Scorecard

Belhus Cricket Club Saturday 1st XI v BILLERICAY*** on Sat 16 Jun 1979 at 2.00pm
Belhus Cricket Club Won by 1 Run

Match report Belhus 1st XI 61
Billericay 1st XI 60

Our 1st XI batted first in this league match at Belhus Park, but soon found themselves at 20 for 7, at which time it is recalled that skipper John Rowell, tongue in cheek, said, "This could be one of the greatest matches you have ever played in". It was left to the oldest player in the side (Dick Bignell) and the youngest (David Webb) to put together a magnificent 8th wicket partnership of 38 to see us reach 61 all out from 45 overs. The excellent Billericay bowling figures speak for themselves.

The 16th June was wicketkeeper Mark Winter's 16th birthday so a birthday cake, with candles, was produced at teatime along with a round of "happy birthday to you . . ." and spaghetti bolognese and strawberries and cream comprised the surprise meal. The Billericay players looked on in bewilderment at a Belhus team that had just been dismissed for 61!

So Belhus stepped on to the field of play with very full stomachs - expecting an early finish and looking forward to after-match birthday celebrations in 'The Archer'. And when Billericay were perched on 51 for 3, that looked sure to be the case. But, as they say, cricket is 'a funny old game' - and 'it's not over 'til it's over'. At the click of a switch, and with some accurate bowling and great catches, along with a superb run-out from the deep by Jim Donovan, Billericay required 2 runs to win with their score standing at 60 for 9. It remained for 'Spider' Davies to take a return catch from Billericay's number 9 batsman, Wright, for our jubilant 1st XI to secure a miraculous win by 1 run. Billericay had lost 7 wickets for just 9 runs.

This was one of the greatest victories in the club's history. Only three boundary 4s (all by Belhus batsmen) were scored in the 81.4 overs bowled. And what John Rowell had said in jest earlier in the afternoon . . . Fantastic.

Belhus Cricket Club Saturday 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 2w  
for 10 wickets
3
61
        
Denis Reed ct B Gray b R Gray 0 1
Mark Winter ct I Brown b G Foster 8 1 2
Bill Taylor b R Gray 6
John Rowell b R Gray 3
Jim Donovan b R Gray 1 1
Vic Davies ct I Brown b G Foster 0 1
Dick Bignell lbw b E Samouelle 15 1
Dave Hewitt st I Brown b R Gray 1 1
David Webb ct B Gray b E Samouelle 23 1 1
Bert Freeman Not Out  1 1
Robert Clarke b E Samouelle 0

BILLERICAY*** Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
R Gray17.0101052.000.59
G Foster18.0220210.001.11
G Chisholm2.00400.002.00
E Samouelle5.001133.672.20
J Wright3.011300.004.33

BILLERICAY*** Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 3w 3b 1lb 
for 10 wickets
9
60 (36.4 overs)
     
I Brown ct Dave Hewitt b Robert Clarke 2
G Foster ct Mark Winter b Robert Clarke 12
C Speller ct Mark Winter b Robert Clarke 0
E Samouelle ct Bert Freeman b Vic Davies 15
G Chisholm ct Denis Reed b Bill Taylor 4
M Connell lbw b Vic Davies 2
G Harley ct David Webb b Vic Davies 6
P Coleridge ct John Rowell b Vic Davies 4
J Wright ct and bowled Vic Davies 2
B Gray run out (Jim Donovan) 2
R Gray Not Out  1

Belhus Cricket Club Saturday 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Robert Clarke14.051535.001.07
Bert Freeman7.03500.000.71
Dave Hewitt2.001000.005.00
Vic Davies10.411853.601.69
Bill Taylor3.01313.001.00