All Match reports by Rash Mahmood
England v VCA President’s XI – Friday 22nd November 2024 @ Chisholm Oval
England left their Brisbane base and travelled to Canberra for a game against the Veterans Cricket Australia Presidents XI at the very picturesque Chisholm Oval, home of Tuggeranong Cricket Club.
On a warm morning, with temperatures already into the early twenties, President’s XI skipper Eric Higgins won the toss and elected to bat on what looked a good pitch, albeit a little bit greener than the pitch the England team played Queensland on at Caboolture on Monday.
England made several changes from their first outing, with Mike Palmer, Kevin Watson, Mark Eames, Nigel Moore and Simon Routh all coming into the team.
Palmer opened the bowling from the South End of the ground, with Watson operating from the Pavilion End. Peter O’Reilly, no stranger to the England team and skipper Higgins opened the batting, and it was Higgins scoring the first runs in anger, pulling Watson through mid-wicket in his first over for 4.
Palmer induced a genuine edge off Higgins in his second over, which flew past Montie Douglas at slip for 4, and he then played a beautifully timed on drive for 4. President’s XI 16-0 after three overs.
A good start from the batters, but the England opening bowlers then got into their stride, bowling full and straight, and making the batsmen play every ball. Apart from a late cut through backward point for four by O’Reilly, it was slow going from the opening pair, and after seven overs, the score was 21-0.
Watson was the first bowler to strike, trapping O’Reilly LBW for nine in the eighth over. Peter Solway was the next batter in, and Palmer was the next to strike, trapping Higgins LBW in the 10th over, President’s XI, 25-2.
Gary Page was the next batter in. Lee Selfe replaced Palmer at the South End and was promptly smashed by Solway through mid-wicket for four. Nigel Moore replaced Watson at the Pavilion End and started off with a maiden. At drinks at the end of the 15th over, the score had moved onto 44-2.
Nigel Moore started the over after drinks, and Page hit him powerfully through the covers for four. Selfe continued, and again struggled with his line, Solway sweeping powerfully to bring up the 50 runs, and then driving through mid-wicket for four – President’s XI now 54-2.
However, England had really started to find their groove, and backed up by some very good fielding, scoring for the batters was slow, and Selfe was rewarded in the 21st over, when he clean bowled Page for 12.
Glenn Richardson arrived at 64-3, and together with Solway, looked to rebuild the innings, and in truth, the pair batted really well, punishing anything short or wide, with Solway in particular using his feet to get to the pitch of the ball and playing some wonderfully timed shots.
The century was brought up in the 29th over, and Solway reached a very fine half-century later in the over, dispatching a full toss from Mel Hussain over deep mid-wicket for six, his 50 coming off 62 balls, with six fours and one six. After taking a single from the next delivery, Solway retired on 51 not out, with the score on 109.
Joe Gunning was the next batter in and like Richardson, looked to play his shots, but his stay at the crease was relatively short lived, with Razi Ahmed getting him to mistime a drive, with Hussain taking a very good catch low down at cover. Gunning out for 12, the President’s XI now reduced to 130-4 in the 35th over.
Richardson retired on 30 not out a couple of overs later with the score on 143, and it was left to the President’s keeper John Adamson, to try and nurse the middle and lower order to the conclusion of the innings, and he did so in a very entertaining manner, hitting some lusty blows, but with the introduction of Watson in the 39th over, who took the wickets of Wayne Leonard in that over and Paul Nemes in his next, the President’s XI limped to 200-6 after their 45 overs, with Adamson being unbeaten on 42 and Geoff Patterson unbeaten on four.
Pick of the England bowlers was Kevin Watson, whose bowled a very good opening spell, but came back at the tail of the innings to grab two wickets, his figures reading nine overs, three maidens, three wickets for 32 runs, a really special effort.
So, England would be left chasing 201 to win in their 45 overs, with the required run rate at 4.46 runs per over. On what was a very good pitch for batting, and with the pitch being a good one, hopes were high that England would apply themselves and reach their target with the minimum amount of fuss.
