Scorecard

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI v Great Wakering 1 on Sat 09 Aug 2025 at 1.00pm
Purleigh CC Lost by 2 wickets

Match report HOUSTON, WE'VE HAD A PROBLEM

Those were the famous words spoken by the Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell, who passed away this week, as he turned the defeat of a 1970 lost moon mission into the victory of survival and a safe return home against the odds. Sadly, the Purleigh boys did not quite have 'The Right Stuff' this week to avoid slipping to defeat against Great Wakering, when victory was potentially there for the taking, and the high flyers had a hard splashdown back to earth.

Put into bat on a hot day, Purleigh runs should have been there for the taking. The early loss of Josh Taylor after two overs hampered a smooth launch to the innings, leaving Dan Oliver and Chris Freegard to steer things back on course before Dan was caught on the boundary trying to rocket yet another delivery into orbit, 59 for 2. Jordan Oliver fell for 5 and Ranjan went cheaply the same way as Dan, and when Melvin hit a loopy trajectory to be caught at long leg it was 98 for 5 nearing drinks, with the Purleigh engines misfiring. Mark Rynn battled hard for 13 while the skipper tried to ignite the innings, sharing an eighth wicket partnership of 71 with Martin Owers (21) to take it to 211 for 8 with 3.2 overs left. Freegard docked-in for another ton before rendezvousing back with the pavilion for oxygen, out for 106 with ten balls left. Last pair Matt and Ed Oliver secured the fifth batting point, closing on 230 for 9, a defendable but not astronomical total.

Purleigh made a good start in the field, Matt Oliver and Jai Patel both hitting the stumps, then another very good catch by Jordan made it 31 for 3. Perhaps some complacency then set in, as Great Wakering reached drinks in a similar poor position to the home side, 98 for 5. However a sixth wicket partnership of 84 in good time, albeit with a stumping incident that keeper Ed Oliver found as disagreeable as a fart in a spacesuit, boosted the visitors reply to 182 for 6. Further wickets nibbled out as the skipper hit the stumps twice in one over, gave Purleigh a chance at 193 for 8 with six overs left to take the last two, but the Wakering Wiggins brothers batted well to see their side deservedly over the line with one ball to spare, Purleigh mission control perhaps missing the valuable guidance of Steve Rynn.

Disappointing, but its onwards and upwards to next week, with the nine points gained today guaranteeing a Purleigh promotion for next season's campaign in Division 2.

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
6nb 19w 3b 10lb 
for 9 wickets
38
230		        
Christian Freegard ct Gray b. L. Wiggins 106 18
Josh Taylor b Nair 0
Dan Oliver ct Overall b. O. Wiggins 33 6 1
Jordan Oliver ct and bowled Overall 5 1 1
Ranjan Gulati ct Overall b. O. Wiggins 4 1
Melvin John ct L. Wiggins b. O. Wiggins 2
Mark Rynn ct Frankel b. O. Wiggins 13 2 1
Jai Patel b Pattison 0
Martin Owers ct Pattison b. L. Wiggins 21 2
Matt Oliver Not Out  5
Ed Oliver Not Out  3 1

Great Wakering 1 Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
E. Pattison9.0141141.004.56
A. Nair9.0137137.004.11
G. Overall9.0043143.004.78
O. Wiggins9.003448.503.78
A. Gray3.003400.0011.33
L. Wiggins4.001628.004.00
A. Steel2.001200.006.00

Great Wakering 1 Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 9w 2b  
for 8 wickets
13
231 (44.5 overs)		     
I. Frankel ct J. Oliver b. Patel 19
A. Steel b M. Oliver 1
K. Foulds b Patel 1
G. Overall ct M. Rynn b. Owers 39
L. Wiggins Not Out  77
T. Stowe b John 2
G. Paterson st E. Oliver b. M. Oliver 53
A. Gray b Freegard 3
A. Nair b Freegard 2
O. Wiggins Not Out  21
E. Pattison  

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Jai Patel9.0323211.502.56
Matt Oliver9.0071235.507.89
Melvin John9.0327127.003.00
Martin Owers9.0065165.007.22
Christian Freegard8.5043221.504.87