Seconds hold nerve for dramatic win
WITH probably their strongest side of the season so far, Bramhall’s 2nd XI went in to the game with Urmston in confident spirits, despite defeat a week earlier.
In contrast to earlier matches, the game started under grey skies, with a hint of dampness in the air. Having won their previous game, Urmston had elected to bat, after winning the toss.
Urmston started steadily, aided by a couple of dropped catches from the bowling of the unlucky Lewis Welch, before Gavin Tomlinson struck to take the wickets of both openers, leaving the visitors on 72-2. By the mid-innings drinks break, Urmston had reached 84-2, giving them a firm base even if the scoring rate had been fairly sedate.
After drinks Matt Kilcourse and Bilal Hanif looked to accelerate things, aided by some wayward bowling from James Davenport, who also managed to snare two wickets as Bramhall started to hold on to their catches.
When Hanif was stumped off the bowling of Tom Drury, with the score at 156-5, it was left to Ritesh Shetty to maintain the impetus for Urmston. Stuart Stoneman’s economical spell was rewarded with the wicket of Shannon Howie, who had provided good support.
None of the other batters added many to the total, but a late flurry of boundaries and wickets ended with Urmston all out for 226 with one ball of their inning to go.
Tom Drury ended with a barely deserved five wickets as he benefited from the late aggression.
Bramhall’s innings started well, with Alex Hunt continuing his fine run of form.
Together with Andy Reynolds the first wicket partnership had reached 83 before Hunt succumbed. Jack Harris played a cameo innings combining elegance and ugly shots before he played on to impressive young spinner Arav Shetty, leaving Bramhall on 114-2.
Reynolds reached a well deserved 50 before he and Tim Wood fell in quick succession.
At 155-4 Bramhall were scoring at the required rate, and Stuart Stoneman and Gavin Tomlinson continued steadily, adding 57 together.
The required run rate had grown to over five runs per over, and when both were out with the score on 212, Bramhall needed 15 to win from just over two overs.
The apparently unflappable 13-year-old Ed Gray had joined the unpredictable Davenport at the crease, and some scampered ones and twos brought the target down to eight runs from the last over.
An ugly air shot off the first ball of the over didn’t augur well for Bramhall, but Davenport showed his classical side with a driven six over long-on from the next ball.
The final scampered two runs came a ball later to seal an exciting victory for Bramhall.