THE hospitality was excellent at Rowledge on Sunday – the club’s President’s Day – but the I’Anson Representative side showed no quarter on the field and beat the host side by 106 runs.
With memories of their 160-run win two years ago, I’Anson skipper Andy Hall Hall chose to bat on a good-looking surface at the Recreation Ground where ground works have recently been completed to give it the correct dimension for Southern Premier League ‘Gold’ standard.
But it was not the start the visitors wanted as Alex Bloomfield’s first ball of the game rose off a length to dismiss Joe Randall – caught by former Chiddingfold player Tom Gleave.
However, Jake Austin and Pete Melhuish soon got the scoreboard ticking over and then Nathan Phillimore joined Austin in a free- scoring partnership of 93.
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Austin was caught for 65 and, at 132-3, the I’Anson looked well set for a big total.
But some excellent bowling from ex-Rep XI spinners George Keeley and Chris Board put the brakes on and wickets began to fall, mainly to Keeley, the slow left-armer returning superb figures of 6 for 21 in eight overs.
Phillimore, the Grayshott captain, was seventh man out for 56 and a valuable 24 not out from Iain Jackson at the end helped the I’Anson to a highly competitive 216-8 from their 40 overs.
Sunday cricket or not, Rowledge will have bad dreams about the start to their reply. Seamer Jackson (3-10 in 6 overs) and left-arm spinner Chris Terry (2 for 20 in 8) bowled a nagging line and length to remove the top four for a measerly two runs.
And when skipper David Lloyd – in prime form at present – got out mis-timing a leg-side flick, the home side were an embarrassing 15-5.
Gleave, who has struggled to make the transition from I’Anson to Southern Premier League, and Keeley stopped the rot, mixing defence with some powerful stroke-play to steady the innings with a partnership of 62.
However, the protection of their wickets, combined with some keen fielding and metronomic bowling from Jake Austin, Alex Bertola, Stuart Smith, Melhuish and Randall, meant that Rowledge were always behind the rate.
Gleave was bowled by Randall for 43 and Keeley, seventh man out for 35, was smartly stumped by Callum Kent off the same bowler.
Rowledge were bowled out for 110 in the 38th over.