Bath 2nd XI vs Winterbourne
16 June 2021
Match Report: 2nd XI vs Winterbourne, June 12th 2021
The 2nd XI recorded a much-needed first victory over Winterbourne 1st XI in a thrilling, nail-biting finale that saw Bath take the final six Winterbourne wickets for 16 runs.
Bath won the toss and elected to bat, but a lack of partnerships meant that the final total of 169 was short of what the team would have hoped for at the start of the day. Captain Kester Moseley made a battling 62 that anchored the innings, sharing the only meaningful partnerships with each of the Arney brothers, James (who made 31) and Will (who made 18).
For the first 30 overs of their chase, Winterbourne looked relatively comfortable, without ever pulling miles ahead of the eight ball, as Sam Bracey (brother of England Test cricketer James) marshalled his side. Will Arney’s economical spell of 9-1-29-2 helped the team always stay in touch, as did the whole bowling unit’s newly found discipline with extras; the final total of 14 wides for the innings was the lowest since the game against Taunton St Andrews.
The excitement began to build when James Arney dismissed Zak Hamid with the score on 147/4, before executing a clean dive, pick-up and throw to run out the incoming batsman in the next over- Winterbourne were now six down. The re-introduction of Matthew Cadywould (9-2-22-3) with the ball created two more chances for stellar fielding, and Murray Reid and Jack Scrivens both obliged, taking astounding diving catches in the cordon to leave Winterbourne reeling on 153/8. James Arney then delivered the killer blow in his final over, bowling Bracey for 66 after the pressure created by the bowlers forced him into an injudicious paddle/scoop shot. There was still some tension in the field as both Matt Cadywould and James Arney finished their spells, but off-spinner Amit Nathwani coolly manipulated the batters to have the chance to bowl at Winterbourne’s remaining left-hander. He spun the ball past his outside edge to bowl him off stump, triggering off a rapturous celebration from the whole team.
This was a victory for tenacity and determination, and one that will live long in the memory of all the players who fought so hard to bring it home.
Kester
