Scorecard

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI v Bentley 2 on Sat 02 Jul 2022 at 1.00
Purleigh CC Won by 86 runs

Match report SKIPPER FREEGARD IS PURLEIGH'S ACE

Earlybirds Ed Oliver and Chris Freegard arrived at Purleigh Playing Field to find most of the opposition already there, and Bentley 2nd XI looked the real deal, a keen fit and athletic cricket team. Chairman of selectors Steve Rynn barely had to shuffle his pack as Purleigh were able to field ten of last week's eleven, strengthening the batting hand with the welcome addition of Brad Barrick.

Losing the toss, Chris was probably pleased to be asked to bat first on a well-prepared deck. Another good start saw Purleigh reach 33 after 7 overs before Josh Taylor, carrying a hangover, played a loose chip to be caught at mid-off for 13. Mark Rynn, carrying a leg injury, batted with Freegard for nearly 23 overs, the pair putting on 122 before the skipper holed out, well caught at long-on for 88 with 14 fours and 2 sixes, having batted with much patience. Brad Barrick came in at no.4 with a great chance to up the ante and club some quick runs but Purleigh hearts were broken when he missed one and was bowled for 6. Now the game followed suit from last week with a slight middle-order collapse, falling from 163 for 3 to 178 for 6. A seventh-wicket partnership of 29 between Steve Rynn and Jai Patel provided a bridge to a decent score, ending just shy of full batting points on 224 for 9 when Steve was run out on the last ball trying to complete a last vital single. Great hilarity had occurred at the drinks break when Bentley managed to lock one of their own players in their changing room, fortunately he was released in time for the re-start when Jai Patel heard frantic knocking!

Opening bowlers Melvin John and Matt Oliver made a tight start with the ball, getting the bonus of an early wicket when Matt held a caught and bowled skyer to leave Bentley 20-1 after 5 overs. A second wicket fell at 44 when Steve Rynn held a catch at midwicket off a Jai Patel short ball that on another day might have been retrieved from the car park. Jai took a second wicket when Matt Oliver caught the Bentley skipper at square leg off a similar delivery, 66-3. Just before drinks Chris Freegard took a punt on his own bowling and the bet paid off as he removed the set and confident-looking no.3 bat, clean bowled for 26, 100-4. Bentley had reached 129 when an even match turned in Purleigh's favour as Steve Rynn took a diamond of a catch on the midwicket boundary to remove the no.5 bat on the last ball of the captain's 5th over. Somehow a hat-trick went un-noticed at the time as two further excellent catches by Josh Taylor and Jack Hardingham were taken off the first two balls of Chris's 6th over, something of a three-card trick, as Bentley folded to 137-7, now needing a large spade to dig themselves out of trouble. At this stage, keeper Ed Oliver was a solitaire-y presence close to the stumps as fielders guarded the boundary while the Bentley batters were hitting out. Never mind man-of-the-match, King-of-the-match Freegard was both trump card and joker as he mopped up the tail, aided by Melvin John, to finish with figures of 6.5 overs, 6 for 12, Purleigh winning by 86 runs with 9 overs to spare. The old adage 'catches win matches' comes to mind as Purleigh held eight good ones.

Halfway through the season, Purleigh sit second in Division 4 with seven wins from nine games, a very satisfactory return.

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
5nb 8w 10b 4lb 
for 9 wickets
27
224		        
Christian Freegard ct Faring b. France 88 14 2
Josh Taylor ct Cruz Rocha b. Barker 13 3 1
Mark Rynn ct Knight b. Cruz Rocha 43 7
Brad Barrick b France 6 1 1
Jordan Oliver ct Knight b. France 0 1
Matt Oliver ct Gray b. France 13 1 2
Steve Rynn run out (Mills) 13 2
Jai Patel b Mills 21 2 1 1
Melvin John b Barker 1
Jack Hardingham Not Out  6
Ed Oliver  

Bentley 2 Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
R. Barker9.0137218.504.11
M. Smith7.014700.006.71
L. Mills9.0227127.003.00
E. Gray2.002400.0012.00
M France9.012947.253.22
J Cruz Rocha9.0046146.005.11

Bentley 2 Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 5w 1b 3lb 
for 10 wickets
10
138 (35.5 overs)		     
D. Gordon ct and bowled M. Oliver 14
L. Rawlinson ct S. Rynn b. Patel 13
M. Faring b Freegard 26
R. Barker ct M. Oliver b. Patel 12
C. Darby ct Hardingham b. Freegard 41
J-P Cruz Rocha ct S. Rynn b. Freegard 16
E. Gray ct Taylor b. Freegard 2
J. Knight ct J. Oliver b. John 2
M. France ct Barrick b. Freegard 1
L. Mills Not Out  1
M. Smith b Freegard 0

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Melvin John8.0126126.003.25
Matt Oliver6.0134134.005.67
Jai Patel6.0221210.503.50
Jack Hardingham9.004100.004.56
Christian Freegard7.001262.001.71