Energy Exiles Cricket Club

Match Summary: vs. Whalers, Sunday, 28 May 2017

Ground: Nursery Road
Captain: Chris Plume
Match type: 35 overs
Toss: Whalers elected to bat
Weather: Cloudy with a heavy shower
Opposition: Whalers scored: 166 for 5 (30.2 overs)
Exiles Score: 117 all out (23.2 overs)
Result: Lost by 49 runs
Man of the match: Phil Ling 3 for 27

Exiles, despite amassing 11 players to play the fixture - the first time the club has managed to get out a full side this season, including 5 debutants - which must be a club record, were beaten by 49 runs by Whalers in a rain-affected encounter at Nursery Road.

In initially dry conditions, the toss was lost and Exiles were in the field and the Whalers openers got off to a fine start, putting on exactly 100 for their opening wicket before golden-arm Leuvennink struck with the oft-used trick of full-toss, half-tracker, full-toss, picking up the wicket courtesy of a fine catch by the gut of debutant Luke Taylor.

Shane Kruger then also picked up a wicket in the next over - though his lack of appeal suggested he didn't want the caught behind upheld, though luckily debutant keeper John Crossland heard the nick - and so did the umpire, though the batsman looked a touch disappointed to be triggered so hastily by his team-mate.

Suddenly Exiles were able to pull things back quite sharply with Ling (3 for 27) the main beneficiary - taking advantage of ever-darkening skies to find enough swing to pick up 3 good wickets - one coutersy of an excellent diving catch low to his left by Crossland down the leg-side.

However Whalers were still in a strong position at 166/5 off 30.2 overs when the rain became too heavy and an early tea was called. The captains negotiated a  Duckworth-Lewis esque scenario that the Exiles would now require 167 off 28 overs.

And with the wet ball, the Whalers bowlers struggled initially and several full-tosses were despatched by Taylor (25) and another of Exiles debutants on the day Kinal Patel (25), putting on 52 for the first wicket in less than 7 overs. 

And even after they and Geoff Ng all fell, a partnership of 40 between yet another debutant - Ray, brother of Shane, Kruger and Levennink saw Exiles well in the chase at 102/3 after 15. So 65 were required off 13 overs with 7 wickets in hand.

Unfortuntely that was as good as it got for the Exiles as the Whalers bowlers suddenly found their rythmn and took wickets with alarming frequency, taking advantage of suddenly bowler-friendly conditions with accurate bowling.

So with 6 further wickets taken for 14 runs, Exiles were 116/9 needing a further 51 for the win with Crossland supporting Exiles batting legend Ling. The Exiles side sat back in their seats anticapting the inevitable Ling masterclass to take his side home. Unfortunately his off stump was knocked back 4th ball - a mere 50 runs short of a half-century and the game was up - 117 all out.

So a disappointing collapse by the Exiles who probably faced the rough end of an important lost toss. Onwards to Beddington next week.

Report By: Andrew Wingfield

Last modified: 11 March 2018 14:31:46. Top of the page