Scorecard

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI v Old Chelmsfordians 2 on Sat 31 May 2025 at 1.00pm
Purleigh CC Won by 36 runs

Match report OLD BLOKES AND YOUNG GUYS ALL IN THE MIX

This weeks' visitors, Old Chelmsfordians 2nds, did their best to live up to their name by fielding almost as many 'extra mature' players as the home side, indeed the combined age of the two wicketkeepers was 120 years but only six byes were conceded in the match. Purleigh welcomed another of Dan Oliver's slightly younger mates, Ranjan Gulati, for a debut, sadly he was caught on the longest boundary for one but went on to demonstrate some sharp fielding and held three excellent catches in the deep.

Winning the toss, batting first was a no-brainer on a hot day and Chris Freegard and Josh Taylor compiled another good opening partnership, this time 92 in 17 overs before the skipper was lbw for 44, hit on the pad by one that kept low. Taylor fell for 39 a few balls later, leaving two new batsmen at the crease. Melvin John also went lbw and Ranjan holed out in the deep to a shot worthy of a six on most grounds, 118 for 4 in 23 overs. Just as Dan Oliver was starting to make hay, he hit one straight to a fielder, caught for 39. It was left to Steve Rynn to marshall the remaining 20 overs until he was last man out for 32, Purleigh reaching 203 all out, a defendable total which hadn't completely batted OCs out of it with a feeling that maybe 50 runs had been left out there as well as 4.4 unused overs.

Once again, the Purleigh squeeze helped to restrict OCs to 31 for 1 from 11 overs, Ranjan nonchalantly pouching a catch off Matt Oliver in the 10th. Scoreboard pressure mounted as Shahid started well, and wickets fell regularly at 57, 59, 71, 88, 92, 109 and then 126 for 9 in the 36th over with good catches in the deep for Mark Rynn and Dan Oliver, plus nimble age-defying efforts from Steve Rynn and an even better caught-and-bowled by Melvin John, at full stretch inches off the turf. That looked like game over but an annoying last-wicket stand of 43 delayed the inevitable until 3 balls were left and fittingly Ranjan took his third good catch, this time off Melvin's bowling, 167 all out. Purleigh winning by 36 runs.


Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 19w 4b 2lb 
for 10 wickets
26
203		        
Christian Freegard lbw Ali 44 7 1
Josh Taylor ct Cook b. Habib 39 4 1
Dan Oliver ct Kulshreshtha b. Robson 39 4 2 1
Melvin John lbw Habib 0 1
Ranjan Gulati ct O. Speakman b. Ali 1 3
Steve Rynn ct J. Speakman b. Grant 32 5 1
Mark Rynn b O. Speakman 8 1 1
Jai Patel ct Davies b. Ali 9 1
Matt Oliver lbw Ali 0
Shahid Yasin b Davies 4 1
Ed Oliver Not Out  1

Old Chelmsfordians 2 Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
J. Grant7.2124124.003.27
M. Robson6.0150150.008.33
A. Habib9.0223211.502.56
M. Ali9.0159414.756.56
M. Davies6.0119119.003.17
O. Speakman3.0022122.007.33

Old Chelmsfordians 2 Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
4nb 3w 2b 1lb 
for 10 wickets
10
167 (44.3 overs)		     
J. Hodivala ct S. Rynn b. Yasin 24
S. Kulshreshtha ct Gulati b. M. Oliver 9
M. Ali lbw Yasin 14
C. Speakman ct D. Oliver b. Freegard 8
M. Davies ct Gulati b. John 24
O. Speakman b Yasin 16
J. Speakman b Freegard 2
A. Cook ct and bowled John 3
M. Robson ct M. Rynn b. Freegard 7
A. Habib Not Out  23
J. Grant ct Gulati b. John 27

Purleigh CC Saturday 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Jai Patel9.023500.003.89
Matt Oliver9.0136136.004.00
Shahid Yasin9.0132310.673.56
Christian Freegard9.0130310.003.33
Melvin John8.3031310.333.65