Narrowly beaten in the corresponding fixture last year, Frimley Green were hoping to secure their second victory this term over an Odiham side clearly lacking a number of their former players.
However, as has been discovered before, a team stocked with colts can often mean a team stocked with future Hampshire and Surrey players.
Opening as ever, Ants Johnson did not disappoint, tucking into loose balls and hauling a magnificent six towards the housing estate. Narrowly short of his half century, and moments after the surprisingly short stay of Marsh came to an end, he was trapped leg before and not even the most subjective of home umpires could have seen it any different. With John Sherringham accounted for already, and the run-rate becoming sluggish, hopes fell once again on Jon Prior and his able lieutenant Paul Broome. Sure enough, they fought for every run, taking calculated risks and bringing the rate to a competititve level. Numerous well crafted shots from both brought respectable scores, only for both to fall in quick succession, and the subsequent collapse of the bowling order. Still, 157 seemed to be a challenging score on a slow pitch.
Opening the bowling, Nick Gates wasted no time in chiseling out the openers, both gone and barely a run scored, but once bedded in, the third and fourth man started to pile on runs, and the outlook looked bleak for FGCC. Shahid was handed the ball and after some trademark mixing, produced the killer to dislodge the danger-man's stumpz. R.Edmonds returned fire at the other end, and himself sent a trio of opponents trudging back with their tails between their legs, this sandwiching a run-out orchestrated by Marcus Carmichael and JP. However, O&G had managed to keep up the challenge with their run scoring, and with overs to spare, their target was minimal. Gordon Marsh threw everything into attack as they tried to prize the limpet-like sloggers from their perches, but it was in vain, and Frimley ended up losing out with three overs remaining. |
