Promising start to 2013 season

On Saturday April 20th BGCC 1st XI hosted Stourbridge CC for our now annual pre-season friendly. The game was played under ODI rules in preparation for the first few league games under those rules. Barnards Green batted first with Kev Golder and Jon Dovey opening the innings. Golder was quickly on his way back to the pavilion when he was caught at mid-off by J Wood when trying to hit over the in-field off the bowling of J Patel. This brought overseas signing Alex Hepburn to the crease, and when Dovey was clean bowled by J Patel for 11 Hepburn was joined by Phil Harris.

Harris hit the ground running scoring freely off all the bowlers taking BGCC to 50 in the 10th over and Hepburn then also stepped up the pace. With both batsmen hitting boundaries and quick running the total built rapidly - reaching 100 in only the 17th over. Harris reached his 50 off only 33 balls and his 100 off 64 – both with clean hit sixes. After having last week’s promising debut innings interrupted by rain we were all pleased to see Hepburn reach his maiden BGCC half century as well.

Stourbridge captain R Bradley turned to the spin of J Wood, who took two quick wickets in his first two overs. First he clean bowled Hepburn, who made 77 including 8 fours and 2 sixes. This broke an outstanding partnership of 198 put on in only 24 overs and Elliot Hennessy came in at five. Harris was then clean bowled by Wood for a brilliant 127 off only 74 balls including 11 fours, 8 sixes and several lost balls. The momentum of the innings was clearly lost and several quick wickets fell with only 20 runs being added to the score. Hennessy played a measured innings dispatching the bad balls to the boundary and remained 33 not out; ably supported by Jack Mackintosh (7 not out). That gave BGCC an impressive total of 271 for 9 off the 50 overs. Pick of the bowlers was J Wood who finished with figures of 3 for 12 of 7 overs.

Stourbridge set off confidently in reply with M Bradley and A Bingham taking the score to 50 in the 16th over before Bradley holed out to Dovey off Ford for 19. Bingham followed soon after for 32, run out by a smart piece of fielding by Hepburn. Stourbridge returning overseas players West-Indian Audy Alexander was joined by captain R Bradley. The score had moved onto 74 when Blair Kingsland grabbed his first two BGCC wickets - Alexander was caught by Dovey for 12 then S Game was trapped lbw for 2.

Bradley remained solid and when he was joined by J Patel he started to pick up the pace with sixes hit off most bowlers. Bradley reached his 50 off 44 balls – also with a six! Patel and Bradley had put on 62 when Hepburn clean bowled Patel for 12 and he completed a double wicket maiden when he also bowled keeper G Jones. This left Stourbridge 138 for 6 – needing 134 off only 13 overs. Kingsland grabbed his third wicket and Dovey his third catch when J Winders departed for 4.

Bradley’s fine innings was finally brought to an end by J Mackintosh with a smart stumping from keeper Brewer. Bradley’s made 95 off 75 balls including 6 fours and 7 sixes. Wood played a nice cameo innings but ran out of partners, he remained 30 not out as Stourbridge were bowled out in the final over for 224. With all 22 players batting and 15 bowlers used it was a useful friendly for both sides and bodes well for a good start to the season – we wish Stourbridge well in BDPCL Division 2.