2013 Season Match Reports

Lavant vs Lynchmere, 31st August

Lavant hosted Lynchmere and were asked to field in what turned out to be a low scoring game on a delightful summer’s afternoon. There was some very tight bowling from Stevens but it was Stross who struck first thanks to a fine diving catch by Burford at second slip to remove Gibson. Berkley came on as first change bowler and immediately ripped through the Lynchmere middle order with Hall taking control at the other end as five batsmen fell without troubling the scorers. Lavant needed one wicket to close the Lynchmere innings but the final pair put on over 30 runs together and the innings ended on 141 with thirty minutes to tea. Lavant’s reply started slowly until Carroll and Berkley threatened to take the game away from Lynchmere. Two quick wickets and Lynchmere were back in control of the game. Lavant’s last pair were at the crease with more than 50 runs needed to win the game with all the time in the world to get past the Lynchmere total. They slowly chipped away at the deficit but one mistake and Lynchmere had won the game by 20 runs

Lavant vs Parham, 17th August

Lavant played their first game at Parham in the lovely setting of the grounds of the old house. Parham elected to bat and got off to a flying start only to be pegged back by some good bowling from Stevens and Stross who was playing his first game for Lavant this season. Lavant couldn’t make any further breakthrough for over an hour, and a couple of hard catches weren’t held, as Williams and Moody scored freely. As the pair accelerated the run rate they both holed out in the deep. This brought a steady succession of batsmen to the crease who tried to increase the run rate and gave away their wickets cheaply. Parham declared on 193 for 8 at tea. Lavant’s reply started slowly with Burford chasing a wide ball safely into the hands of the deep point fielder. Brooker continued his fine form this season and together with Stevens they took the game away from Parham. A Lavant win looked possible with these two batsmen at the crease. All of Parham’s fielders were on the boundary to limit the run rate until Brooker was out to a good running catch at long on. Stevens continued the run chase with a huge six over midwicket but a run out mix up with Lavant’s skipper ended Stevens’ fine innings on 91 and Lavant ended up 10 runs short of victory at the close as both teams settled for a draw.

Lavant vs Twelfth Man, 10th August

What a completely different game from the previous week for Lavant. Twelfth Man won the toss and batted first. They lost their first wicket to the second ball of the innings and never recovered. 22 for 4 quickly became 30 for 8 and eventually Twelfth Man were all out for 34. Lavant held all their catches including two good diving catches from Hall in the gully and Nash at mid on, his first catch for Lavant. Only Penny stood firm and carried his bat. Lavant quickly knocked off the runs for the loss of one wicket, Carroll continuing his fine form, dispatching the ball to all parts of the boundary. Tea was taken early and a 10 over beer match followed with Lavant reversing the batting order so everyone had a game.

Lavant vs Boxgrove, 3rd August

What a game! Stevens, skippering Lavant for the first time, lost the toss and Lavant were asked to bat. Lavant scored over 50 for the opening partnership for the first time for many weeks with Rawnsley dominating the scoring. Brooker continued in perfect form this summer till he was eventually bowled by a ball that jagged and kept very, very low. Carroll hit an unbeaten 50, well supported by Berkley and Lavant declared at 204 for 4 at tea. Boxgrove’s reply got off to a slow but steady start thanks to some tight bowling by Davies and Rawnsley and with 17 overs of the game remaining, Boxgrove were five wickets down and needed about 160 runs to win. Lavant fancied their chances of taking the last five wickets and winning the game. Wakefield set about the Lavant bowling with ferocity, scoring 26 in one over and what looked like a win for Lavant became a desperate effort to save the game. Wakefield scored 122 before he was run out by a direct hit from skipper Stevens from long on. There were three overs remaining, Boxgrove needed 20 runs, Lavant needed 4 wickets, but neither Lavant’s bowlers or Boxgrove’s new batsmen could force a result and Boxgrove ended their innings on 193 for 5

