Penn Street vs Knotty Green

PSCC beat Knotty Green CC by 73 runs

Penn Street 242-6 (P. Jupp 70, R. Charles 3-32)

Knotty Green 169-10 (A. Allison 39, D. Adams 4-20)

Off to a winning Start!

Penn Street got off to an explosive start as Tollerfield (31) and Jones (37) scored 66 from the first 7 overs of the innings, taking advantage of a short onside boundary. We were pegged back as both openers fell inside the next 2 overs leaving us at 77-2. The next 21 overs resembled a scene from 2001 as Jupp (70) and Reavey (44) patiently built a partnership of 117 for the third wicket. They had to battle through economical spells from R. Charles and To. Patel, but neither batsmen offered much of a chance throughout. 3 wickets then fell for 9 runs as first Reavey, then Sempill were bowled and Jupp, who took a vicious delivery in the unspeakables, hauled out to Long on attempting to increase the scoring rate in the last 5 overs. This brought Adams (15) and Hewlett (24) to the crease, who took advantage of tiring bowlers push the score beyond 240 in the last 4 overs.

With a lead to defend and a short boundary to protect, Loftus and Adams opened the bowling for Penn Street. Adams, bowled brilliantly to end with 4 wickets, got the ball rolling for Penn Street with good pace and an accurate line to remove Knotty Green's opener. Hewlett and White then picked up where Loftus and Adams left off, strangling Knotty Green's middle order and bringing wickets at regular intervals.

Reavey kept excellently, and Penn Street's ground fielding was generally good as they continued to restrict the Knotty Green batsmen. Harry Leitch took a blinder of a catch at square leg off the bowling of White to give him a chance at a hattrick, although with a full toss to follow up, the chance was gone. Barnett and Leitch continued to put the batsmen under pressure before Hewlett and Adams came back to finish the job. The pick of the bowlers was Adams who earned figures of 6.1-4-20-4 and set down a marker to the rest for the coming season!

Penn Street were not without fault in the field, with dropped catches off Hewlett and White as well as 3 wickets off no balls (one for White, one for Hewlett and unforgivably one from the spin of Sempill) but with runs on the board and a strong bowling attack, Penn Street were able to keep the pressure on and force the win.

Overall, an excellent performance and result has got the season off to great start. Lets hope for more of the same at Widmer end on Sunday!