Neyland Match Report
Johnston vs Neyland. League, Saturday 16th June 2007.
After a number of consecutive defeats having left the seconds at the foot of the division 3 table no one was relishing the prospect of travelling to an in-form Johnston side sitting third in the table.
Arriving at the ground after a wet-end to the week it was clear the toss would be vital. With sunshine overhead and a wet wicket batting was expected to prove difficult from the off and either side would surely elect to field. That said then, Andrew Slark volunteered to do the tossing duties and promptly returned to inform the Neyland camp that they would be batting first.
This task did indeed prove as difficult as expected. Andrew Hansen departed off the 3rd ball of the day, the pitch throwing up that bit of movement and causing Hansen to inside edge one onto the stumps. Andrew Slark then came to the crease at number 3 and he and Nicholas Koomen appeared to have steadied things somewhat. Although runs were few and far between, the pair looked safe and gave very few chances reaching the ten over mark fairly comfortably. The runs soon began to come too. A four and a number of twos in quick succession began to revive the hopes of the Neyland faithful but, what has to be described as a fairly wild swing, from Andrew Slark, soon quelled that new hope as the score now sat at around 15-20 for 2. Paul Miller joined Nicholas Koomen at the crease and proceeded to hit the first ball he faced, straight to the mid-wicket boundary for four. It was not to be a typical Paul Miller innings however and he and koomen remained for over 10 overs, scoring slowly but steadying the Neyland ship before Miller departed in much the same fashion as Hansen, inside edging one onto the stumps for 15.
A number of Neyland batsmen than departed without troubling the scorers, some 3 in a row infact. Martin Jones perhaps a little unlucky to depart lbw, given the presence of his inside edge but the others Gareth Phillips inarguably lbw and Jack Richards caught for a goldie saw Neyland post a score a little under a hundred. This largely due to a final cameo by Lee Day. He struck 29no in the final few overs to record Neylands second highest score. The long and wet outfield in fairness however, probably preventing him reaching a sparkling quick fire fifty.
96 then, never likely to trouble Johnston on an ever drying and improving wicket, didn’t trouble them. Johnston passed said total for the loss of only one wicket, Chris Goodridge, probably going for his 50, skied one to lee day at extra cover off the bowling of Andrew Slark. Jack Richards bowled his spell well without reward. Yet another catch dropped off his bowling, this time by Harvo, was the only other event or bowler of note in what was a sorry Neyland Seconds Display. A Mention of Neyland veteran Peter Burton however, who did make his comeback. He bowled typically brilliantly on a definite Peter Burton wicket but unfortunately had to retire with a repeating knee injury. Neyland are certainly hoping it’s not too serious as they could desperately use their premier bowler in what looks likely to be a second relegation battle on the bounce.