Run Riot in Hearnies Homepatch

On a glorious day in Hearnie's backyard (the Kent countryside), Prospect Park elected to bat first, with Russell and Gannon AWOL encountering 'Clockwise' style shenanigans on the way to the match.

Big Dave Hearn and Davey Boy fletcher opened the innings for Park but it was a case of after the Lord mayors show for Fletch as he was soon out for 4 after his top batting the previous day. So Park at 8 for 1 and Dave Weston in at no.3 to join Hearnie who was in usual mood looking for the big boundaries. Unfortunately Hearnie was out caught for 13 fine runs, leaving Park on 24 for 2. In strode Kenny Robotham at no.4 to help Dave steady the ship, adding 25 for the next wicket, with Kenny pushing the singles and Davey Boy Weston opening up his shoulders and clipping the ball to the boundary. Kenny gallantly walked after getting a tiny edge through to the wicket keeper, out for 12 with Park on 49 for 3. Dave Robotham entered the fray at no.5 and soon was into a great partnership with the club Treasurer. This pair really made the park innings, running well and hitting the boundaries regularly, Billy Whiz Weston particularly using the pace of Harvels fast bowler against him to hit the off side boundary, and Dave Robo driving and cutting superbly. Dave Robotham eventually holed out off what looked like a great shot, caught in the covers, for a superb 36, leaving Park on 119 for 4. Gannon came in at no.6 to join Weston who was now well on his way to his highest score for the club. In fact the Park bench was by now in a state of delerium, with Weston throwing back the years by regularly cutting to the boundary and the non batters hoping to escape match fee's from an escatic club Treasurer! Gannon was soon into his stride hitting a couple of boundaries and running the singles with a tiring Weston. Unfortunately Dave was to get out just two runs short of what would have been a maiden club fifty, looking for a quick run to the covers, and being run out to a direct hit. With Weston out for a classic 48, and Park looking good on 160 for 5, Skipper Brupacher joined the fray. Gannon was trying to keep the score moving and after hitting a six, was out having a swipe, edging to the keeper. Gannon out for a quickfire 38 with Park still looking good at 169 for 6. With Park looking to score 200+ to post a competitive score a couple of quick wickets went down with players looking to hit some big shots. Firstly, Johnny Ling caught for 4 to leave Park on 173 for 7, then Craig bowled for 1, Park on 174 for 8. Captain Brupacher though, was looking good at the other end, cutting well and pushing the score along to try and nurse Park over the 200 mark. Vice skip, Davey Boy Partridge joined Bru to steady things and helped add 19 for the next wicket, before falling for 6, clean bowled, to leave Park on 193 for 9. Alan Russell came in with two overs left but was soon run out with Park looking to run on every ball in the final over. Alan, out for 3 with Brun finishing on 21 not out, with Park finishing on an even 200 all out off 44.4 overs.

Partridge brothers David and Craig opened the bowling for Park, and bowled very tightly, Harvel struggling to get the ball off the square, however there was 29 on the board before the first breakthorugh was made, Craig clean bowling the no.1 batsmen with a full pitched delivery. Harvel managed to keep their score ticking along, aided by a few harsh looking no ball calls on Craig, and reached 65 before the next wicket fell, with Davey Boy clean bowling Harvels no.2 after a very clever series of deliveries. Dave soon repeated the trick getting no.4 to edge through to Skipper Brupacher who took a nice clean catch, leaving Harvel on 65 for 3. Johnny Ling and Alan Russell were up on the first change and started off bowling tightly but the two new batsmen consolidated the Harvel score. Lingo's rythm was upset by some very harsh wide calls but he got his revenge by trapping the no.5 plumb LBW, leaving harvel on 83 for 4. Harvel had only managed to put on another 10 before Al forced their dangerous looking no.3 bat to play onto his stumps, 93 for 5. At this stage Park were well on top and harvel were requiring just over a hundred off the last ten overs. However, two quality batsmen were now at the crease including a first team ringer, and they decided to make the push for victory. With a short boundary on one side affording relatively easy fours, and a wide space on the other giving plenty of range for singles the Harvel batsmen applied the pressure brillaintly. Forcing the field deep by hitting boundaries, then pushing singles with ease, they were soon keeping up with the required rate. Dave Fletcher came on for an over to try and break the partnership but to no avail. The Park bowlers and fielders didnt help themselves at this point and ill discipline crept in as the pressure mounted. The opening pair of Craig and Dave Partridge came on for the last gasp but couldnt prevent the Harvel batsmen from knocking off the required runs, the winning hit, with just 2 balls remaining.

On a rock hard pitch and with a small boundary on one side, although Park put up a big score, it was always felt that it might have been 20 or so short for a chasing home team. This proved true, and an excellent batting display, followed by a similar bowling and fielding display deteriorated badly only in the last ten overs, when the pressure told and Park couldn't cope with a determined and professional push by Harvel.

PPCC's 30000th single - Tim Gannon's 100th match - Al Russell's 350th wicket taken

A pretty easy choice this week, with a superbly timed career best score of 48 from Dave Weston.