A sparkling century from Lansdown

TDCC reported...

The visitors started well enough, having elected to bowl first in near perfect batting conditions, Rob Pryke (1-33) making the early breakthrough for the Deane, pegging back the middle stump to see opener Josh Smith depart for 1.

Allan joined Jordan Smith and the pair immediately looked settled, running well between the wickets and putting away anything loose to see the ball fly to the boundary on the dry, barren outfield. The pair had moved the Lansdown scored onto 62 midway through 13th over before Jordan Smith was allow bowled by Liam Redrup (1-42) for 20.

With Allan now moving through the gears, Ryan Thorpe contributed 11 to a third wicket partnership of 33 before he fell LBW to Harry Smith (1-25), Allan’s half century arriving in the interim a shade under a run a ball.

Lansdown captain Jordan Price entered the fray and immediately took a liking to the off spin of Harry Thomas, hitting an imperious six down the ground as Lansdown moved past 150 in the 32nd over. A further six from Price followed, and with Allan having two maximums to his name already, an imposing total looked on the cards with just under 20 overs left.

However, Price departed for 30 from 20 balls to leave Lansdown 156-4, as a thick outside edge stuck in the hands of wicketkeeper Sam Shaikh from the legspin of Luke Williams (1-46). Number 6 Jackson Hamilton joined Allan and helped him reach his century soon after, fourteen fours and two sixes took the Lansdown number 3 to 102 from 100 balls before he was finally bowled by the returning Tom Walsh (2-21).

At 187-5, Lansdown were still in a strong position, but the Deane sensed a chance to peg things back. The wicket of Hamilton (9) soon after at 188-6 ignited that hope before a seventh wicket partnership of 58 between Dominic Hooper and Simon Cole wrestled the initiative back into the hands of the home side.

Cole made 23 before he was caught by Calvin Harrison on the ‘45 and Hopper 36 stumped by Sam Shaikh both from the bowling of Woodman, as Lansdown finished on 270-8 from their 50 overs, Oliver Gooding and Matt Thomas 9 and 4 not out respectively.

The France Argentina game provided the half time entertainment and some respite from the sweltering heat with the mercury touching 30c.
However, the Deane opening pair were soon back out there, as Woodman and Warren took guard against the new ball.

Cheers from the clubhouse confirmed a Mbappe goal in the football, 3-2 to France, this signalled Ginola lookalike Warren to squirt the ball into the hands of backward point as he departed for a duck in a bid to catch the final moments of the game.

Harry Smith joined Woodman and it seemed he also had a burning ambition to watch the football, as he was clean bowled by opener Josh Smith for 8, to leave the Deane 21-2. Vice-captain Harry Thomas joined his captain at the crease and with the football finished by now, the pair were able to concentrate on the cricket as they took the Deane past 50 and into the nineties at drinks.

The break in play seemed to work a favour for Lansdown, as not long after play resumed, Thomas played on, driving somewhat loosely at Fogerty for a well-made 40. Number 5 Calvin Harrison took up the task with Woodman, the pair playing an array of strokes against the seamers and manipulating the field well against the spinners. Woodman reached his half century just before the second drinks break, by which time the Deane had moved onto 170 in the 34th over. Just over 100 to win in 16 overs.

However, the drinks break provided the breakthrough for Lansdown again, as Woodman was caught behind for 65. What followed was a mini-collapse as Harrison then fell 6 runs later in identical fashion, before Nathan Gilchrist was adjudged LBW to Jordan Price as the Deane subsided from 178-3 to 187-6.

Luke Williams and Sam Shaikh took the Deane past 200, before Williams was bowled by the left arm spin of Matt Thomas (4-24). Rob Pryke struck 8 from 10 to take the Deane on the verge of a final batting point, but he soon fell, caught by Cole also from the bowling of Thomas.

When Shaikh fell for 21, another victim for Thomas, the Deane last wicket pair still required 48 from the last 7 overs. Liam Redrup 4 not out ensured the Deane claimed maximum batting points, but when number 11 Walsh became Thomas’s fourth victim, Lansdown had won by 45 runs.

A well-deserved victory by Lansdown who look favourites for promotion at this juncture in the season. Organised in all facets of the game, they took 20 points from their victory as they maintained their position at the top the league.

The Deane took 9 points from the game, but the defeat leaves them flirting at the foot of the Premier 2 table ahead of the trip to fellow strugglers Bishopston. The Deane will be hoping for a repeat performance of the opening day of the season as the league moves past the halfway point and into the second half of the season.