Gents of Suffolk 285-6 dec (54 overs)
J. Scowshill 100 n.o. R. Lugmoore-Styles 70, A.Hussey 49, D.Fenwick-Clemmell 32
S.Woolfries 2-49, R.Elston 1-15, P.Moore 1-21, A.Wyartt 1-29, M.Scowshill 1-40
Buccaneers 235-9 (41 overs)
W. Farr 65, M.Scowshill 38, S.Blackman 37, R.Elston 27, P. Moore 26, A.Morgan 20
Sir Ian Collett Bart 4-32, R. Lugmoore-Styles 2-62, J.Scowhill 1-23, N. Fenwick-Clemmell 1-51
Report from Framlingham College by S.A. Woolfries
Down the ages a posting to the eastern front has not been very popular and this still proves to be the case with London-based Buccaneers. Special Forces were therefore required for this year’s match against the Gents of Suffolk. Chief recruiting sergeant Will Farr did his stuff by drafting in three of his Essex club, Aythorpe Roding, to augment two local lads, four old-time Buccs sweats and…a Naval Commander. Did I mention that one of Will’s platoon was a former Jamaica and Essex fast bowler?
Gents skipper Mark Nicholls performed his most important, and only, act for his side at 11.25am by winning the toss and choosing to bat on the usual Framlingham featherbed. Up the hill Joe Grant took a few very stiff-looking deliveries to crank it up and had this season’s new slimline model Andrew Morgan making several diving saves.In between there were some testing deliveries and some ‘chin music’.
However, down the hill Adam Wyartt was finding appreciable swing and first blood went to him as Sheldon was bowled by a perfect in-ducker. A. Hussey and C. Budenberg proceeded to cope well with Joe’s pace and it was, in fact, the bustling medium pace of Richard Elston which accounted for the latter. Some leg spin from Suffolk under-15 captain Monty Scowshill produced a 3rd pre-lunch wicket when Hussey went for 49 to leave Gents lunching on 135-3.
After lunch the Buccs went through their full array of bowling including another hostile spell from Joe, this time down the hill. However, Lugmoore-Styles and Scowshill senior dealth with everything in some style and put together the stand of the match, only broken when Lugmoore-Styles was bowled by the Buccs skipper for 70. Jeremy Scowshill went on to complete a fine century just before the declaration at 285 for 6. This asked the Buccs to score at about 7 an over to win and the general feeling was that this was ‘on’.
Sam Blackman and Monty Scowshill started steadily so that the chase looked in good shape at tea after which the job was about 210 to win in 40 minutes plus 20 overs with all wickets intact.
Nicholls, Napoleonically, then threw in his ‘old guard’ in the shape – and there is quite a lot of shape these days – of Sir Ian Collett,Bart. and Steve Willis. Monty chipped one back to Ian for 38 allowing Commander Piers Moore to steam to the wicket and loose off a few broadsides before, inexplicably, missing a waist-high full toss.
When Framlingham coach Martin Webdale went first ball to Collett things looked a bit rocky for the Buccs. Will Farr, however, was playing sensibly and Richard Elston made some quick runs before playing ambitiously across the line. Will needed some support so heads dropped when Joe Grant swung at and missed a….waist high full toss!
A final flicker of hope was raised as Will took 16 runs from an over but when Andy Morgan fell for 20 it became a question of saving the game. Will top-scored with 65 but if the Buccs were to have won one of the top order needed to make good runs as well.