Ross Grierson, career best figures [Terry Nash]
Ross Grierson produced career-best figures of seven for 39 as Bashley (Rydal) defended a meagre 102 to pull off a remarkable six-run victory over reigning ECB Southern Premier League champions Havant.
Ironically, he had only been drafted into the first team as Bashley were short on bowling options.
“I’ve been playing second team cricket for the past four seasons and now skipper the side, so in normal circumstances I wouldn’t have even been playing in the game,” he laughed.
“I’ve only got seven Division 3 wickets all season, so have now doubled my tally.”
Grierson [pictured] clean bowled four Havant batsmen, had two caught and another trapped leg before wicket as the title holders collapsed from 50-2 to 88-9 and subsequently 96 all out.
“The plan was that, if it (the ball) came out alright, I’d bowl 18 overs straight through,” Grierson explained.
“It worked perfectly. The pitch assisted the spinners, but not to any significant extent.
“If you bowled it straight, you were in with a chance. It came down to pressure bowling and the wickets tumbled.”
It appeared as though Havant would walk it after racing to 50-2, but directly Simon Watkins (2-28) had Andy Gorvin caught (ironically by Grierson), the champions folded.
They lost three more wickets adding only four runs and at 54-6 the electronic scoreboard painted a very different scenario.
Richard Hindley, at 44 years of age a vastly experienced campaigner, normally thrives in such circumstances, but whilst he kept the score inching towards Bashley’s 102, Grierson continued to call the tune and partners came and went all too regularly for Havant’s liking.
Hindley struck three boundaries to keep Bashley on tender-hooks, but he critically lost the strike in the 40th over and Josh Digby stepped in to trap last man Julian Atkins leg before.
It left Havant 96 all out and their prospects of celebrating a third successive title had taken a real body blow.
An elated but somewhat shocked Bashley captain Michael Porter reflected: “Realistically, there was always a massive doubt in the camp that we could defend 102, especially after Havant got off to a flier.
“But fair play to our lads. They stuck at it, none more so than Ross, who had the game of his life.
“The pitch wasn’t too bad – certainly not 20 wickets for less than 200. It helped the spinners, but you come to expect that at Havant Park.”
Bashley’s innings had run a similar course and with debutant Zak Millar (24) and Porter (23) looking comfortable, 66-2 appeared a platform for a decent total.
But either side of the luncheon interval, seven wickets fell for 22 runs – principally to left-arm spinner Graham Burns (5-25), who collected his fifth competitive five-wicket haul of the summer.
Bashley dropped to 88-9, but teenage ‘keeper Patrick Lewis prised 13 runs – and how valuable they turned out to be …
Disappointed Havant captain Chris Stone reflected: “No game in this league is a doddle, even from the position we found ourselves in. Clearly we would expect ourselves to get home however.
"Credit to Bashley, who bowled well on a wicket that was difficult to score freely on (as did we). Batting was poor from both teams !
“But we fell well below the standards expected of a Havant batting line up – we need to be tougher to dismiss and find a way to grind out the win in similar situations.”
* Younger 'crease' website readers may wish to know that the Emperor Rosko was a well known DJ on Radio Caroline and later BBC Radio 1 .... in the Sixties - way before they were born !!!
Ironically, he had only been drafted into the first team as Bashley were short on bowling options.
“I’ve been playing second team cricket for the past four seasons and now skipper the side, so in normal circumstances I wouldn’t have even been playing in the game,” he laughed.
“I’ve only got seven Division 3 wickets all season, so have now doubled my tally.”
Grierson [pictured] clean bowled four Havant batsmen, had two caught and another trapped leg before wicket as the title holders collapsed from 50-2 to 88-9 and subsequently 96 all out.
“The plan was that, if it (the ball) came out alright, I’d bowl 18 overs straight through,” Grierson explained.
“It worked perfectly. The pitch assisted the spinners, but not to any significant extent.
“If you bowled it straight, you were in with a chance. It came down to pressure bowling and the wickets tumbled.”
It appeared as though Havant would walk it after racing to 50-2, but directly Simon Watkins (2-28) had Andy Gorvin caught (ironically by Grierson), the champions folded.
They lost three more wickets adding only four runs and at 54-6 the electronic scoreboard painted a very different scenario.
Richard Hindley, at 44 years of age a vastly experienced campaigner, normally thrives in such circumstances, but whilst he kept the score inching towards Bashley’s 102, Grierson continued to call the tune and partners came and went all too regularly for Havant’s liking.
Hindley struck three boundaries to keep Bashley on tender-hooks, but he critically lost the strike in the 40th over and Josh Digby stepped in to trap last man Julian Atkins leg before.
It left Havant 96 all out and their prospects of celebrating a third successive title had taken a real body blow.
An elated but somewhat shocked Bashley captain Michael Porter reflected: “Realistically, there was always a massive doubt in the camp that we could defend 102, especially after Havant got off to a flier.
“But fair play to our lads. They stuck at it, none more so than Ross, who had the game of his life.
“The pitch wasn’t too bad – certainly not 20 wickets for less than 200. It helped the spinners, but you come to expect that at Havant Park.”
Bashley’s innings had run a similar course and with debutant Zak Millar (24) and Porter (23) looking comfortable, 66-2 appeared a platform for a decent total.
But either side of the luncheon interval, seven wickets fell for 22 runs – principally to left-arm spinner Graham Burns (5-25), who collected his fifth competitive five-wicket haul of the summer.
Bashley dropped to 88-9, but teenage ‘keeper Patrick Lewis prised 13 runs – and how valuable they turned out to be …
Disappointed Havant captain Chris Stone reflected: “No game in this league is a doddle, even from the position we found ourselves in. Clearly we would expect ourselves to get home however.
"Credit to Bashley, who bowled well on a wicket that was difficult to score freely on (as did we). Batting was poor from both teams !
“But we fell well below the standards expected of a Havant batting line up – we need to be tougher to dismiss and find a way to grind out the win in similar situations.”
* Younger 'crease' website readers may wish to know that the Emperor Rosko was a well known DJ on Radio Caroline and later BBC Radio 1 .... in the Sixties - way before they were born !!!