Lavant vs Gentlemen of Bedales, 7th July

On the hottest day of the year so far Lavant travelled to Bedales School to play on the flattest pitch the team has ever seen in the grounds of the school. Whoever won the toss was going to bat first on this afternoon and almost inevitably Lavant were fielding for 35 overs during the hottest part of the day. Lavant’s bowlers stuck to their task and despite a very fast outfield they managed to restrict the run rate of the Gentleman of Bedales. Davies struck first when Bott was caught at mid off followed shortly after by a caught and bowled to dismiss King. Stevens and Dane steadied the Gentleman of Bedales innings until Hall induced the stumping of Stevens and despite some lusty blows from Dane the Gentleman of Bedales innings ended at tea on 141. Lavant made a slow start until the first two wickets had fallen then the steady partnership of Burford and Brooker nearly kept up with the run rate required. As they tried to increase pace they both sliced catches to third man and with some strong hitting from Nichols the total was in sight until he was bowled. Perhaps the Gentleman of Bedales skipper miss counted the overs left as the final over was taken by a part time bowler and one of the main bowlers had an over remaining of his allocation which meant that it enabled Burford and Portsmouth to see Lavant home with three balls to spare. The Gentlemen of Bedales’ scorer has produced a report showing a wonderful statistical breakdown of the game.

Lavant vs Arundel Grasshoppers, 8th June

On a perfectly glorious June day Arundel Grasshoppers visited Lavant for their first match between the two clubs for many years. Arundel won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first. Their openers made a bright start with the ball racing away over the very fast outfield and they reached fifty without loss within ten overs. A total in excess of 200 looked possible at this stage. Lavant’s bowlers stuck to their task and slowly restricted the run rate with Banks striking first to remove Connolly caught at point. Budd soon followed again caught at point this time off the bowling of Nicholls. Rawnsley joined the attack and caught and bowled Brown. Stevens took over from the tiring Nicholls and immediately had three wickets caught behind with a fourth LBW and ripping the heart out of the Arundel middle order batsmen. Rawnsley continued and bowled the two tail enders and Arundel ended their innings on the stroke of tea for 136. Lavant’s reply started badly as usual, losing their first wicket from the final ball of the first over when Sands edged to slip. Brooker and Burford steadied the innings and took the score to over 120 before Brooker edged to slip. Carroll eased the tension by carting a six over midwicket before falling plumb LBW to a delivery that squared him up. Portsmouth saw Lavant past the total with a boundary past deep mid wicket. So ended a good game of village cricket in perfect surroundings in fabulous weather, surely a day to remember on the dark and dismal winter evenings

Lavant vs Boxgrove, 1st June

Lavant were asked to bat by Boxgrove on a well prepared strip and despite an early wicket and the ball moving around, Lavant steadily built their total from a slow start. Stevens, who went on to score his maiden century for Lavant in the final over, and Burford started to score more freely as the sun dried out the wicket. When Burford was bowled and Brooker joined Stevens at the crease the run rate accelerated and Lavant were able to declare at tea on 202, their best score so far this season. Boxgrove’s reply started quickly with Thorpe hitting all the loose balls to the midwicket boundary for a series of towering sixes. Chamberlain added his support but Lavant’s bowlers were unable to make a break through and Boxgrove scored over one hundred for the first wicket when Thorpe was bowled. Boxgrove’s run rate slowed with his departure and Lavant picked up three more wickets, with Hall being the pick of the bowlers, before Boxgrove’s innings closed on a 135 and the match was drawn.

Lavant vs Westbourne, 19th May

Lavant lost their first wicket in the second over and never really recovered from this point in the game. Brooker, batting at number three, showed his usual skill and quickly scored fifty runs supported well by Stevens but all the other Lavant batsmen were finding it difficult to score against a tidy Westbourne bowling attack, Haines was the pick of the bowlers. Although Lavant batted through to tea time a total of 143 was never going to be enough to defend on the small Westbourne ground. Stevens opened the bowling for Lavant and despite having run a 10k race in the morning, found his rhythm and took two quick wickets. The new Westbourne batsmen opened their shoulders and launched six after six into the neighbouring fields and rattled the wire fences with firmly struck boundaries. At the end of the game with Westbourne only needing a handful of runs to win, Lavant contrived to make their performance even worse by dropping two catches which perhaps would have made the score line look a bit more respectable, as Westbourne cruised to victory with 18 overs to spare.

Lavant vs Curdridge, 28th April

When extras scores more than any other batsman you know your side is in trouble, only two batsmen reached double figures, three ducks and a few very low scores meant Lavant were bowled out for 70 runs in under 90 minutes. This was Lavant’s opening game of the season and despite early season nets for some of the players, everyone’s inability to put bat on ball led to their downfall. Nash, the youngest player in the team kept calm as wickets fell around him but ran out of partners and an early tea was taken. Curdridge made batting look very easy and despite two quick wickets as Curdridge gave two of their younger players an opportunity to open the batting, they chased down the total in under 10 overs with some very powerful hitting. Lavant’s season can only improve.

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