Match Report - Earls Colne & Bures vs. Galleywood 01/08/04

(PDQ Cars League - Division 3)

Earls Colne & Bures 227 for 5 (45 overs)

(Lewis Chambers 65, Craig Lesiak 63, James Lee 46)

Galleywood 230 for 6 (44.2 overs)

Galleywood won by 4 wickets

Another exciting and high scoring game at Bures, with a strong Galleywood side just snatching victory in the final over of this battle of the table-toppers.

Skipper Amos won the toss and elected to bat on a flat Bures wicket, only to make a swift return to the pavilion having chased a wide ball and having been caught behind. Fellow opener Lewis Chambers and No. 3 bat David Coyle attempted to repair the damage against some tidy Galleywood bowling with Lewis being particularly efficient with anything overpitched. The score moved on to 52 for 1 off 15 overs before David departed having cut the ball into the hands of gully. Enter Craig Lesiak who, after a period of reconnaissance, became quite prolific at the expense of the change bowlers. The score moved on to 103 for 2 off 27 before Lewis was caught off a rare loose shot leaving Glen Lesiak to join brother Craig in the quest for runs. Sadly, Glen departed quickly having attempted a suicidal second run to a fielder who could actually throw! When Craig himself departed for an excellent and belligerent 63, James Lee and Kevin Coyle continued the accumulation with the 200 mark being passed in the 41st over.  E C & B closed at 227 off 45 overs which although a good score, was to prove not an insurmountable one.

A Bures style tea courtesy of Kate Mitchell was much enjoyed as usual, with copious mixed-filling sandwiches judged to be the star turn. We have not seen much of Kate so far this year and it was good to see her back and in fine form. We are not sure whether her especially bubbly personality on the day was due to the departure of husband Mitch to Stockholm for two weeks, or the fact that of the four cricket teas she has prepared so far this year, this was the only one where the match had not been rained off without a ball being bowled!

The Galleywood response was emphatic, with the openers setting about a hopelessly wayward Mr. Slow (just back from holiday and still dressed in Stars and Stripes shorts and fake Mickey ears), with gusto. Fortunately, Wolfie Gibson at the other end was a paragon of economy and the overall rate was tolerable but perhaps crucially without a wicket being taken. Craig Lesiak and the impressively accurate David Coyle kept the rate at or about 4 an over but wicket taking had become difficult on a benign pitch offering the bowlers nothing and the Galleywood batters grew in confidence. The openers departed but the middle order accelerated the rate as E C & B skipper Amos juggled his field and wrestled with a lack of bowling options. With 39 runs required for victory off the final 5 overs it looked as if the home side must just save the game, but the final overs conceded 14, 11 and 8 respectively leaving 7 needed off the final over which was achieved in just 2 balls. Victory for Galleywood but an exciting finale to an excellent game, which could have gone either way until the final over.

In response to a substantial cash donation from Mr. Slow, I am not going to publish the normal bowling figures this week. Suffice to say that in the light of these, David Coyle's 2 for 22 off 10 overs was impressive!

So. Another defeat, although against a side who are clearly the strongest yet faced in the league. E C & B drop to second in the division table despite the defeat, but Galleywood are only marginally ahead. Clearly, this is going to be anything but a walkover .......

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