Third Team Match Report
After defeat last weekend to Ipswich and East Suffolk, Maldon 3’s were looking to get back to winning ways, winning the toss they elected to bowl. Archie Wright had the first over and was looking to bowl a nice tight line to the opening batsmen and force them into making an early mistake, with Sam Collins at the other end bowling away swing to the right handers and asking early questions of their techniques. However, a few loose deliveries were bowled early on and the Ipswich batsmen capitalised on them and got their team off to a flying start.
A sharp piece of fielding by James Ellis saw the first wicket fall with a direct hit with the score on 69. This brought Knight to the crease and with Sexton they built a partnership of 90. By this time Maldon had turned to two veterans of the team in Dave Richardson and Michael Newman and they started to turn the screws slowing the run rate down and with Dave Richardson taking the wickets of Sexton and Knight the game started to change.
Ipswich were slowing down with their batting and the introduction of Paul Bardo, who picked up 3 wickets for 33 runs meant that Ipswich finally recorded a score of 230-6 off their allocated 45 overs.
Maldon’s reply got off to a bad start with Simon Reeve out for 5 and James Ellis following him not long after for 18. This theme continued as our middle order were getting in but failing to build a big score. Joe Bird top scored with a fine 37 with some support from the captain Mike Smith (25) and a late burst from all-rounder Paul Bardo (27) and Dave Richardson (18) meaning that Maldon had fallen short with 157 in 39 overs. All credit to the Ipswich bowling attack with the pick of their bowling coming from George Offord 4-32 and Megan Kelland 2-19.
On bank holiday Monday Maldon 3’s travelled to Frinton-on-sea for their first away game of the season. Maldon lost the toss and were put in the field. Patel and Heighes opened the batting for Frinton and Jack Plumb was unlucky in his first over as he found the edge of Heighes bat but the ball flew just out of reach of 1st slip. Patel at the other end rode his luck constantly hitting the ball in the air but either just over the field or landing short and this luck led him to a quick 75 runs before he was out bowled by Richardson. Heighes went on to make 84 before he gave a sharp catch back to Jack Plumb off his own bowling which he duly held at the second attempt. The damage though had already been done at this point and the Frinton Batsmen fresh from their games in Frinton’s 1st and 2nd elevens were enjoying Maldon 3rd teams bowling attack. Jack Plumb finished the game with 3 wickets and some tight bowling from David Blackboro were perhaps the only highlights, with Maldon rueing several dropped catches on the day and Frinton finishing their innings on 279.
Maldon’s reply like on Saturday had an early setback with Stuart Coker out for 5 and fellow opener Smith only making 12. The rest of the batsmen followed in the same suit with only Sandy Grant fresh from his latest tour offering any resistance with a dogged 32 not out.
So after a couple of early wins the 3’s now find themselves back in mid table and hoping for improved performances and results over the next few weeks as availability improves in the higher sides.
