Seconds have mixed bag at Unicorns
Fri 20 May 2016
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
A cloudy and blustery morning greeted us upon arrival at Long Marston CC, which is in a leafy area of Hertfordshire, for the SET20 matches between Unicorns and Leicestershire Second XI. It appeared that there would be no ‘fairytale’ weather in evidence for our two SET20 games against the ‘mythical beasts’ of the Second XI one day circuit.
In Game 1 Rob Sayer, skippering County for the day, won the toss and elected to bat. Aadil Ali (4) soon departed caught square on the offside by Sam Arthurton off Brinder Phagura from a ball that appeared to ‘stop’ on him.
Fellow opener Leo Cammish was joined by Michael Burgess, and the pair had advanced the score to 60-1 by the end of the 7th over. Burgess was fast off the grid and was playing a delightful innings, going through his full repertoire of strokes.
Burgess found the rope on four occasions and complimented those boundaries with a maximum. Cammish was playing somewhat of a supporting role but was taking runs from the majority of balls he faced.
With the score on 60 Cammish (22) went caught at the wicket by Lee Thomason off the impressive leg spinner Matthew McKiernan. Soon afterwards the menacing Burgess (39) went stumped off a wide from McKiernan. When in full flow Burgess is a delight to watch. County were now 74-3 from 9.4 overs and from then onwards Unicorns strangled the life out of the innings.
Ned Eckersley (11) went stumped by Thomason off Harry Stephens, Wayne White (13) was caught on the deep mid-wicket boundary by Scott from a half-tracker from Arthurton that sat up begging to be hit. Chad Barrett (3) was another batsman to perish to a catch on the deep mid-wicket boundary, this time pouched by Scott off Waqar Hussain, County now on 104-6 from 16.3 overs.
Sayer was going at a run a ball and was joined by Liam Hurt, who clubbed a maximum off returning seamer Phagura. Hurt was run out by a direct hit from Arthurton at the non-striker’s end when coming back for a second run.
The captain then hit an enormous maximum over long-on and right out of the ground, you would not have found the ball if you were still looking for it now. Sayer (23) went caught by Stephens off Hussain. Atif Sheikh (1), in nose bleed territory at number 10, was bowled by Phagura.
Sam Grant (2) went to another catch by Arthurton off Phagura, leaving Matt Wareing undefeated on 2, County all out for 133 from 19.5 overs.
The Unicorns innings was dominated by Hussain who made a matchwinning 83 from 59 balls. His half-century came up from 32 balls (6x4/2x6). Along the way he lost his opening partner Arthurton (5) caught at mid-on by Sayer from the first delivery of Hurt’s spell.
Likewise Wood (9) went caught at deep mid-wicket by Wareing off the first ball of Ali’s spell. Tim Maxfield (22) went very well-caught by Sayer, who took the catch one handed, leaping high into the air, off the bowling of White. Unicorns were now 110-3 from 15.2 overs, requiring 24 from 4.4 overs.
Unicorns then very nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, scrambling over the line with four balls of the innings remaining. Hussain’s fine knock came to an end when he was caught by Sayer at cover off left arm seamer Simon Grant. Gouldstone (0) failing to make his ground when run out by a direct hit from White. Unicorns making 134-5 from 19.2 overs to win by 5 wickets.
In Game 2 Chris Whittock won the toss for Unicorns and asked County to bat. Ali and Cammish were fast out of the traps taking County to 65 from 6.2 overs.
Ali (28) went caught by Gouldstone off Maxfield when looking to kick on. Then leg spinner McKiernan entered the fray ripping out Burgess (4) adjudged lbw, Eckersley (10) bowled after failing to make contact with reverse sweeps from the previous 2 balls, and White (7) stumped by Thomason.
Cammish meanwhile was progressing nicely and had made 38 from 31 balls when he was yet another batsman to be caught on the deep mid-wicket boundary, this time by Stephens off Maxfield. Cammish looked extremely frustrated with himself after smacking the ball straight to a fielder, County now 101-5 from 12.5 overs.
Sayer (30) and Barrett (26*) then added a sparkling 55 for the 6th wicket. Sayer went caught by Arthurton off Hussain, and Hurt played a cameo innings, taking 17 off the last over of the innings bowled by Phagura including two maximums, one of which was deposited in the nearby tennis courts.
A respectable total of 176-6 was achieved form the 20 overs and County’s bowlers reduced Unicorns to 56-6 from 7.6 overs. Hussain, the mainstay for Unicorns in the first game, went first ball lbw to Grant before Arthurton (8) was caught by Hurt off Barrett.
Wood (21) was caught at the wicket by Eckersley off Wareing. Maxfield (4) was very well-caught by Burgess taking a steepler running in from third man off the bowling of Barrett. Gouldstone unfortunately made a pair, caught by keeper Eckersley off Wareing and Scott (1) was bowled by Ali.
Although Unicorns were way behind the asking rate Whittock (52) played well, his half-century coming from 32 balls (9x4) and ensuring Unicorns made a decent total. Whittock has made a number of appearances for County Second XI in the past.
Whittock departed caught by Hurt off Grant and the last wicket to fall was Thomason (29), bowled by White. Stephens (25*) and McKiernan (10*), Unicorns making 162-8 from their 20 overs, Leicestershire winning by 14 runs.
The day was a form of silent torture as I was incarcerated in a confined space with the word Marston in my eye line all day, with no sign of any beer or a pint glass. A very unpleasant experience for a person who has been a recipient of their fine product for too many years to remember.
