1st XI Back To Winning Ways In Reduced Overs Game

With the rain stopping and the Umpires agreeing that the game should be reduced to 25 overs, play began at 2pm, with West Ilsley winning the toss and choosing to bat on a hard wicket but wet outfield, although with the sun now beaming down, it wouldn't be long before the outfield became lightening fast!

Dan Farrant opened from the Pavilion End and Chris Graham from the Brake End. Both began well in what were now ideal conditions for batting. Farrant took the first wicket of the game after the batsman chopped on to his stumps trying to play a cut shot too a ball that was too full and straight. With only 7 overs per bowler, Captain Richard Walker made early changes with Graham bowling 3 overs before being replaced by Jim Blackford and Farrant by Sam Rodway. Both of these followed on from where the openers left off by bowling good line and length. Blackford was returning to the 1st XI for the first time in 3 seasons and looked like he had never been away as one of KCCs all time leading wicket taker went on to take 4 wickets. Blackford took a wicket in his first over with he swing and pace deceiving the batsmen as he mistimed the ball straight to And Oliver at midwicket. His next wicket came courtesy of a brilliant catch by Jack Desmond at short mid wicket as the batsman mistimed a cross bat slog and skied one which Desmond took brilliantly. Blackfords 3rd wicket was caught by Dan Farrant at short extra cover with a diving catch and Desmond took his second catch of the game in the slips for Blackfords 4th. Farrant came on for Rodway who had bowled a brilliant 5 over spell, going for only 8 runs. Farrant took his second wicket bowling the batsman with a yorker as West Ilsley were struggling on 70/6 with only 5 overs remaining. With Blackford bowled out, Sam Rodway came on for the last two overs from the Brake End, as Farrant took his 3rd wicket in his last over with a swinging delivery that hit the top of offstump. Chris Graham replaced Farrant as he and Rodway finished the innings well and West Ilsley managed a below par 92/7 from their 25 overs.

With the skies beginning to darken, both umpires and captains agreed tea would be taken after the KCC innings, to allow the game as much of a chance to be completed as possible.

Andy Oliver and Captain Richard Walker opened for KCC as the raced to 25 from the first 4 overs with Oliver and Walker both striking boundaries down the ground before Walker mistimed a pull shot straight to square leg. This brought Jack Desmond to the crease, although he wasn't there for long as in rather untypical fashion, Desmond mistimed a straight drive and was caught and bowled. With Oliver ticking along nicely, Chris East joined him with both batsmen looking in good form. Oliver punished any slightly short bowling as East smashed anything over pitched down the ground as KCC moved past 50 in the 10th over with the loss of only 2 wickets. Oliver and East continued to move the score along with some good running as the clouds began to cover the previously blue skies and the rain started to fall. Both batsmen knew the game needed to be finished quickly and with only 12 runs needed East tried to work a good ball to the boundary but was caught well in the covers. Ralph Bishop joined Oliver with the intent of finishing the game within an over as he smashed consecutive boundaries down the ground before Oliver finished the game with a pull shot that went for 4 as KCC secured victory just as the heavens opened!