On a pleasant day at Old Elizabethans, where Martley had enjoyed much success in recent years, the visitors decided to bat looking to not lose early wickets as Dom Jones made the trip back from London life to open with Christian Mulvihill.
Hard going to score runs, the pair got to 9 overs before DJ (6) missed one from OEs’ new signing Hannah Hardwick who bowled a brilliant spell of 1-19 in 9. 14-1 after 10, a very slow start but at least wickets in hand for MCC. In-form Owen Birchley also found scoring hard but played a hard-earned 25 before chipping a wide one up two balls before drinks. 54-2 from 25, Martley doing well to keep wickets intact but needing to get the run rate moving.
A hungover Mulvihill’s patience finally ended after 92 balls, bowled for a stoic 20, while Karl Baker also had to work hard for 27 before he was caught. Sadly the tight bowling & inability to keep the scoreboard ticking left Martley a mountain to climb at the end & at 106-4 with less than 10 overs remaining, they desperately needed to try & up the ante.
However, Tom Vale (5), Scott Hodgetts (1) & Ollie Dunks (5) came & went trying to slog from ball one & Alex Basford got another hard-earned 28 before Andy Stephens (5-45 in 10) cleaned him up.
James Ganderton managed a couple of blows before being caught in the deep for 18 & Pete Gardner made 7 with Alex Stratford (1no) trickling Martley to a below-par 157ao in the 50th over.
Superb bowling was needed in reply but it wasn’t what we got, despite one climber from Alex Basford forcing Chris Pearman to retire hurt in the 1st over (although he did try & wear it instead of evading it), & nobody else had to walk back to the pavilion. Seven Martley bowlers had a go at trying to break through as Sebastian Wilkins (87no in 69) lived an extremely charmed life. Edges into gaps, top edges for six, it really just wasn’t Martley’s day while Nathan Dobbins (58no) was solid at the other end to seal a 10-wicket win inside the 25th over.
A very disappointing day for the House Martins who host Stourport this Saturday hoping for better fortunes. #UTM