England resumed with Mark Eames and Hussain opening the batting but the story of the first few overs for the President’s XI was the inability to bowl straight, with wides being delivered aplenty by the opening duo of Alistair Little and Stephen Moore.
In and amongst this however, the England batting pair looked untroubled when the ball was a legitimate one, a fact wonderfully demonstrated by Eames who in the third over smashed Little over deep mid-wicket for six. England, helped by the wayward bowling had reached 50 in the middle of the seventh over. However, with the final ball of the over, Hussain, who appeared to have sustained an upper leg injury a few overs earlier, played all round a full toss from Little, and was clean bowled for 20 off 25 balls, with four fours. England 50-1.
Montie Douglas was the next man in looking to do considerably better than his two-ball duck on Monday against Queensland City, and together with Eames the pair added 44 runs in a little over five overs, with Eames in particular playing some exquisite shots, timing the ball beautifully, to all parts off the ground.
Douglas, never one to shy from attacking got off the mark with a powerful drive down the ground, and after adding another couple of boundaries, looked to be in the mood to go on the attack, however he was the next batter to fall, trying to hit Paul Nemes, who had replaced Stephen Moore from the Pavilion End, somewhere through mid-wicket, but playing an ugly shot and missing the ball completely. Douglas out for 15 off 17 balls, England now 94-2 after 13.3 overs.
Paul Radage replaced Douglas out in the middle, and with Nemes and Paterson stemming the flow of runs somewhat, England had reached 122-2 after 20 overs, requiring another 81 runs. The target well within reach, should England bat responsibly, and bat responsibly they did, with both Radage and Eames playing beautifully timed shots. The 50 partnership between the pair coming up at the end of the 26th over off 70 balls in little over 45 minutes.
Eames reached a very fine 50 a few overs later, and he retired not out at the end of the 29th over, having scored a beautifully crafted 58 off 83 balls with seven fours and one six.
Simon Routh joined Radage, who had played so well and was within sight of his own half-century, when he mistimed a drive straight to Joe Gunning off the bowling of Wayne Leonard. Radage out for a very fine 48 off 59 balls with six fours and one six. England 173-3.
Steve Aston was the next batter in, and together with Routh, they steered England home quite comfortably. The pair were dealing in boundaries, as England reached their target with the minimum amount of fuss, with Routh hitting Leonard through mid-wicket for another four, to get England to 204-3 with nine and a half overs and seven wickets to spare and in doing so England made it two from two on the tour. Routh finished on 25 not out off 21 balls with four boundaries, and Aston a run a ball eight – the pair scoring 28 runs in four overs.
At the conclusion of the match, each side selected a player of the match from each team. England selected Peter Solway for his batting contribution and the President’s XI selected Kevin Watson for his bowling. Congratulations to both on their performances.
A view from the sidelines
This was a very complete and encouraging performance from England. The bowling was on point right from the start and ensured that President’s XI were always going to struggle to post a challenging target on what was a very good pitch for batting. The fielding apart from a few overs at the end of the Presidents innings, which can be forgiven due to the rising heat of the afternoon, was far better than the opening game. The communication between the players was noticeable, and there was a real sense of togetherness not only from the players on the pitch, but also the five members of the squad doing the fetching and drinks duties.
The bowlers looked to bowl in good areas, and for the most part this was achieved, with Watson and Nigel Moore bowling particularly well. Batting wise, well Mark Eames stood out. He played wonderfully well, and, apart from the six that he hit off Little at the beginning of his innings, he didn’t seem to thrash at the ball but timed the ball magnificently well. It was an innings of real quality, which was matched by Paul Radage, who again demonstrated that he is someone who can be inserted anywhere in the batting order and he will do a job.
A big shout out to Simon Routh, who after injury and illness demonstrated that he is someone who England can look to score runs lower down the batting order.
