Corsham thirds gain revenge

10:18am Monday 4th August 2008

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Cricket: Wroughton Wranglers failed to take the chance to close the gap on Highworth at the top of Division Two, suffering a surprise defeat by a spirited Corsham 3rds eager to avenge their heavy defeat earlier in the season.

After heavy overnight rain and early morning showers, warm sunshine met the teams as they arrived at Leafy Lane.

Rob Peyman won the toss for the visitors and he and John Granger opened the Wroughton innings against the left arm swing of Paul Smith and the erratic pace of John Siggins. Peyman was soon at ease with the pace and bounce provided by the new ball, but it was Granger who found the boundary first with a brace in Smith's third over.

However, the burly left armer had his revenge in the next over as he found the edge of Granger's bat and was caught by Will Wales behind the stumps for 12.

Big hitting Mike Evans replaced Granger, but took a while to adjust his timing.

However, Peyman asserted his authority with a series of cuts and drives which saw off Siggins to be replaced by James Rowe. However, Smith's nagging length and movement frustrated both batsmen and should have been rewarded when Peyman skied a return catch, but the swirling wind made the catch difficult to judge and the chance was spurned.

Gradually, Evans found his form and the run rate increased as both batsmen built a solid partnership.

Peyman was given another life as a second catch went down in the covers, which allowed the Wroughton Captain to pass the half century mark.

Smith was replaced by the lively medium pace of Jack Humphreys and after a fruitless five over spell, Rowe was replaced by Simon Acornley's off-spin.

The introduction of Acornley turned the match to the home side with Peyman eventually finding a Corsham fielder who could catch in the form of Liam Sumsion who clung onto a simple chance at point to dismiss the visitor's Captain for 55 in a second wicket partnership of 84 in the 24th over with the score on 111. In his next over, Acornley tempted new batsman, Easter, who found James Rowe at deep long on with a lofted drive to depart for a single.

In the next over, Humphreys took his first wicket by trapping Gregory in front to leave Wroughton on 120 for 4 after 27 overs. Undaunted by his team's partial collapse, Evans kept the run rate moving along at five runs an over, and brought up his own half century. With the score on 151, Acornley struck again as Woodcock sliced a catch to Paul Smith to depart for six. Two runs later, Humphreys struck a vital blow as Evans knicked a catch to Wales to end his innings of 66 runs, much to the batsman's obvious disappointment.

Wilson and Cloete added 24 runs to take the Wroughton total to 177 before Acornley bowled Wilson for nine. In the final three overs a further two wickets fell to smart stumpings by Will Wales, the first off the bowling of Acornley which gave the Corsham Captain a five wicket haul at a cost of 35 runs in 11 overs, while Alan Stratford fell to Paul Smith in the final over to leave the visitors on 193 for 9.

Without leading bowler Mark McMeeking who did most of the damage when the sides met earlier in the season, the Wroughton bowling attack was opened by Johan Cloete and Alan Stratford against Ali Goddard and Adrian Smith. The Corsham openers put on 22 in eight overs before both were dismissed in successive overs. Goddard was bowled by Stratford for 15 and Smith by Cloete for 8.

Tamlyn Goodrich and Gavin Salter set about repairing the early damage and slowly, the pair built a partnership. After nine overs for 32 runs, Cloete gave way to the left arm swing of Paul Woodcock, while Stratford bowled out his twelve overs for 33 runs to be replaced by Mike Evans. After the Corsham batters had added 73 runs to take the Corsham total to 97 in 28 overs, Evans broke through to have Salter caught behind by Cluett for 33. Jack Humphreys joined Goodrich and with the required rate now approaching six an over, the latter asserted his class by bringing up his half century soon after flicking Woodcock over the midwicket boundary for an effortless maximum. Goodrich powered on ably supported by Humphreys, taking another six from Woodcock to hasten his removal from the attack having conceded 47 runs in his 8 overs to bring Cloete back, and it was the South African who found the thick edge of Goodrich's bat which sent the ball to 62 year old Alan Stratford at short third man who dived forward to complete a superb catch inches off the ground to curtail his innings at 71 in Corsham's 145 for 4 in the 37th over.

Two balls later, the South African featured again to take a catch offered by Humphreys (12) off the bowling of Evans. With just seven overs remaining and 45 runs still required, Liam Sumsion added a significant contribution with a timely 25 which included a straight six off Evans. Sumsion was ably supported by Will Wales who added 12 runs before both were dismissed in the penultimate over by Evans. Sumsion went to a simple return catch, while Wales was bowled. However, Simon Acornley made it seven from the over with a pleasant off drive for two runs.

The final over to be bowled by Mike Gregory saw Corsham needing a further eight runs for victory. The first ball saw James Rowe (1) run out attempting to complete a second run to bring John Siggins to the crease. Siggins opened his account with a frantic two, but failed to score from the third delivery. The fourth ball went for another two, while the fifth ball was swept majestically behind square to the boundary to take the home side to an unexpected victory. Siggins had struck 8 runs from his four balls and was warmly congratulated by his overjoyed Captain.

The defeat leaves Wroughton fifteen points behind Highworth at the top of the Division, while the win gives Corsham 3rds an outside chance of finishing in the top three.

Corsham 3rds 19 points, Wroughton Wranglers 9 points Corsham 4th XIs Division Five match against Swindon 4ths was cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch.