Warwickshire Bears V Eastern Vipers

Warwickshire Bears V Eastern Vipers BBS National Cricket League Division 2

Report by Alan Humphries

The last day of the cricket season saw Warwickshire play Vipers at Marston Green for promotion to the First Division if the current league format is the same for next year.

Warwickshire won the toss and elected to field and had an early breakthrough with the wicket of Nair for 0 bowled Lee. Some powerful hitting by Ben Armitage and resolute defence by Alan Charnley followed until Charnley was caught behind off Griffiths with a rare attacking shot. The danger man Armitage was caught by Powers at mid wicket for 39 off the bowling of Humphries to be replaced by the danger man Chris Syrett who played a quite brilliant innings of 120 before being trapped lbw by Lee. This has to rate as one of the best innings I've ever seen which included taking 28 off one over. With some able support by Chris Jeffreys, the Vipers score got through to 228 all out off 31/2 overs leaving the hosts to get 229 off 28 overs.

The decision was made to go for the total as there was a slight chance of winning promotion if only a small amount of wickets were lost but it wasn't to be! Despite some batsmen getting good starts - Powers 28, Griffiths 18 and Wadsworth 22, Vipers kept chipping away with wickets and despite some hope with a valuable 8th wicket stand between Humphries 11 and Clifton 28, the hosts innings was wrapped up at 177 all out with 6 overs to spare - Vipers winning by 51 runs and taking full points and Warwickshire taking 8 points. In a pre-arranged gesture between the two clubs, Warwickshire conceeded the second game to Vipers giving them the full 25 points confirming their status as 2nd Division Champions - a title richly deserved given their performance on the day.

Congratulations to Ben and the rest of Vipers on their promotion and good luck next year in whatever the format the league is played in. This was an excellent game of cricket played in a very good spirit after what has been a troubled season for the game as a whole - here's hoping 2006 will be better!

	Bears V Vipers 25th September 2005
	Warwickshire Bears V Eastern Vipers BBS National Cricket League Division 2 Report by Alan Humphries The last day of the cricket season saw Warwickshire play Vipers at Marston Green for promotion to the First Division if the current league format is the same for next year. Warwickshire won the toss and elected to field and had an early breakthrough with the wicket of Nair for 0 bowled Lee. Some powerful hitting by Ben Armitage and resolute defence by Alan Charnley followed until Charnley was caught behind off Griffiths with a rare attacking shot. The danger man Armitage was caught by Powers at mid wicket for 39 off the bowling of Humphries to be replaced by the danger man Chris Syrett who played a quite brilliant innings of 120 before being trapped lbw by Lee. This has to rate as one of the best innings I've ever seen which included taking 28 off one over. With some able support by Chris Jeffreys, the Vipers score got through to 228 all out off 31/2 overs leaving the hosts to get 229 off 28 overs. The decision was made to go for the total as there was a slight chance of winning promotion if only a small amount of wickets were lost but it wasn't to be! Despite some batsmen getting good starts - Powers 28, Griffiths 18 and Wadsworth 22, Vipers kept chipping away with wickets and despite some hope with a valuable 8th wicket stand between Humphries 11 and Clifton 28, the hosts innings was wrapped up at 177 all out with 6 overs to spare - Vipers winning by 51 runs and taking full points and Warwickshire taking 8 points. In a pre-arranged gesture between the two clubs, Warwickshire conceeded the second game to Vipers giving them the full 25 points confirming their status as 2nd Division Champions - a title richly deserved given their performance on the day. Congratulations to Ben and the rest of Vipers on their promotion and good luck next year in whatever the format the league is played in. This was an excellent game of cricket played in a very good spirit after what has been a troubled season for the game as a whole - here's hoping 2006 will be better!