So, all in all, this was a competent, convincing and all-round team performance from England. Thoughts now turn to Sunday for the first One Day International against Australia at The Bradman Oval in Bowral, when a sterner test surely awaits, but one that England will go into full of confidence.
On behalf of the England team and supporters, a big thank you to all at the Chisholm Oval, and the officials from Tuggeranong Cricket Club for their kindness, generosity and help.
Grey Ashes Tour: England v Queensland City – Monday 18th November 2024 @ Caboolture Cricket Club
With England’s first match of the tour cancelled on Sunday, an ODI with New Zealand due to the pitch at Wynnum Manly being waterlogged following torrential rain in Brisbane over the weekend, Monday’s game would hopefully provide the opportunity for the England squad to get some much-needed time out on the cricket pitch.
As the squad gathered for breakfast at the team hotel, the weather was fine, dry, and bright with the prospect of sunny spells throughout the day, with temperatures reaching the high twenties. The squad and supporters set off for the Caboolture Cricket Club, some 50 kilometres north of Brisbane for a meeting with the Queensland City side.
The pitch looked a good one for batting, with just a few cracks on the surface and a few tinges of green, but the pitch was expected to provide consistent bounce. The new England skipper Ed Gordon-Lennox won the toss and elected to bat.
Nick Gaywood and Mel Hussain opened the batting for England, and it was Gaywood who made the better start of the two openers, playing with freedom and no little style, caressing the ball to the boundary with ease. England were batting at around five runs per over, and the 50 partnership between the pair was reached in the middle of the 10th over. However, as well as Gaywood was playing, he had a lifeline in the 12th over. Looking to drive outside the off stump, and getting a genuine edge, which went at hip height quickly to the fielder at first slip, who got a hand to the ball but wasn’t able to hold on.
Gaywood reached a very fine 50 a few overs later, this coming off just 44 balls, which included eight fours and one six. After 15 overs when drinks were taken, Gaywood retired on 60 not out, England having reached a more than respectable 76-0 at this point.
At the resumption of play, Montie Douglas joined Hussain out in the middle. Douglas, so often a key run contributor for England, lasted just the two balls, caught out trying to drive a fuller delivery from Andrew Middleton, and smartly caught by the Queensland skipper Keith Christiansen at slip. Douglas out without scoring, England 76-1.
The England skipper Gordon-Lennox was the next man in, and fared even worse than Douglas, hitting the first delivery he faced straight to the man at cover, Cole, who took a regulation catch. Gordon-Lennox out for 0, England 76-2 and Middleton on a hat-trick. Paul Radage was the next batter in, and he successfully negotiated the next ball.
Queensland were in the ascendancy and were looking to make further inroads to the England batting lineup, and got another wicket in the 17th over, when Hussain tried to guide a wide ball outside the off stump, through the gully region, only to get an edge to the keeper Veivers. Hussain out for 16 off 52 deliveries and giving Middleton his third wicket of the innings. England now 87-3.
Steve Aston, the England wicket keeper was the next man in. A single in the middle of the 20th over brought up the England 100, and Radage and Aston were starting to play some attacking shots, Aston in particular playing some wonderfully timed shots through the cover region. England were going along at a steady five runs an over, and had reached 134-3, when Radage came down the pitch to the first ball of the 27th over, connecting very well, but unluckily for him, managing to find the only fielder out in the deep on the onside, being caught right on the boundary edge by Worthington off the bowling of Kettle for 23 off 27 balls. His partnership with Aston adding 47 runs, England now 134-4.
With 15 overs remaining, England had reached 140-4, with Jim Phillips now out in the middle, joining Aston. The pair looked to play positively, and the score started to move along. Aston reached a very fine 50 in the middle of the 33rd over, this coming off 59 balls, but two balls later he was out, mistiming a drive off the bowling of Christensen, and being caught out at mid-on, Middleton taking a fine diving catch. Aston out for 52, England, 168-5.
