Detectives defeat Club & Ground in annual showdown

8:38am Sunday 3rd August 2008

Essex Club and Ground 176 Gentlemen of Essex CID 177-4
(Gents won by six wickets)

The annual fixture between the sides was held in glorious sunshine at East Hanningfield Cricket Club, courtesy of president Mr Barry Hearn.

Club and Ground won the toss and elected to bat.

The first couple of wickets went cheaply, before Andrew McGarry and Waqas Mahmood came to the crease and put on a sterling partnership to steady the ship.

McGarry played shots to all parts of the ground before coming down the wicket to a short ball which had him stumped by Harry Callaghan, when on 68.

Mahmood played some very orthodox strokes and was on 42 when Tony Bull bowled a ball that turned late.

All Mahmood could offer was a stroke straight back to the bowler's outstretched hands.

Club and Ground eventually made 176 with Dave Griffiths returning bowling figures of 4-42 off eight overs.

A couple of champagne moments from their innings included Mick Patrick, at 76 years of age, bowling two overs to a t3n-year-old Academy player.

The other was Jim Couchman catching a blistering square leg shot from Allen, in a most nonchalant manner.

CID went straight on the attack and Dave Miles and Dave Griffiths both scored freely, making 66 runs between them. The field placings at one time included four slips and a gully and four players at short mid-wicket to try and counter their strong play.

Gary Brown and Jim Couchman forged a partnership of 65 to bring the detectives home to a comfortable victory with overs to spare and six wickets in hand.

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