Strollers ease to well deserved away win over Game Coxes
posted: July 28, 2013

The Strollers notched up another comfortable away win today, this time over newfound oppo — the aptly named Game Cox — in the very pleasant setting of the country club estate at Odney CC, Cookham.

Our ranks were boosted by the father and son Pittman battalion, on loan from the Beamers, who made fast inroads into the Cox's top order after the oppo chose to bat first on a strip with variable bounce. Despite several Cox batsmen finding the long boundaries and making promising starts, wickets continued to fall with regularity, helped not least by ringer Sahid Shah who happily caught everything sent in his direction. Spinners Bates and Brown did a fine job of mopping up the tail and Mark Pelham followed up his first ever maiden over for the Strollers with his first catch for the club — a fine diving take at point to dismiss Adams. Eventually the Cox's innings closed on 177-9 when their skipper suffered a dizzy spell and was forced to retire.

The Strollers innings got off to a flying start with Gav pumelling the ball to point boundary three times in the second over before Bhadri deceived him with a slower delivery and sent him back to the hutch. The same bowler accounted for George who was caught behind and also did for Dave and Spencer who, having hit a quickfire 27, holed out to the deep. However, from here on, progress was assured as stand in skipper Tim commanded the innings with authority and, despite some erratic calling between the wickets, kept the scoreboard ticking over with partner Sahid — who aggressively took on the bowling and found the boundary on several occasions before he too was dismissed with an impressive catch at long on. However, that was to be the Cox's final success of the day as Kyle and Tim easily chased down the remaining runs, the skipper unluckily and narrowly missing out on a well deserved 50. But this failed to dampen the smiles all round as the Strollers adjourned to the country club to enjoy a post match beer with their delightful hosts. Let's hope we do this again next year!

Gavin Richardson
28.07.13

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