Arden Sunday League, Division 3
1st inns Bournville 131 all out in 32.3 overs (Adnan Ali 7.3-1-27-4, Rizwan 5-1-23-1, Wahid Chishti 4-0-27-0, Saba Naseri 4-2-7-3, Josh Williams 7-2-30-0, Malik 5-2-13-1) FOW: 24-1 35-2 40-3 61-4 72-5 83-6 83-7 83-8 122-9 131-10
2nd inns Kings Heath 132 for 6 in 40.3 overs Jattin Patel ct cover 20 Joe Hawkins bowled 43 Bernard O'Connor ct cover 14 Rizwan lbw 9 Mike Barlow 10 not out Adnan Ali bowled 0 (first ball) Malik ct wktkeeper 0 (second ball) Gregg Arrand 14 not out Did not bat: Wahid Chishti, Josh Williams, Saba Naseri FOW: 40-1 92-2 105-3 111-4 115-5 115-6
KINGS HEATH WON BY 4 WICKETS
Bournville decided to bat first on a very hot sunny day on a pitch that had conceded over 400 runs (over two innings) the previous day. Adnan Ali and Rizwan opened the bowling, and Bournville got off to an aggressive start, hitting numerous boundaries and were particularly strong striking straight down the ground. Riz got the first wicket, the opening batsman who was doing most of the damage lofting the ball high in the air for the first time, and Wahid Chishti taking a confident catch at mid off. Wickets continued to falll regularly, Bournville never managing to build up a significant partnership. The introduction of Saba Naseri into the attack brought three Bournville wickets without the addition of another run, Saba taking three wickets in his aggressive four over spell, removing the Bournville captain with a high (but legitimate) full toss which bowled him. The Bournville tail recovered from 83 for 8 to add another 48 runs, but the return of Adnan for his second spell ensured the Bournville innings was curtailed with the total on 131 from 32.3 overs, and Adnan finished with four wickets. As Bournville had been bowled out early, Kings Heath had 47 overs to score 132. The Kings Heath batsmen started cautiously as Bournville bowled disciplined lines outside off with a packed off side field, and boundary scoring opportunities were rare. Jattin Patel was the first person to fall with the score on 40, Jattin himself contributing exactly half of the total before he was caught at cover, frustrated at the inability to pierce the infield. Bernard O’Connor joined Joe Hawkins at the crease and the pair watchfully added 42 runs for the second wicket. The watching Kings Heath team soon grew frustrated at the slow scoring, and each player vowed that when they went into bat they would increase the run rate. With the score on 92, Bernard was caught at cover for 14 and the aggressive Rizwan was sent into bat. However he was soon lbw for only 9 and Joe Hawkins followed soon after when he was bowled for 43, his third score of 40 plus this season. After waiting nearly 35 overs to bat, Adnan was bowled on his first delivery and Javod Malik was caught by the keeper for a second ball duck. The pressure was starting to mount on the Kings Heath team after collapsing from 92 for 1 to 115 for 6, with the overs remaining swiftly ticking by. The remaining batsmen were Josh Williams, Wahid Chishti and the injured Saba Naseri (who was unable to hold a bat), none of whom had scored a single Sunday run so far in the season. Scoring was difficult for the new batsmen at the crease, Mike Barlow and Gregg Arrand; Bournville wisely taking the pace off the ball and setting claustrophobic fields. Both sides were aware that another wicket would effectively decide the game. Kings Heath still needed seven runs to win at the conclusion of the 40th over and the Bournville team began celebrating and shaking hands with the Kings Heath batsmen, wrongly believing the match was over. The Bournville captain begrudgingly admitted to his teammates that their unused overs from the first innings were added onto the tally for the second, giving Kings Heath an extra seven overs to score the required runs and adding insult to injury. Captain Gregg Arrand ensured that only three balls of the extra overs were required, hitting the first ball of the 41st over for four over midwicket, the second through the vacant mid on region for a couple, and the winning single was secured from the third. Mike Barlow finished unbeaten on 10 at the other end, as Kings Heath ensured their fourth victory in a row after a painstakingly slow but ultimately successful chase.
