Beddington close in on safety (From Croydon Guardian)

Beddington close in on safety

10:48am Monday 22nd August 2011 in Club Cricket

With three games remaining of the the 2011 campaign, Beddington required one more win to maintain their Division One status for the next year, writes James Robins.

On Saturday, fellow mid tablers East Molesey visited Beddington with an aim to avenge their defeat from earlier on in the season where Beddington dominated the game from start to finish.

Beddington skipper Ryan Cummins elected to bat on a good looking wicket with slightly overcast conditons, a decision which paid off for the second week running as Down and Gamble laid strong foundations playing fluently around the wicket.

After the end of the firstpower play (10 overs) Beddington were 51-2, with Gamble run out for 22 and Simon Lewis caught at second slip for 7. For the next period of the afternoon the inclemental weather moved in over the Beddington area and play was postponed by some heavy showers. Eventually at 3.45 the game recommenced with Beddington still having to bat their 50 overs under the playing regulations of the Ryman Surrey Championship.

Down remained the stalwort of the innings crafting a patient 53, with other players chipping in. However at 25 overs the home side appeared to be struggling a little bit at 125-5, this situation was rectified by a particularly effective stand between Daniel Baker (41) and David Lester (22), a partnership which has been long overdue from the lower middle order throughout the season.

Beddington were eventually dismissed for 218, just short of their 50 over allocation.

The recalculated game set East Molesey 151 in 29 overs, a competitive total which was in the balance before the start of the visitors innings.

Beddington started very strongly as Lester (3-26) and Cummins (3-30) blew away the East Molesey top order with the score being 19-3 off the first five overs.. From this point onwards Beddington controlled the game with each bowler showing great discipline and intelligence when bowling on the good cricket wicket.

The introduction of Dan Lewis and Joe Ireland put the game further out of the visitors reach as runs dried up and the required run rate soared. In support of the strong bowling effort was a superb fielding display as two run outs occured as well as many run saving pieces of fielding.

East Molesey managed to get to 134-9 off their 29 overs, meaning that Beddington won the game and climbed to fifth in the table with two games to go.

All in all it was a very good day for Beddington and really good to see improvements from the previous weeks defeat against Purley