Harpsden v Stonor – 8th August 2009

Grimmer Stars as Harpsden Ease to Victory

Stonor
G Kruger ct Grimmer b Paice 0
S Collings b Devile 1
O Nicholson ct Grimmer b Paice 9
M Bowden lbw Hancock 29
J Powell* b Devile 2
S Harris ct Grimmer b Hayward 9
A Agar b Hancock 13
D Connolly Not Out 11
R Denton lbw Birkett 12
N Allsop + b Devile 5

TOTAL 108 All Out
Extras 17 (8b, 4lb, 2w, 3nb)

Harpsden
A Grimmer Not Out 52
A Birkett b Nicholson 13
A Cary b Bowden 26
R Harris Not Out 4

TOTAL 109-2
Extras 14 (5b, 3lb, 4w, 2nb)

Harpsden travelled to Stonor on Saturday, looking to continue their winning streak, on a lovely day, with orchestra noise from Stonor Park making the afternoon even more enthralling.

Stonor got off to the worst possible start, with Kruger hitting the ball straight to Grimmer at point off of Paice’s second ball of the innings. Stonor then lost 3 more quick wickets, to leave them in deep trouble at 16-4. This was due some very accurate swing bowling from Paice and Devile, with both bowlers picking up 2 wickets. Harris and Bowden then stuck around to set a platform for the rest of the batsmen. The introduction of Hayward’s and Hancock’s spin slowed the run rate down even further, Hayward removed Harris, with Grimmer taking his third catch of the innings. And Hancock then took the wickets of Bowden for a very dogged 29, and Agar, who played for the spin, only for the ball to be a top spinner, which bowled him through the gate. Stonor then struggled to get back into the game, with Birkett taking the wicket of Denton, and Devile finishing off the innings, clean bowling Allsop for 5, to leave the Stonor with a grand total of just 108.

Harpsden then had a tricky 10 overs to bat before tea, with Birkett and Grimmer timing the ball nicely around the ground. The score moved steadily to 33, before Birkett was bowled round his legs off of Nicholson’s bowling. Cary then survived the last over before tea; to make sure that Harpsden went for the break just one wicket down. After tea, Grimmer and Cary played brilliantly, with shots all around the ground, they took Harpsden to the brink of victory, needing only four runs to win when Cary was bowled by Bowden. Harris then came to the crease, and wasted no time, smashing his first ball for four, to give Harpsden victory by 8 wickets. Grimmer, who had passed his fifty shortly before the end, finished of a very calm and composed 52 not out.