DCC vs. GCC Match Report

Pixham Lane hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for GCC in recent years. However, in what is always a hotly contested affair, it was with great optimism and no fewer than five debutants that the 1st XI headed to Dorking CC for the first league fixture of 2013.

With GCC skipper Harrison Mayne calling correctly and opting to set a total, play got under way on schedule despite the poor forecast. However, when Harrison was hoodwinked by a hooping full toss - smartly held at midwicket - the innings was off to the worse possible start. While John Milner showed some fluency through the off side, rain interruptions and some disciplined bowling meant that runs were hard to come by. Conditions proved particularly alien to newly arrived Australian and Maltese galaticos Bryant and Shepherd. When Agge departed courtesy of a belter of a slip catch, GCC were labouring at 60-4 off 20 overs.

In truth, when a second deluge prompted the umpires to take tea, neither side really harboured much hope for a result. However, upon the resumption it fast because apparent that the worst of the weather had passed, and the prospect of DCC chasing a revised target was very much on the cards. Having dug-in prior to the break, Steve Horne recognised the need to up the rate, and set about almost single handedly putting a competitive total on the board. A knock of 85 off 95, including two maximums, showed real class. GCC finished with a respectable 198-9 off their 50.

DCC would have felt confident of chasing the revised total of 125 off 24 overs. However, skipper Harrison gave GCC the perfect start, plucking a humdinger out the air at midwicket to remove the dangerous Davies off Elgar’s first over. Steaming in from the other end, Churuman defied the prevailing wisdom that slow-medium dibbly dobbly has no place in the modern game, taking two further wickets with the new ball. The first, a big inswinger which castled DCC’s opener, the second a ball that moved so far it will no doubt warrant a double page spread in the forthcoming “Churuman Memoirs”. We wait with anticipation. 20-3; GCC were cock-a-hoop.

However, DCC’s Kelsey and Overton had other ideas, and rebuilt to take the home side to within 50 of the target with ten overs left. When Steve Horne confirmed, after several thorough inspections, that the middle of the pitch wasn’t doing too much, leader Harrison summoned his plethora of left arm spinners to apply the squeeze. Derek Agge - having already held a rasping slip catch for Churuman’s second wicket - was the pick of the tweakers, bowling with fine control, but little luck. Hickey then held a sharp return catch to remove Kelsey, and with the run rate rising above sevens, Sewell replaced the miserly Agee (0-14-5) and prized two wickets in his first over. When Hickey bowled danger man Overton for a strong 49, there was too much left for the DCC tail. Sewell wrapped things up with a highly commendable four wicket haul, with the home side falling just short at 118-8.

It was a gritty, rather than polished, first performance, but one that that Harrison will be delighted with. A number of solid individual efforts, as well the collective character in the field, provide a solid platform to kick on from. We look forward to welcoming DCC to Holloway Hill at the back end of July.