Glenmore Cricket Club News story


Match Report: 1st XI vs Chinar Patriots III, Sept 14th

18 Sep 2013

Glenmore got their push for promotion back on track with a dominant victory over Chinar Patriots III on Saturday. A win was vital following back-to-back losses, and now promotion is just one more victory away.
The Glenmore team arrived early at Inland Small for a pre-game practice session. Their opponents were less keen or organised and yet again the opposition lost the toss by not having enough players at the ground on time. As it turned out Chinar would only ever have 9 players show up, making their task that much harder against a determined Glenmore XI.
The opening partnership of Bray and Storey has often times been solid but rarely been free scoring. But, with more gaps in the field and against an average bowling attack, they immediately set a high scoring tempo. Both batsmen picked off the too frequent long-hops, pulling and cutting with delight. Bray struck three boundaries and looked in excellent touch before he was adjudged lbw for 21. The full length ball struck Bray's outside edge and went down to third man, but still brought about a big appeal and the raising of the umpire's finger. Bray wandered off confused and disappointed in equal measure. But, an opening partnership of 72 in just 12 overs had set a fantastic platform.
Scoring runs often requires a slice of luck, and Storey possibly had a big slice when he was given not out to a big lbw shout. The ball had kept low, and while it may have ben sliding down leg, a great many umpires would have given it. Having been saved on that occasion Storey set about making the most of his innings. Both he and David Sherjan played in textbook fashion to give the Chinar bowlers nothing. Each ball was played on it's merits, and the pair ran extremely well between the wickets. Storey brought up his fifty with a square drive through point, and then raced into the 60s with a six over mid-wicket and a leg-glance for four. From then on he was happy to give the strike to Sherjan, who looked in excellent form from the moment he took guard.
Sherjan is a perfect number three. Rock solid in defence, especially when coming forward, and yet quick to capitalize on anything loose on offer. Twice he seized on a mistake from the Chinar bowlers, hoisting them for six. He also played one fantastic shot-arm pull for four which will live long in the memory.
With the two Englishmen at the crease Chinar looked totally flat and with little chance of breaking the partnership. The pair had put on 117 when Sherjan turned one down to fine leg. However, as he played the shot he fell to ground and could not get up. His achilles had gone and there was no way he could continue his innings. In the end he had to be helped from the field by his teammates…a sad end to an excellent knock of 56. (Sherjan now faces 6-12 months of rehab and we all wish him well in his recovery)
Ryan Jenkinson was next in for Glenmore and continued the excellent form he's had all season. Jenko is a busy, attacking batsman and was quickly into his stride. While he went after the bowlers Storey continued to nudge and hurdle singles. A beautiful straight six from Jenko was the highlight of his innings (19 from 16 balls), which was ended when he too was given lbw. 
Joubert came to the middle and immediately told Storey to keep going as his century was getting close. With just 13 overs remaining though it was time to play some more shots. Storey went to 99 with a big six over long on, and reached his hundred the next ball with a sharply taken two to deep square leg. One more four came before Storey was caught at mid-wicket for 106 (from 111 balls). It was a good knock from the vice-captain and had put Glenmore in a strong position to attack in the last 10 overs or so.
Joubert, Reinhardt and Bijju all fell in the latter stages of the innings looking to score quickly. But, as we've seen numerous times before, Ruwan proved to be the man for a late-innings tonk! The free-flowing Sri Lankan played his best knock of the season, smashing the Chinar bowlers to all parts! Four times he cleared the fence with some sensational ball striking. Twice he went big straight down the ground, and once he lofted a huge pull into the car park. Ruwan's partner for the final three overs (which brought 35 runs) was Nathan Parr. There's rarely a quiet moment where Nathan in concerned, and his stay in the middle was full of incident. He took a ball in the box, he ran like a hare (including an all run four, which had two over throws), he swung for the fences, and he even faced one delivery left handed, which he pushed calmly to long on!!!
This was just the aggressive end to the innings you always want in a 50 over game, and it again proved what a bonus it is to have wickets in hand going into the final 10 overs. Glenmore's total of 315-8 was their biggest of the season. Ruwan ended unbeaten on 43 from just 29 balls in what was a superb innings. 
Earlier in the season Glenmore had bowled Chinar out for 65, but things were not so easy this time around. The innings got off to a strange start when Nathan Parr delivered a bouncer in the first over. The ball took off and wicketkeeper Storey could only get a fingertip to it high above his head. But, rather than going for four byes, Ruwan sauntered a few metres to his left to take it on the full and calmly toss it back!
Perhaps feeling as though they had nothing to lose, the Chinar batsmen looked to be aggressive at every opportunity. Affan Haleem was particularly quick to attack, and though he lacked an orthodox technique, he was more than happy to slap anything full through the off-side. On three occasions Parr bowled a decent length ball just outside off only to see it whistle through extra cover for four. 
Having gone for 34 from four overs, Parr was able to celebrate a wicket when he cleaned up Salman Khan for 14. Chinar were 51-1, and Glenmore were feeling relieved to have their first breakthrough.
With the new ball having not done much damage (Ruwan had bowled well at the other end but hadn't picked up a wicket) it was time to slow things down, and nobody slows it down more than Richy Harvey! Last year's leading wicket taker has had a quiet time of it in 2013 but this was to be his day. The scene was set for him; a big score on the board to defend and some inexperienced batsmen who would look to take him on. In that situation Rich's experience and knowhow is always likely to succeed, and so it proved. He struck in his first over, clean bowling Affan (who thought he had a free-hit) with a quicker, flatter delivery. Two more Chinar batsmen fell victim in his second over. Zeerak was wonderfully well caught by Ryan Jenkinson, tearing in from long-on to take a diving effort low down. Attique was then taken by Bray at slip, again attempting a big shot but only managing to top edge the ball to the Glenmore skipper. 
While Richy had the ball on a string bowling up the hill, Bijju was producing a fine spell of bowling coming down the hill. Figures of 0-42 certainly don't do Bijju justice as he regularly had the batsmen in trouble and was unfortunate not to pick up a few wickets. One delivery looked certain to hit the stumps but missed off by a fraction and went for four byes.
Hamza Irfan and Aqueel Khan put up some resistance for Chinar but both eventually fell to Harvey to give him a well deserved five wicket haul. Irfan was trapped lbw, while Khan was well taken by Parr at cow corner. Rich barely bowled a bad ball in his ten overs and his five wickets for 39 runs took Glenmore to the brink of victory.
The final two wickets came in quick succession. Jenkinson clean bowled Hafeez with yet another in swinger from around the wicket (Jenko's last four wickets have come in this fashion), and Parr knocked over Ahsan with a perfectly pitched yorker. Chinar all out for 180.
It was a good display all round from Glenmore. The bowlers all did well, with Harvey the obvious stand out performer. The fielding was excellent, with particular mention going to Ulf who did splendidly as our substitute fielder in Sherjan's absence. And the batsmen all did well to put such an impressive total on the board.
Next up for Glenmore, Chinar Patriots II…the unbeaten top team. Hopefully another strong display will bring a similar result.