Plenty of runs at the Europa Oval


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TJF

PLENTY OF RUNS AT EUROPA.

The fixture between a GCA XI and West End CC from Surrey produced no less than 524 runs in the eighty allotted overs, a run rate of 6.55 runs per over. Three batsmen reached half centuries whilst another five got into the forties.

GCA XI post big target.

The local side won the toss, opted to bat first and lost the wicket of Kieron Ferrary, run out in the second over of the innings, with only twelve runs on the board; he and his opening partner, Ian Farrell, have not been noted for their communication between the wickets in recent weeks! Christian Rocca then joined Farrell and a stand of 85 ensued in just twelve overs before the former was caught two runs short of his half century. The GCAXI innings suffered a bit of a hiccup as Mark Bacarese missed a straight long hop with inevitable consequences and Farrell’s long innings came to an end when he was on 62 to bring the total to a precarious 137/4. Richard Buzaglo and Steve McEwan then came to the rescue, putting on 52 runs for the fifth wicket. When Buzaglo was caught four short of his half century Vikram Khatwani joined McEwan in a stand of 94 to push the total along to 283. McEwan departed in the final over with his personal tally on 58 whilst Khatwani remained undefeated on 40 in a final total of 287/6. For the men from Surrey Phil Woolger returned figures of 3/35.

West End CC fight back.

Facing such a daunting target, West End CC lost their first wicket with the total on 13, Gary De’Ath taking a fine reflex catch in the slips off the bowling of Sebastian Suarez to account for Stuart Fowler. Toby Passant and Nick Newman then put bat to ball with good effect as a further 75 runs accrued in just ten overs and at that stage the visitors were well on track with the required run rate. The partnership of Suarez and De’Ath then struck again to account for Newman and when Steve McEwan bowled David Watkins first ball and Rudi Philips trapped Keith Stentiford leg before, the West End CC total had slumped to 102/4. This became 134/5 when De’Ath bowled Neil O’Halleran, but, as in the GCA innings, a recovery was around the corner as Passant continued to find the boundary regularly and in Phil Woolger he found a worthy partner. The sixth wicket partnership had yielded 82 runs when Ferrary held on to a return catch to account for Woolger who was then three short of his half century, and Buzaglo then struck a huge blow for his side with a brilliant stumping off the bowling of McEwan to get rid of the dangerous Passant who had then scored 57 runs off only 39 balls. Ian Cripps struck some brave blows towards the end to reach a personal score of 40 but in the end the visitors fell fifty runs short of the GCA XI total. It had turned out to be a fine game of cricket played in a good and competitive spirit.