March 256-3 Thriplow I 185 all-out March won by 71 runs

THRIPLOW went down by 71 runs against a well-organised March II team on Saturday.

On a hot humid day and confronted with a hard flat wicket, stand-in skipper Morris got off to the worst possible start by losing the toss and being forced to field.

Thriplow’s opening bowling attack of Morris and Woolley were able to cause some problems for them but anything loose was soon sent racing to the rope across the quick outfield. With March 55-0 in the 12th over, Thriplow turned to spin with Rob Craze and Richie Turner brought into the attack.

After seeing his first over disappear for 11, Turner settled into his rhythm and started to test the batsmen while at the other end Craze was uncharacteristically unable to find a good line and length and was duly punished. Charlie Stephenson bowled a tight first over but some good shots from Kaberry combined with some tired Thriplow fielding quickly ensured he received similar punishment.

The breakthrough finally came in the 28th over with the score on 154 when Turner clean bowled Kaberry for 75 and he repeated the trick a couple of overs later to remove Miller for a well made 83. Turner bowled his 12 overs straight through and was the pick of the bowlers finishing with 2-58. The returning Woolley dismissed Wenman for 16 courtesy of a stunning one-handed catch by Aly Cliffe but this was to be the last wicket taken. Thriplow did, however, keep things relatively tight in the last 10 overs and were able to restrict March to a tough but gettable 256-3 from their 45 overs.

Thriplow’s response got off to a poor start when Giasemidis was clean bowled by the dangerous Jackman without scoring in the 4th over. This brought run-machine Cliffe to the crease and he was soon able to get the scoreboard moving along with a succession of well-timed boundaries.

In the eighth over, Jackman struck again, removing Carr lbw for six who seemed thoroughly unimpressed with the decision. Cliffe kept going and together with the new batsmen Spotswood, guided Thriplow to 67-2 at drinks after 15 overs. Spotswood perished in the first over after drinks when he was tempted into a slog sweep by the young spinner Oliver but could only find a grateful pair of hands on the boundary at deep square leg. Cliffe brought up a well deserved 50 but was out in the next over stumped off the bowling of Oliver (2-47).

Walker was out for four shortly after when he was caught and bowled by the accurate Arnold and Thriplow’s reply was in disarray at 89-5 in the 23rd over.

Andy Craze joined son Robert at the crease as the two set about rebuilding the innings. Both played some elegant strokes, but as the required run rate climbed towards 10-per over, the pressure eventually told with Rob Craze run-out for 32 attempting a quick single.

Andy Craze then started to regularly find the boundary and supported by the new batsmen Morris the most unlikely of victories seemed briefly possible if highly unlikely.

This hope was quickly extinguished when Craze was clean bowled by the returning Jackman for 45 and with the run-rate increasing, Thriplow’s lower order perished as they eventually slumped to 185 all out in the 41st over.