West Malvern march on towards promotion (From Malvern Gazette)

West Malvern march on towards promotion

5:36pm Wednesday 15th August 2007 in Cricket

WEST MALVERN v HALLOW

WITH summer finally arriving at Mathon Court, West Malvern, having lost the toss, were not unhappy to be asked to bat by a rejuvenated and hungry Hallow side.

The West's openers Tony Williams and Steve Wright, found the wicket hard and flat. Williams, looked in superb touch, often driving and cutting the Hallow opening bowlers to all parts over a fast outfield.

However, when a big score seemed inevitable, an injudicious attempt at a sweep saw his downfall for a well constructed 33. Enter Brian Pleass, who announcing his arrival with several trade mark walking drives from his aging willow, put on 88 in 17 overs with Wright, each batsman reaching their 50s within a ball of each other.

Colin Stratford had bowled tightly for the visitors and with the innings needing of momentum from a strong looking middle order, the departure of Pleass (50) and Wright (65) brought new batsmen Shailly Badra and Paul Smith together. They threw caution to the wind, the wristy and debonair Badra making a welcome return to form, providing a flurry of late cuts and deft touches and acting as a foil to the more workman-like and solid Smith, the pair pushing the total past 200. A flurry of late wickets in the search for runs saw an under the weather captain Gilbert enter the fray to aid the rampant Badra (36no) complete the West's innings on 231-5.

West Malvern's depleted bowling attack had their work cut out to take 10 Hallow wickets on a feather-bed wicket. The willowy young pace bowler Rowan Dakin stepped up to the mark superbly, bowling intelligently to secure a four wicket haul - the most valuable scalp being the Hallow number three Parry (40), who looking in belligerent mood until he found Hurrell in the covers.

At the other end a fiery James Blackshaw provided a contrasting style to the more measured and probing Dakin, who finished with figures of 12-2-30-4. Wright once again was called upon to give his all for his team, his 12 overs for only 38 runs repaid his skipper's faith by trapping the stubborn Stratford for 17.

The dilemma for captain Gilbert, who once again marshalled his troops superbly, was how to dislodge the determined Hallow middle order batsmen.

Various spin options were tried but Williams with two wickets for 11 runs including the dangerous Phil Hobbs (43) proved the most successful and capped a fine all-round display with his canny and underrated off-spin. Pleass chipped in with the wicket of Redman, who had previously hoisted him over long on for a mighty six.

However, it was Hurrell who proved to be the match winner - his first run out dislodged the bemused Hallow skipper Mason, his second thrown in to the faultless Rogers finally put an end to the Hallow resistance.

From being in a position to win the game at 30 overs the Hallow innings had been unravelled by the determined West, who ran out comfortable winners by 73 runs in the 43rd over for 24 points West Malvern march on, with three games to go and still undefeated, they are well placed for promotion at least.

Netherton provide the opposition tomorrow (Saturday), once again in the beautiful grounds of Mathon Court.