After last week's humiliation at the hands of
Hawkesbury, Stanley made the short journey to Stratford Court, with
a stronger side, to take on early league leaders Woodchester.
Woodchester batted first and found run scoring
difficult thanks to the accuracy and inaccuracy of the Stanley
bowlers. Ed Nash, returning after a two week absence, seemed to have
left his radar at home and only bowled three overs for 7 runs,
mostly wides, before being replaced by Jack Kimber. The Woodchester
openers, Curtis and Patel, failed to score and Paul Carter was
caught and bowled for 10. Holford and Walls made some headway
against the spin of Carr, Groves and Fry, scoring 29 and 34
respectively, but it was Rob Walker who mopped up the tail and
finished with 11 overs, 5 maidens 6 for 14. Jack Kimber bowled
tidily with figures of 9-2-15-2, a fine effort in the oppressive
heat, Woodchester all out for 96 in the 37th over.
Stanley's openers new chasing a relatively
small total could be dangerous and that they needed to lose as few
wickets as possible.
Groves was caught at mid-off from the fourth
ball of the innings which brought Fry to the wicket. He went off
like one of the trains that trundled by occasionally, until he got a
top edge and skied one to the keeper for 21 (3x4, 1x6). Meanwhile at
the other end, Gabb was finding some form at last and with Rob
Walker, put the Woodchester bowlers to the sword. Stanley reached
the Woodchester total on the last ball of the 10th over, Gabb ending
on 37 n.o. (1x4, 4x6) and Walker on 33n.o. (5x4, 1x6).
Thanks to the two league appointed umpires for
standing in the heat and we hope you haven't got too big a bruise
Jim, though at the time you couldn't have said to Rob, your my best
friend.
So we all meet again next week at Stanley
when, no doubt, it will be a totally different game, though with
this result still fresh in everybody's mind, who knows?
Paul Gabb
Leonard Stanley C. C. press officer
