Scorecard

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI v High Easter 1 on Sat 05 Jul 2025 at 1.00pm
Purleigh CC Won by 5 wickets

Match report ACT II, SCENE 1

The second half of the season started with a winning toss, and Chris Freegard may have surprised High Easter by choosing to bowl first.

A classic Purleigh squeeze was applied as Jai Patel and Matt Oliver were well backed-up by their fielders, reducing the opposition to 14 for 2 after 6 overs with one opener bowled by Matt and the other well held at mid-on by Jordan off the same bowler. Matt also removed the number 3, aided by a juggling catch by Mark Rynn at square leg, 62 for 3 in 16 overs. Freegard hit the stumps at 68 for 4 and a mis-hit was pouched round the corner by Matt off Melvin to make it 93 for 5 shortly after drinks, with Purleigh looking well on top. At 104 for 6 and 108 for 7 with the dangerous Gliddon out for 57, caught and bowled by Dan Oliver, things looked even better. But number 8 Sanders hit some big shots before being stumped for 47 in the penultimate over, after Purleigh had struggled to take the last two wickets, the final total 166 for 9 with three wickets each for Matt and Chris and a commendable 9 overs, 2 for 20 for occasional fifth bowler Dan Oliver.

In reply, a superb catch at second slip sent the Purleigh captain back, out for an unexpected second consecutive duck, this time on the second ball of the innings. Perhaps he was jinxed by the 'Freegard on Fire' title of Rayleigh's YouTube highlight reel a fortnight ago, High Easter certainly knew they had a big wicket and tails were up. But Purleigh seem to have a stronger spine these days, with number 3 Dan Oliver adding 38 with Josh Taylor and 31 with Jordan Oliver before being caught on the boundary for 50 in 43 balls, aiming for a sixth six. At 69 for 3, and 85 for 4 when Jordan was bowled by one that kept low, High Easter were still interested, until Ranjan put a stop to that nonsense with his best innings yet for Purleigh, easing himself in before bringing out the big hits, well partnered by Melvin John. 19 runs in the 21st over to move from 102 to 121 seemed to remove any doubt about the result. Melvin was run out for 25 on 25.1 overs, but by this time Ranj was so dominant that Steve Rynn hadn't faced a single ball when Ranj made the winning hit for the second occasion in three games, not out 63 (49 balls), Purleigh winning by five wickets.

Doubtless those smouldering Freegard embers will ignite again soon, at the peril of future oppenents.

High Easter 1 Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
3nb 1w 6b 4lb 
for 9 wickets
14
166 (45.0 overs)		     
D. Jackson ct  J. Oliver b. M. Oliver 3
C. Cleverley b  M. Oliver 10
W. Abbasi ct  M. Rynn b. M. Oliver 12
N. Gliddon ct  and bowled D. Oliver 57
M. Green b  Freegard 1
S. Hills ct  M. Oliver b. John 11
J. Young b  Freegard 3
L. Sanders st  E. Oliver b. Freegard 47
N. Huda ct  E. Oliver b. D. Oliver 0
T. Moss Not Out  7
M. Chanda Not Out  1

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Jai Patel9.013600.004.00
Matt Oliver9.0236312.004.00
Melvin John9.0325125.002.78
Christian Freegard9.0039313.004.33
Dan Oliver9.0220210.002.22

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 2w 1b  
for 5 wickets
4
168		        
Christian Freegard ct  Jackson b. Sanders 0
Josh Taylor ct  Giddon b. Jackson 13 13 3 100
Dan Oliver ct  Green b. Moss 50 43 3 5 116.28 1
Jordan Oliver b  Jackson 13 25 2 52.00 1
Ranjan Gulati Not Out  63 49 8 3 128.57
Melvin John Run out  25 26 4 96.15
Steve Rynn Not Out  0
Mark Rynn   1
Jai Patel  
Matt Oliver   1
Ed Oliver   1 1

High Easter 1 Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
L. Sanders5.0026126.005.20
D. Jackson9.0142142.004.67
T. Moss6.0151151.008.50
N. Huda4.002200.005.50
N. Gliddon2.002000.0010.00
M. Chanda0.30600.0012.00