GARGOYLES WILT UNDER HIGH PRESSURE

While Andy Murray was coping with the cauldron of Centre Court, Alstonefield Cricket Club entertained Sutton on the Hill in what was billed as a contest between two evenly aged and matched sides. In the event, from the very first over, it was clear it was the visitors who were going to turn up the heat.

The top 5 Sutton batsmen all made runs, by

playing themselves in, getting used to the quirky pace of the Alstonefield wicket and  then being merciless on the bad balls, of which there were far too many. With the all too familiar reluctance to take catches, the Gargoyles were looking at facing a big score. Andy Bray and Tony Guest were the pick of the Gargoyles’ bowlers

, taking 3 of the 5 wickets to fall, with Bray particularly accurate for his 1 for 20 from 7 overs. Sutton 199 for 5 and much to consider over tea.

Suffice to say, the Sutton attack was pacey, relentlessly accurate, offered very little wide of the stumps and allowed captain Martindale to set attacking fields throughout. Ashford in particular, bowled superbly,

sending back 4 of the top 5 Gargoyles’ batsmen for just 24 runs. At 47 for 6, it looked like becoming the heaviest defeat for 5 years. Impatience, poor shots, played before judging pace and line, were equal contributors. Andy Siddons, captain in the absence of Simon Smith, joined Harry Jones who had been watching the destruction from the other end and these two put on 40 runs before Jones again fell just short of a much deserved and classy 50. With 5 overs remaining, Tony Guest and Ian McKay salvaged some respectability, by adding 41 brisk runs for the last wicket, by doing what the Sutton batsmen had done.

133 all out and defeat by 66 runs by a much more thoughtful cricket team.