Worcestershire Royals V Warwickshire Bears BBS National Cricket League Division 1

Report by Ian Morris

The Bears Vs The Royals, the rematch, Sunday 1st May.

There was a different mood in the Bears camp after Captain Gavin gave the squad a jolly good rocket up the rear (a telling off), before the match, for taking it easy the week before when we had Worcester 8 wickets down.

Worcestershire were asked to bat.

The Openers were watchful, and with the extras were able to play themselves in. First to go was D Keeling for a patient 1 after Andy Powers took a good catch off the Bowling of Gavin Griffiths.

The 2nd wicket partnership was very good for Worcestershire, gently pulling the score along at just over 3 an over with the help of extras. Luke Sugg came on first change and injected the momentum needed to take wickets. First to go was Robbie Williams for a well made 12 when Sugg bowled him.

Still bowling a threatening line, Sugg Struck again soon afterwards, and removed J Vickers for 2 after he hit wicket, batting too close to his stumps.

Then came the best partnership for Worcestershire in their innings, when Dave Powers and Sam Murry put on a patient 50run partnership.

Murry survived 2 dropped catches 1 an absolute sitter to Foy in the 'V' and one to Lord Kevin Lyon.

Dave Powers survived some probing bowling from Warren Lee and his Brother Andy, was able to put away the bad ball in a much better showing than his previous weeks effort.

Due to batsman error or sledging (we will never know) the Partnership was broken by Gavin Griffiths who brought himself back on, which lead to Dave Powers playing the same shot to the same ball that had got him out the week before.

Dave fell for a well made 21, which left Worcestershire 77 for 4.

N Killeen came to the wicket, and stayed with Sam as long as he could as both looked to just survive.

Killeen fell hit wicket for a duck after a good Muralitheren style spinner from Griffiths, giving him 3 wickets for the match.

Wickets fell regularly for Worcestershire with only Murry able to survive for any length of time. Turnham fell to a good catch from Kevin Lyon off the bowling of Andy Powers, for a well made 2.

Then came a reminder of what cricket is all about.

After some off putting Tina Turner and her Bunsen Burner Sledging from Foy, Ben Ochilea, pushed at a straight one from Alan Humphries, Foy already in a low stance waiting for the soft hands deaded ball, dived onto the pitch and sliding his hands along the ground took a catch on the bounce JUST.

Due to the size of my MASSIVE rear the umpire at the non strikers was unsighted. However, upon receiving confirmation of the clean catch, Ben Ochilea was happy to go. For this great display of sportsman ship Ben received a can of Dr Pepper as a reward.

Then came the wicket of the resistant Murry who could not survive the attacking bowling and fielding of the Bears side any longer. Andy Powers with his second wicket of the innings was thankful for a straight forward catch from Foy close in on the off side.

S Hill played with some Athertonesque solid defence fro as long as he could.

However, Sugg’s unplayable deliveries cleaned up the last 2 wickets to end the innings; which left Worcestershire with 119, Griffiths with 3 for 24, Powers with 2 for 26, and Sugg with 4 for 12.

After a very nice tea, The Bears opened with Andy Powers and Mike Harrison both fresh from 50s in the previous meeting the week before.

Both players spent a couple of overs playing themselves in, and after tidy bowling from Ochiela (2 overs for 9 runs) and Keeling (3 overs 1 maiden, for 10 runs), the Bears were 22 for 0 off 5 overs.

Then came what I have to describe as: THE MOST SAVAGE INNINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN In any cricket (sorry Mr. Peitersen)

Andy Powers climbed into any delivery regardless of length, width, or height, and smacked MASSIVE 6s and 4s all around the ground.

The next 6 overs left Dave Powers and M Turnham to nurse figures of 3 overs for 43 runs and 3 overs for 37 runs respectively.

In the entire innings Worcester bowled only 12 wides because Andy was stepping out and hitting most of them before they could called wide, and they usually went for at least 4.

After the shot of the day (a square drive through backward point) Harrison was unlucky to go caught and bowled for 18 to Murry, but it was all over by then. Griffiths fell for a duck to Murry who managed to bowl the big man.

Chasing only 120 to win Andy Powers finished incredibly with another massive 6 and 92not out.

A great match, and played in the spirit that cricket is meant to be played.