Martham v Drayton 'A' 26th July 2008

Martham 169-8 Drayton 'A' 164 Playing Martham CC is a bit of a lottery this season. In the reverse fixture at Drayton, Martham were able to field a very strong team, several of whom work offshore - four weeks on and four weeks off. Though they played well, Drayton A lost that game by over 100 runs.

This week, Martham were depleted, (though when Matt Beckett bats at six life isn’t too bad!) and Drayton just missed what was probably their best opportunity of beating what is, potentially, the strongest team in the league. In the event, the game turned out to be fascinating and exciting for the neutral, going to the last over and last wicket. Not that there were any neutrals there. The well-oiled local supporters, who had been watching from just outside the bar from four o’clock, provided almost Caribbean banter, which added to the sense of occasion in this top-of-the- table clash.

When Martham batted, Trett and Scarff, who finished with 2-29 in 12 overs, bowled accurately, both beating the bat on several occasions. Martham did not score until the fifth over. Three wides, one no-ball and no byes in 45 overs said a lot for the discipline of all bowlers and Neil Chamberlain’s determination that nothing would pass him.

After 10 overs, Martham were 20-1, at which point Punchard and McGleave put on 82 in 18 overs. Martham opener Punchard rode his luck, surviving at least two chances. The afternoon heat was at its peak and not all Drayton’s fielding was up to standard. Trett was the unlucky bowler again: his figures did not reflect the number of times he beat the bat or forced mistakes.

Punchard’s 103 (out of 153-6, when he was dismissed) was a monumental effort. Having pulled Massingham (3-56 from 12 overs) for four to reach his hundred, he hit across the line next ball and was bowled. From 102-1 in 29 overs, Drayton started to make inroads into the Martham batting. Trett bowled skipper McGleave for 35, after which wickets fell steadily. Skipper Flatt, with his second wicket from the last ball of the innings, secured a fourth bowling point for Drayton A.

170 on a wicket which looked a bit dodgy but had played pretty well, didn’t seem such a daunting target. Mike Sutton and Copeland made a purposeful start against Evans and McGleave, both punishing anything wide, until Sutton was adjudged lbw for 15 in the seventh over. Copeland followed seventeen runs later for 18, when he very commendably walked, having faintly gloved a leg side delivery. Evans was his usual fiery self, finishing with 3-35.

Taylor (38, seven boundaries) and Crowe (36, five boundaries) then put on 76 runs in 17 overs, both putting the occasional bad ball from Allen and Shales away to the boundary. The home crowd bayed for a wicket and Allen lengthened his run-up. At 114-2, a run-out added one of the many twists in this match, and wickets fell fairly quickly until Jason (Doctor) Trett (17, with four boundaries) arrived to swing the match back Drayton’s way, in partnership with the more correct James Reeve.

With four overs to go, Drayton needed 19 to win, with two wickets left. Man of the Match Punchard bowled the 45th over, with Drayton needing eleven runs. On this occasion, it proved a bit too much, leaving Drayton six runs short of victory, but with eight points to show for their efforts.

Norwich Union’s timely victory over Felthorpe softened the blow of this victory, and Drayton remain in the second promotion slot.