Powell and Lack rain on Addiscombe

Surrey Championship Division 3 1st XI
Oxted and Limpsfield CC 1st XI – 110 all out (45.4 overs)
Addiscombe CC 1st XI – 69 all out (26.3 overs)

Oxted and Limpsfield CC win by 41 runs

Oxted and Limpsfield 1st XI travelled to Addiscombe on a wet afternoon, in a hope to get the win they required to remain top of the tree.

Skipper Simon Jackson won the toss and elected to bat. For the first time this season, Jackson moved to open along with Stuart Fletcher; both taking their time against Addiscombe's experienced medium paced attack of Antony Starnes and Chris Jones, who were seaming the ball in both directions on a wet wicket. Fletcher was out caught behind with the score on 9 and Nadeem Durrany soon followed with the scoreboard on 18.
A rain break allowed Oxted to regroup, however shortly after retaking to the field, Jay Mastin was removed for 5. This brought 1st XI debutant Richard Arscott to the crease, who was calmness personified; taking his time and 28 balls to get off the mark. Together with Jackson, the pair put on 31 for the 4th wicket before Jackson was caught trying to push the score on for 38.
Ross Powell (12) then joined Arscott and continued the good work of the previous partnership; taking Oxted up to 83 before Arscott was bowled for 21. Another debutant Isaac Miller was next to go for 8 and the remainder of the Oxted batting line-up eked out another 14 runs to finish on 110 all out from 45.4 overs. Addiscombe bowlers Antony Starnes (3-51) and Chris Jones (7-56) bowling unchanged from both ends.

At the halfway stage, Addiscombe were the happier team, however Oxted knew that this would still be a difficult task

After another spell of rain, Lee Mcilwraith and Selva Ganathapy took the new ball for Oxted. Addiscombe were quickly reduced to 1-1 after Mcilwraith clipped Lewis Nobles off stump. This brought Zadran to the crease who chanced his arm and took the score into the 30’s, using the pace of Mcilwraith (1-23 from 4) to his advantage. Ganathapy (0-5 from 3) bowled tight lines however wasn’t able to get the breakthrough.
Jackson then threw the ball to spin duo Ned Lack and Ross Powell. The impact was immediate as Lack got Zadran stumped by Michael Wood for 24; Addiscombe now 34-2.

Addiscombe's overseas player Shakeel Ansar now came to the crease. His first scoring shot a 6 over deep mid wicket from Lack. He didn’t last for long through. In trying to hit Lack big again, he ended up putting it straight into the hands of Powell who took a good catch at deep mid-on.

Addiscombe were now 45-3 however this quickly became 45-4 as Lack trapped Benham LBW first ball. The following over this became 45-5; Lack catching Stevens off the bowling of Powell.
The home team were now wobbling considerably and after another short rain break the next wicket fell, Arscott taking a good catch at mid-off again from the bowling of Powell.

With just 4 wickets required, Powell took another, with a caught and bowled after deceiving the number 8 batsman with a well deceived slower floated delivery. He then followed up with his 4th wicket of the game; another catch from Lack. Oxted now required 2 further wickets, Addiscombe needed 50 runs.

Lack picked up his 4th of the game, bowling Starnes for 3. It was now a competition between the two spin bowlers, to see who could get the final wicket which would be their 5th of the game.
Unfortunately for Lack, it wasn’t to be him. He did however have a say in the final wicket, taking his 3rd catch of the game, with Powell taking his first 5 wicket hall of the league season.

Addiscombe were bowled out for 69. Ned Lack finishing with 4 wickets for 20 runs and Ross Powell ending with 5 for 16.

With results and weather affected games going Oxted and Limpsfield's way, they are now top of the league by 23 points, and ahead of 3rd place by over 50.

Natterbox Man of the Match goes to Ross Powell for his performance with the ball. Next week Oxted travel to Trinity Mid-Whitgiftians as the season reaches the half-way point.