"BIG" Jacks Weekly Report
THIS WEEKS REPORT
Mersham topped off a fine week of cricket by beating the weather to register a clean sweep of weekend league wins.
Although the undoubted performance of cricket week belonged to the Sunday 1s, who turned over top of the table Ashford Town in a rain-reduced 30-over match.
Batting first, the home side got off to a flyer with Kyle McAllister and Dave Harman (77) putting on 150 for the first wicket before Ashford skipper Liam Tegg accounted for the latter.
McAllister soon went on to record his fourth century for the club, hitting 11 fours and four sixes in a superb 99-ball 119, leaving the league leaders to chase 205.
And despite a valiant knock of 77 from Liam Tegg, Ashford fell 27 runs short – Dick Fagg being the pick of the Mersham bowlers with six overs, 3-40.
The Saturday 1st team also triumphed at home, beating Hollingbourne 1s by four wickets.
Opening bowlers Darren Pugh (2-45) and James Foot (2-29) accounted for the top four ‘Bourne batsman, and Kevin Burton (3-39) took out the tale as the visitors set 157 in their 45 overs.
The Mersham batsman, led by Darren Pugh (53), contributed throughout the upper and middle order as they reached the target with 10 balls and four wickets to spare.
The Sunday 2s eased further towards promotion with a nine-wicket win at Charing.
Billy Khan’s unbeaten 59 from 51 balls was the game’s notable performance as Charing were skittled for just 89, Dan Rose taking three wickets for Mersham.
In the other second team game Ollie Austen hit 82 in what proved to be a lifeless draw, with Stowting batting out the overs with four wickets in hand.
Previous reports
14/15 June
A thrilling one run win for the Sunday 2s capped off a highly successful weekend where three of the four Mersham sides triumphed.
In the game of the weekend the Sunday 2s batted first and got off to miserable start losing openers Dave Harman and Matt Wilson for ducks. Elliot Hulland-Kemp (29) and Ed Booth (21) steadied the ship for Mersham, but visitors Elham Valley took regular wickets leaving the hosts to defend a massively under par 110.
However, Mersham were boosted by Hulland-Kemp’s early run out to remove the Valley’s dangerous opener early doors. Paceman Chris Stassen banished memories of his golden duck with a tidy three wicket spell, but Elham Valley looked to be heading for victory with A Sellers looking dangerous.
Nevertheless, when John Harman accounted for the Elham Valley number five Mersham looked well in the hunt. Kevin Burton (1-12) rattled through a quick nine overs to keep Valley under pressure, who were left to score eight from the final four overs with two wickets in hand.
With the four strike bowlers bowled out, Jack and Matt Wilson were left to bowl the last four overs and it paid dividends when the latter took a wicket in the penultimate over to leave Elham Valley nine wickets down. Then, needing just two to win from the final over, Jack Wilson trapped Elham Valley’s number 10 leg before to grab the final wicket to preserve the side’s unbeaten league record.
In the reverse of Sunday’s game, a young Mersham first eleven proved way too strong for Elham Valley’s second team.
Aussie Karl McAllister hit 102 from 15 overs before retiring, whilst Nick Pullin’s second consecutive half century and Matt Fagg (49*) helped Mersham set a huge 292.
And the Valley were never in the hunt as Ben Creed (3-16) cleaned out both openers in a measly reply of just 84 all out.
The Saturday seconds also eased to a comfortable victory over Cobham 2s to lift them to sixth place in Division 2 of the Invicta League. Nick Pullin top scored with 57, whilst Chris Meanley hit 48 in a testing total of 195.
Opening bowlers James Foot (4-27) and Simon Osbourne (2-26) ripped through the top order, whilst Bob Holley was on hand to clean up the tail as Cobham edged their way up to 132, with only Ben Smith (38) and Les England (32) providing any resistance.
However, Mersham were denied a clean sweep of victories after the Saturday 1s subsided to another defeat.
Mersham had Staplehurst on the ropes at 41/4, but a fifty partnership between T Watts (52) and S Hammond (55) helped boost their side onto 196.
Although Mersham were never in the hunt, as they fell 58 runs short with 6.2 overs to go.
Sat/Sun 7/8 June
Kevin Burton’s seven wickets and a sublime 59 from Craig Calvert ensured the Sunday 2s maintained their unbeaten Kent Village League record at Upchurch in Mersham’s only win of the weekend.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the 2s got off to a solid start with John Harman and Ed Booth putting on 30 for the first wicket before the latter was suicidally run out. Matt Roberts then fell without scoring to Kent girls bowler Alex Hales (2-32), and despite brief cameos from Billy Khan (13) and Chris Stassen (16), Mersham were soon in the mire at 65/7.
