Penn Street vs Whitchurch

Penn Street CC 281-5 (Adams 109, Sempill 60) beat Whitchurch CC 143-8 by 138 runs

Before we get on to a fine team performance and another Dave Adams masterclass, let us pay tribute to Whitchurch. They were understaffed due to league commitments and for the most part thoroughly outgunned, but they battled bravely and showed a dogged determination to avoid being bowled out and to make sure that the Club Secretary did a full 40 overs behind the stumps. They were also extremely nice people (no matter what the Secretary’s legs thought on Sunday morning) and we shall hopefully be seeing them again next year.

In another record it was the first Saturday of June before we were able to use a pitch on the main square and Whitchurch probably thought their luck was in when they won the toss and were able to ask Penn Street to bat. The first few overs were testing. Captain James Sempill showed admirable concentration to play out consecutive maidens from his opposite number. At the other end Adams brought his own brand of circumspection by only dumping the ball into the woods once in the first five overs.

Both batters were in excellent form. Sempill had an early let-off when he was badly dropped at point, but otherwise his shot selection was almost faultless, with one swivel to pull the ball behind square for four being almost Gower-esque (and there is no higher compliment in this writer’s eyes). It was only a slight surprise when he reached 50 before Adams did and the pair had put on over 100 when they were parted possibly the only way that they were going to be, with a mix-up over a quick single resulting in Sempill being run out.

Steve Smith came in and promptly began to play like…Dave Adams, racing along at over a run a ball. Meanwhile Adams, anxious to atone for the mix-up, accelerated and made his way to what was, by his recent standards, a fairly sedate hundred off a mere 71 balls (5 sixes, 16 fours). He was then bowled by the persevering opening bowler from Whitchurch, Andy Heard and replaced by Ed Hulme. He exuded class for a couple of overs (the opposing captain’s description, not mine) before he inexplicably went walkabout and was stumped off a twelve-year-old (The writer was made to promise not to let him forget this).

Whitchurch captain Chris Grogan (guys, if you’re seeing the C Grogan on the scorecard, it honestly wasn’t Claire) got a reward for some fine bowling when Jeremy Knox swung over a straight one, but even then there was no respite for the visitors as Sam Saunders came in and plundered 30 off just 15 balls (just two of those were singles) before somehow being caught on the third man boundary. There was just time for Asif Teja to hit a sumptuous off drive of his own before the innings closed on 281-5 with Smith unbeaten on 27 (he slowed up once the opposition realised he couldn't hit the short wide deliveries).

Faced with a veteran batting line-up Penn Street opted for youth and went with their 33-year-old bowling attack of Caitlin Macken and Jonny Barnett, with the even younger Alex Adams coming on as first change. All three bowled with a skill which belied their years and all three took wickets, including what is hopefully the first of many appearances of ‘c O’Hagan b Macken’ on the PSCC scorecard (proves that there’s some Irish blood lurking among the assorted Aussies, Kiwis, Welshmen and closet Mexicans of this fine club).

There was also some excellent catching (nice to write that at last this season) including a particularly fine effort from Smith, whilst Saunders finally took his first wicket at Penn Street and then followed it with a gem of an inswinger to bowl Grogan. Only some dogged defence from Heard and Cormack Neesan (who admitted that they were playing for their averages) prevented a more comprehensive Penn Street victory.

PSCC: James Sempill (c), Dave Adams, Steve Smith, Ed Hulme, Jeremy Knox, Sam Saunders, Asif Teja, Richard O’Hagan (wk), Caitlin Macken, Alex Adams.