Sunday 15th June saw the Buccs return to Frensham for their sixth outing of the season, in need of a strong bounce back after the difficult day out at Hurlingham a couple of Sunday’s prior. The sun was blazing, the outfield was dry and quick, the toss was won and confidence was high as the skipper chose to have first use of the Frensham deck.
Kalidasan and Valentine took to the crease and got the Buccs off to a fast start, making great use of the rapid outfield and small boundaries, with some lusty blows initially coming off the bat of Valentine. After Valentine fell in the fifth over, J. Milne took to the crease to join Kalidasan. After wearing one on the back thigh early on, J. Milne got into the swing of things with some quite majestic late cuts and drives through the covers for four, drawing acclaim from the Buccs’ faithful on the sidelines.
After J. Milne too fell to the Frensham opener Findlay for a well put together 18, J. Marsh joined Kalidasan at the crease. Both batted quickly but sensibly and before long, Kalidasan had passed 50, and was no doubt eyeing up a big score. Some lusty blows from Marsh and Kalidasan followed as both took the attack to the Frensham bowling attack. Frensham’s bowling couldn’t help stop the runs from flowing off both bats and before long, the partnership had passed 130.
After some glorious shots, J. Marsh fell just one short of his half-century, and Sutton joined Kalidasan at the crease, who was approaching three figures. The moment arrived just a few overs later as Kalidasan brought up his maiden Buccs century – going one better from the 93 he hit at Frensham last year. With declaration on the skipper’s horizon, both started to really motor – with some superb shots coming off the trusty MRF of Sutton and some massive hits from Kalidasan. For a few overs it was raining Buccs boundaries, and before long Kalidasan had brought up 150 and A. Marsh had declared with the Buccs on 289-3.
The Buccs took to the field after a quick tea, looking to get stuck into the Frensham top order. Rydon and Pexton took the new ball and both bowled tidily, with Rydon finding the edge of both openers only for the ball to fall agonisingly short of the Buccs corden. The deadlock was broken when Pexton found the edge of the Frensham opener and was duly taken by Kalidasan in the corden (can’t keep the man out the game…). Another Pexton wicket followed shortly after, before skipper A. Marsh turned to more pace in the form of L. Milne and Evans to further move into the middle middle order. Both bowled very tidily, as Frensham’s middle order started to make the most of the rapid outfields. After a dubious ball-change, more Frensham runs flowed before Evans claimed the big wicket of Frensham first-teamer Philimore. Two quick fire wickets from L. Milne followed and the Buccs smelled blood with Frensham at 125 for five.
After a tidy spell, Evans was replaced by the trusty left arm of Leefe who bowled beautifully throughout his spell picking up the wicket of Warren. After L. Milne scattered the stumps once again for his third wicket, A.Marsh brought himself on to bowl, initially bowling nicely claiming a wicket in his first over after a great catch from Pexton in the deep. The Buccs were now just three wickets away from victory, with the overs now counting down with Frensham still needing more than a hundred to win. Boundaries started to come thick and fast for the Frensham lower order as the spin of both Marsh brothers started to get targeted. This continued for the next few overs with the small boundaries which were so friendly to the Buccs top order, starting to become the enemy to the Buccs bowling attack.
Before long, there was only one over left to play with the Buccs needing three wickets with Frensham needing 29. Skipper A. Marsh gave himself the honour to see out the game for the Buccs – it surely couldn’t go wrong from here, could it? The first five balls went for 6,4,6,6,4 and so Frensham needed three runs off the last to win. A. Marsh fired in a famous quicker ball which was expertly stopped by keeper M. Sutton – the match was drawn (never in doubt said the skipper…).
A fantastic contest that eventually went right down to the wire. A special shout out must go to E. Kalidasan – a quite sensational knock of 151.
BUCCANEERS CC INNINGS
E. Kalidasan – 151*
A .Valentine – 17
J. Milne – 18
J. Marsh – 49
M. Sutton – 22
Total: 289 for 3 dec (33.2 overs)
Bowling
M. Findlay: 14-1-88-2
C. Doran: 6-0-47-0
L. Rhodes: 5-0-48-0
A. Warren: 5.2-0-49-1
R. Doran: 3-0-37-0
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FRENSHAM CC INNINGS
R. Doran – 17
R. Doran – 36
C. Doran – 0
N. Phillimore – 57
M. Hashir – 0
A. Warren – 18
A. Robertson – 65
M. Findlay – 10
J. Frost – 62
Total 287 for 7 (35 overs)
Bowling
R. Rydon: 5-2-13-0
C. Pexton: 5-0-45-2
I Evans: 5-0-32-1
L. Milne: 8-0-53-2
S. Leefe: 5-0-45-1
A Marsh: 4-0-63-1
J. Marsh: 2-0-24-0