was left to 15 year old Duddridge to shepherd the innings to a close, finally scoring an unbeaten 12 runs with a maturity beyond his years. No other Chigwell batsman made double figures and the innings closed with 126 on the board - a disappointing total that left thoughts of what might have been.

Newlands bowled well, especially the first 4 mainstream bowlers. Leon Reefe (3 for 19) and Robert Reefe (2 for 27) were the most successful, although both Dan Markeson and Howard Lethbridge kept it tight early in the innings.

Newlands innings started in Chigwell's style as Duddridge (3 for 23) took a wicket with his first ball and kept it tight thereafter as he bowled his seven overs straight through. He was well supported by Green, Stollar, Myers and Sinclair but once Markeson and Wood came together Chigwell had no answers and the runs were piled on. Markeson skied one immediately after reaching his 50, which was well held by Solarz. It was, however, too late and Newlands scored the remaining runs with some 7 overs to spare.

And then tears fell from the sky. Rough justice on a pleasant afternoon.