O 50's v Northants - Match Report
O50 ECB - Norfolk v Northants - Finedon - May 25th 2010Another superb team performance saw Norfolk 50+ keep pace with the group leaders by narrowly beating old time rivals Northants by 14 runs at Finedon. These two Counties have dominated the East Group for ten years or so, with Norfolk winning 7 and the Midlands 8 and of those - nine matches have gone to the last over.
Norfolk, inserted on a green wicket, saw Rice (17) and Pearse (12) have 30 on the board in 5 but then both departed. Sayers (16) kept the score ticking over as the bat never dominated on a difficult wicket. Coote (35) surprisingly was bowled by 65 yr left arm spinner Ray Waite but John Lund kept up the good work with a sound 44 and newcomer Neil Bridgestock rode his luck to record 45* in 49, just what the Doctor ordered, backed up with Chris Harrison (31 in 38) in a stand of 63 in 11 overs. Recording 240-7 was passable.
Northants started badly with last week's centurion Thurbon going caught behind off the revitalised Bix for 2. Northants lynchpin Andy Pearson was in a bad mood and nobody was surprised when he went lbw to Bix for 6 in a truculent and negative innings which in hindsight cost the team dearly. Hodgson (31) and Boddington (25) kept the runs flowing, with Norfolk worried about the incessant drizzle. Eventually it subsided, but fielding has never been so difficult (IMHO) and with Captain Denton content just to take singles at will, the home team kept in contention. Marriott (19) pushed and ran everything, but having Mark Lester in the locker is a good insurance and his last over, when the visitors needed 171, went for only 4 and Denton, at the crease, ended on 96*, no doubt cursing himself. But the damage to Northants was done earlier.