Matt the Shrimp
aka Harry Potter
Hampshire (0 points) 175/9 (Phillips 3/31, G. Flower 2/24) lost to Essex (4 points) 69/2 (Jefferson 44*) (D/L)
Well, thanks to Messrs. Duckworth and Lewis, the Essex Eagles have got their first National League 1 victory under their belts, largely achieved by a cracking 44 not out from Big Will off 48 deliveries.
Tim Phillips, a 24 year old slow left-armer from Durham UCCE (from where Essex plucked Big Will), chipped in with his first big performance for Essex and his best one-day figures in his senior career thus far of 3/31. In so doing, Phillips claimed the two key Hampshire scalps of Simon Katich and Kevin Pietersen, the latter whom he bowled for only 5.
Grant Flower proved more capable with the ball in a one-day scenario than he had with his bat in either form of the game by picking up the important wickets of John "Creepy" Crawley and Shane "Heavy Breather" Warne with a respectable 2/24 off his 9 overs.
With customary class and predictability, Darren Gough piled the pressure on at his end, with only 19 runs conceded off his 9 overs. Meanwhile, Alex Tudor went for a rather-too-wayward 5 an over, but did at least manage to pick up a couple of scalps.
This followed on from Tudor's altogether rather more impressive outing in the County Championship fixture against Yorkshire at Chelmsford last week - with 2/30 off 9 overs in Yorkshire's first innings, and 1/16 off only 4 overs in their second innings - the wicket being a second-ball caught & bowled duck for opener Matthew Wood. The only other wicket to fall in Yorkshire's second innings fell to Ravi Bopara, who had also cleaned up the tail in the first innings, claiming figures of 2/9 off 3.2 overs. Good to see him in such promising form.
So, it's a maximum 4 points for Essex in their first NL fixutre; and a 12 point draw - i.e. maximum bowling and batting points - for their first Championship game.
With Jefferson, Tudor, Bopara and Andy Flower all showing pretty respectable early-season form... bring on Glamorgan in the NL, and particularly Somerset in the County Championship!
Matt
Well, thanks to Messrs. Duckworth and Lewis, the Essex Eagles have got their first National League 1 victory under their belts, largely achieved by a cracking 44 not out from Big Will off 48 deliveries.
Tim Phillips, a 24 year old slow left-armer from Durham UCCE (from where Essex plucked Big Will), chipped in with his first big performance for Essex and his best one-day figures in his senior career thus far of 3/31. In so doing, Phillips claimed the two key Hampshire scalps of Simon Katich and Kevin Pietersen, the latter whom he bowled for only 5.
Grant Flower proved more capable with the ball in a one-day scenario than he had with his bat in either form of the game by picking up the important wickets of John "Creepy" Crawley and Shane "Heavy Breather" Warne with a respectable 2/24 off his 9 overs.
With customary class and predictability, Darren Gough piled the pressure on at his end, with only 19 runs conceded off his 9 overs. Meanwhile, Alex Tudor went for a rather-too-wayward 5 an over, but did at least manage to pick up a couple of scalps.
This followed on from Tudor's altogether rather more impressive outing in the County Championship fixture against Yorkshire at Chelmsford last week - with 2/30 off 9 overs in Yorkshire's first innings, and 1/16 off only 4 overs in their second innings - the wicket being a second-ball caught & bowled duck for opener Matthew Wood. The only other wicket to fall in Yorkshire's second innings fell to Ravi Bopara, who had also cleaned up the tail in the first innings, claiming figures of 2/9 off 3.2 overs. Good to see him in such promising form.
So, it's a maximum 4 points for Essex in their first NL fixutre; and a 12 point draw - i.e. maximum bowling and batting points - for their first Championship game.
With Jefferson, Tudor, Bopara and Andy Flower all showing pretty respectable early-season form... bring on Glamorgan in the NL, and particularly Somerset in the County Championship!
Matt