Jason Caunt was the next batter in, and the left-handed bat played some very attacking shots. The score had progressed to 192, when Phillips was bowled by an absolute beauty from the Queensland skipper Christensen, who bowled a full flighty delivery that dipped just at the popping crease, with Phillips not able to get his bat on the ball. He was out for 12 off 25 deliveries, England 192-6.
Lee Selfe was the next batter in, and England reached 200 in the middle of the 41st over, but having done so, Selfe was bowled in the same manner as Phillips. Christensen producing an identical delivery, and getting the same result, an excellent and intelligent piece of bowling. Selfe out for three, England 200-7.
Razi Ahmed was the next man in, and together with Caunt, sensed that a degree of acceleration was required, and the pair duly delivered. Caunt smashing two sixes in the 42nd over and Ahmed playing two wonderfully timed shots in the next over for back-to-back boundaries – 23 runs coming from 12 deliveries.
The pair remained unbeaten at the end of England’s 45 overs, Caunt on 38 not out off 35 deliveries and Ahmed 13 not out, as England posted a more than respectable 230-7. With the start England made, a score north of 250 would have been expected, but some excellent bowling from Middleton taking 3-22 and Christensen taking 3-29 checked the England batter’s scoring somewhat.
Queensland started their innings requiring 231 runs to win at a run rate of 5.13 runs per over, with Watson and Veivers opening the batting. Caunt opened the bowling for England, with Nick Gargaro opening with him, and progress by the Queensland batters was slow, however anything drifting down towards the leg side was punished.
Caunt was the first to strike in the middle of the seventh over. Veivers lofting the ball to square leg where Selfe took a comfortable catch. Veivers out for 10, Queensland 19-1. Johnston was the next man in for Queensland, but it wasn’t long before England made another breakthrough, this time it was Gargaro having Watson trapped in front, the umpire having a long hard think about his decision, before raising his finger, Watson out lbw for 15, Queensland now 27-2.
Officer was the next man in, and Melvyn Holmes replaced Gargaro with Ahmed replacing Caunt, and it was Ahmed who struck next. His first ball to Officer was dispatched with disdain over wide mid-wicket for four, however he attempted the same shot to the very next ball, and got a top edge, with the ball going high in the air to Caunt at square leg who took a simple catch. Officer out for five, Queensland 41/3.
The Queensland skipper Christensen was the next man in, and together with Johnston looked to rebuild the innings, and the pair, helped by some indifferent England bowling, started to accelerate the score. The introduction of Phillips and Selfe brought back some control, however the two batters brought up their 50 partnership in the 22nd over, and the very next over brought up the Queensland 100. Both batters were looking well set, but Johnston appeared to suffer a lower leg injury whilst attempting a cut shot, and he retired on 36 at the start of the 24th over.
This brought McGee to the crease, but his stay was short lived as he slog-swept Selfe to deep mid-wicket, where Hussain took a regulation catch. McGee out for two, Queensland 103-4 after 25 overs.
Worthington was the next man in, joining Christensen, but the momentum was slowly shifting England’s way, and when Christensen, who had played very well, chipped a ball from Phillips to cover where Ahmed took a regulation catch, England were firmly in the driving seat. Christensen out for a very well-crafted 33, Queensland 115-5 after 27.3 overs.
From then on, wickets fell at regular intervals, and with Queensland never really threatening to get close to the required target, the match meandered to a close after 45 overs, Queensland reaching 156-7, with Brigden being 14 not out and Cole being three not out.
England won by 74 runs, in what was a good workout for the squad. England played well in parts during the game, and Gordon-Lennox will be pleased that time out in the middle was achieved. England showed a resilience and determination during their batting which will serve them well during this tour.
The fielding was pretty good for the most part and save for a period of five to six overs during the Queensland batting, where the England bowling was a bit ragged, the bowlers bowled well.
As is customary at the end of the match, both skippers selected a player of the match for each team. England selected Middleton from Queensland for his bowling, where he took 3-22, and Queensland selected Gaywood for his very well crafted 60 not out.
Our thanks go to all at Caboolture Cricket Club for their help and assistance.
