Somerset League Div Four: Brent Knoll (8) 79 lost to Banwell & Churchill (35) 203-5 by 126 runs
THE opening day of the league season arrived for the enthusiastic Brent Knoll players with a home match against local rivals and companions-in-relegation Banwell & Churchill. Brent are trying to avoid a third successive relegation.
Their day didn't start well, with news of the second team having to cancel their match away to Bridgewater Sports, because several key players were not available.
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That brought together an unrecognisable first team, with Oli Halmkin, Dale Griffiths, John and Rob Gamlin making their debuts under skipper John Isgar.
Banwell's captain Dave Eckett elected to bat on a wet wicket, much to the surprise of the Knollians. Brent opened the bowling with Isgar and Simon Massingham, but found the going tough, with "Izzy", a tad rusty from a long winter, struggling for line and length.
Opening batsmen Mike Legg and M Biggs seemed in control, patiently building an innings, until Halmkin made the breakthrough, removing Legg (12) to take his first wicket for the senior side, with the help a fine catch by his buddy Griffiths at square leg.
Despite losing the occasional wicket, Banwell looked fairly at ease against the Knollians' attack, finishing on 203-5, with good contributions from M Biggs (45) and J Biddle (47).
After an inspirational team-talk, experienced Pat "Hank" Hancock opened the batting with Ash Massingham, only Isgar's stirring words didn't have the desiredeffect.
Massingham edged the third delivery of the innings to keeper Mike Adams off the sharp bowling of R Hughes without troubling the scorers.
In strolled "Izzy", earlier than he would have liked, but he looked in good touch, with a lovely cover drive to the boundary off his second ball.
However, at the other end, dangerous "Hank" was getting excitable. He decided to hit the ball straight to a fielder then shout repeatedly "run, run,run" at a shocked "Izzy", who was just about reaching the middle of the wicket when the bails were removed. There was no third umpire, so it was back to the shack for the captain.
After that, it was calamity all the way, with James "Tank" Vowles once again involved in controversy. He faced a wide delivery, which eluded the wicketkeeper and trundled to the boundary, or so "Tank" thought. He wandered to the middle of the wicket, prodding at the danger areas, only to be run out! Much to everyone's disbelief, the ball had been fielded just before the sightscreen and hurled in to the keeper.
For the Knollians, that was game over, with only Halmkin (19) and Hancock (17) making any attempt to gain some valuable batting points, as they were all out for a poor 79.
These are interesting times for Brent, with the second team in real danger of pulling out of the league unless new players begin to surface. But one thing is for sure, with captain "Izzy" and his merry men, the season will be entertaining, to say the least!
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