Bradenham CC still searching for that elusive first win of 2017
- Credit: Eastern Daily Press © 2016
Week seven in Norfolk Alliance Division Two found Bradenham still looking for a league win in 2017 as the shone down brightly on The Green.
Despite losing the toss against Saham Toney, Bradenham got to bat first as they were planning to choose to do themselves.
However, they were soon in trouble, with both openers back in the pavilion after five overs with the score just 10.
This meant father and son Patrick and Will Dewing were batting together and they started to pick the bad ball and find the boundary. Unfortunately the junior partner was bowled on 20, leaving dad to hold the innings together.
Rob Ellis came and went for 11 to bring the big hitting Ian Gibb to the crease. He and Dewing took the score to 90 before the latter was removed, quickly followed by two others.
At 119-7 Bradenham's position looked weak but skipper Al Bates joined Gibb in putting bat to ball and together they moved the score on at pace.
Bates added a rapid 31 including three sixes as Gibb reached 50 with an uncharacteristic run of seven singles. Both departed in quick succession with the score on 176, leaving the last pair to try and push for the extra batting point.
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They made it to 187, a defendable total but fielding would need to be tighter than Saham's, who had spurned some chances.
Saham opened up with Wood and Smart who steadily moved the score on as Bradenham failed to take a few chances that came their way. This was always going to make defending their total harder and the more they strived for the breakthrough the more frustrated they got.
The score moved on at around five an over with Saham passing 100 in the 19th over. The flow was stemmed a bit by the tandem spin of Ryan Adcock and Iain Brown as only 31 runs were added in the next 10 overs but still a wicket wouldn't come.
The end of their spells saw the visitors needing 48 from 15 overs and prompted an acceleration. Smart passed 100 as Saham pushed for an early finish. Wood just made it to his 50 before the total was reached, with Smart unbeaten on 137. So Bradenham move on to Topcroft on Saturday (1pm) still looking for that elusive win to kick start their season.
Bradenham A, who conceded their fixture at Snettisham, are at home to Cromer A
