Keeping the runs down harder than ever

Indoor cricket

Bowling an indoor cricket ball and controlling the swing early in its life has always been a difficult, thankless task,

And, judging by the size of scores being recorded in the Pharon League this season, is it becoming a dying art? Collecting runs at the rate of more than 10 an over (during an innings scheduled to last 12 overs) is now commonplace.

In the steamy atmosphere of the Kent Academy at St Lawrence and, with rain pounding on the roof, there were several examples on Sunday.

In the six matches played only one completed total fell below 90. Margate, all out for 62 against Kent University 2 in Division 2, were the exception. And no one will surprised to learn that Canterbury 1 the defending (and likely) champions, topped the rest of the field in Divisions 1 and 2.

Back to form – did they ever lose it? – Canterbury raced to 148-2 against Chestfield.

Canterbury shuffle their batting order rather like a pack of cards – and they always come up with an ace or two. This time it was the first four batsmen: Sam Burt (the only one out), Justin Macvicar, Max Campbell and James Mcvittie, all of whom reached 25. Chestfield replied with 93-2.

With opener Jack Wheeler carrying his bat for 34, Christ Church University 1 beat 10-man Gravesend by two wickets.

Batting last for Gravesend, U Pervaiz made 54 out of 93-5 before being stumped by Wheeler.

A patient, well-judged innings by UKC 1’s Tom Wroot earned them a one-wicket win over Street End, also a player short.

Sam Gransden (26) and Tom Stewart (25) put on 68 for Street End’s first wicket and as many as 24 wides and no balls were bowled towards a total of 96-1.

Gransden and James Chamberlain each took two of UKC’S first four wickets but Street End were also wayward with wides, 14 of them. Last man standing Wroot found the gaps in the field with 15 singles before stroking the winning boundary off the first ball of the final over.

In Division 2 Whitstable made 139-2 thanks to James Loader (47), Kain Smith (30 not) and Arron Garvey (23). But it was not enough against CCCU 2, winners by one wicket with four balls remaining.

Responsible were Harrison Ward (45 not), Tristram Killops (31), James

Roache (24) and Sam Hackney and Ben Saunders, both in the teens. Sturry 1’s Paul Moon took three Canterbury 2 wickets, as well as a run out, but they made 136-5 and then dismissed Sturry for 103.

But the bowler of the day was UKC’S Shankar, taking three Margate wickets for four runs – in two overs.

Results

Division 1

Canterbury 1 148-2 (J Macvicar 26 ret, M Campbell 26 ret, S Burt 25, J Mcvittie 25 not); Chestfield 93-2 (B Burgess 25 ret, Z Benfield 25 ret, S Hadlow 11). Canterbury won by 55 runs. Gravesend 93-5 (U Pervaiz 54, A Chand 11); CCCU 1 95-4 ( J Wheeler 34 not, D Mchugh 21, J Amos 15 not). CCCU won by two wickets.

Street End 96-1 (S Gransden 26 ret, T Stewart 25 ret); UKC 1 98-5 (T Wroot 41 not, C Adams 15, M Scammell 13; J Chamberlain 2-13, S Gransden 2-13). UKC won by one wicket.

Division 2

Canterbury 2 136-5 (D Moore 47, B Line 29, O Griffiths 31 not; P Moon 4-31); Sturry 1 103 (J Fagg 24, D Gentry 21, D Modley 17, S Lamyman 16, P Moon 12). Canterbury won by 33 runs. Whitstable 139-2 (J Loader 47, K Smith 30 not, A Garvey 23, J Smith 18 not); CCCU 2 143-5 (H Ward 45 not, T Killops 31, J Roache 24, S Hackney 18, B Saunders 14; F Wratten 2-39). CCCU won by one wicket.

UKC 2 121-3 (V Pandit 30, L White 32 not, E Ratnoweera 27 ret, N Shankar 13, H Johnson 10 not); Margate 62 (Shankar 3-4). UKC won by 59 runs.

Picture: Chris Davey Street End’s Tom Stewart made 25 in his side’s defeat against the University of Kent