However this brought Craig Calvert and Sam Burton (12) to the crease, and with dogged determination the pair managed to put on 59 in 17 overs before Burton was bowled attempting to up the run rate. Calvert departed soon after, but the hard work had already been done as he recorded an impressive career best 59 from 80 balls in his first Kent Village League game
Chasing 142 in reply. Upchurch got off to a bad start losing both openers to the express pace of Chris Stassen (2-17). A consolidation period ensued, but when Kevin Burton (7-11) dismissed Ray Crentney just before the drinks break the ‘Church spectacular collapsed. Burton accounted for five batsman for ducks, including a hatrick completed with a sharp one-handed catch from Craig Calvert behind the stumps.
John Harman’s miserly spell (1-5) was rewarded with a wicket in his last over, but it was Burton who wrapped up the innings with just 51 on the board and 14 overs to go.
Mersham’s other teams failed to fare so well though. In the day’s other game at Hythe, the firsts capitulated to 93 all out, with Dave Fagg topscoring with 44.
Despite two wickets from 17-year-old seamer James Fearne, John Niewoudt led the way with 48 as Hythe easily knocked off the total in 23.3 overs.
In two almost identical games on Saturday both the firsts and seconds succumbed to tight, last-over defeats.
At home to Shipbourne, Rob Wilson’s first eleven recovered from a poor start which left them 35/3 to post 163/8.
Although opener Keith Willis struck a defiant 73 for Shipbourne as they reached their target with three balls to spare.
Also batting first, the second team posted 153 with Ollie Austin hitting 40. However, despite Bob Holley’s four wicket haul, it proved to be not enough as Staplehurst hit the winning runs from Nick Pullin’s last over with one wicket left.
Sat 31 May/sun 1 June
Mersham’s Saturday and Sunday first elevens succumbed to defeats in what proved to be a miserable weekend of cricket hampered by the rain.
The inclement weather put pay to both the second team games – away to Headcorn and at home to Borstal – and where there was cricket played Mersham didn’t fare too well.
Matt Fagg’s Sunday first team ended their promising run of form with a convincing eight wicket loss away at Nonington.
Despite opening batsman Dave Harman making 44, the villagers lost their trump card Kyle McCallister early on to the economical Nick Blackman (2-18), and never really recovered. The rest of the top order collapsed to leave Mersham 52-5, although a sixth wicket stand of 57 between Tom Wilding and Craig Calvert lifted Matt Fagg’s side to a total of 154-8 from their allotted overs.
However, Nonington opener Jamie Burrett (73*) made light work of the Mersham bowlers as the home side cantered home with eight wickets and six overs to spare. Kevin Wise was the only bowler to emerge with any credit as he picked up a wicket in a miserly eight over spell yielding just 23 runs.
The Saturday first team also slumped to a loss at home to Sheldwich.
The away side set 175 on a slow, low wicket, with opener Phil Stanford the mainstay on the innings hitting 63 before falling to Matt Fagg (2-36). Darren Pugh was the pick of the Mersham attack with 3-37 off his 12 overs, but Sheldwich’s bowlers proved too much for Mersham as they were dismissed for 122.
Sat 18/Sun 19 May.
Karl McAllister’s incredible unbeaten 155 from just 130 balls was the undoubted performance of the weekend as the Sunday 1sts notched up their second consecutive win in the East Kent League.
Aussie McAllister – in his third game for the club – hit 20 fours and a six to complete his second ton in as many weeks for Mersham, and with able support from fellow opener Chris Vernon (36) and a brisk 72 from Nick Pullin, the home side set a daunting 278 for Deal Victoria to chase.
Openers Brendan Schiler and Ben Smith got the visitors off to a good start with a fifty partnership, but when Simon Osbourne (2-36) broke the pair’s stand Deal quickly fell behind the mammoth asking rate and the result was never in doubt.
Wily campaigner Kevin Wise took out the visiting top order with figures of 3-42, but the pick of the bowlers was young Chris Vernon (3-25) who recorded a hatrick as he ripped through the lower order to clinch a comfortable win.
And the Sunday double was completed for Mersham in a low scoring affair at Stone-in-Oxney.
Batting first, the 2s set 145 all out with opener Steve Darlington (47) being supported with useful contributions from Matt Roberts (28) and Kevin Burton (14*).
However despite still having four wickets intact, Stone fell five runs short in their reply with Perry Calvert being the pick of the bowlers with a wicket in his economical 9 overs for just 25 runs.
Another tight game on Saturday didn’t go Mersham’s way however, as visitors Bearsted ran out winners by 43 runs against Rob Wilson’s first team.
Batting first, Bearsted set 149/7 from their allotted overs, and the villagers were never in the hunt as they were skittled for 107.
The Saturday 2nds game at West Farleigh meanwhile, fell victim to the weather.
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