After excellent pre-season practices and looking splendid in their new kit courtesy of their sponsor's, JNE Construction, Plymouth College 1st XI comprehensively beat Kelly College in their 35 overs-a-side match by 164 runs.
Winning the toss and batting, the College's openers Captain Jake Luffman and Henry Bennett put on 83 in 9 overs, before Bennett (41) mistimed a drive and was caught and bowled. Luffman then quickly lost Alex Hill, unluckily caught down the leg side. George Stephenson and Luffman then put on 100 for the third wicket before their rhythm was slightly disrupted by the drinks break and Luffman (89), who was pushing on for his well-deserved century, played a little inside out and skied a catch to cover. Ed Knight joined Stephenson and they gradually accelerated the score putting on 41 in 5 overs, before Stephenson on 50 was caught on the square leg boundary. Ollie Mulberry was very well caught at mid off for a Primary and Ben Jackson played one lovely on drive before departing. Tom Passmore could not repeat his heroics of Wednesday and was comprehensively bowled and Alex Smith and Chris Head saw out the innings, 286-9 off 35 overs - a most impressive total.
After tea Ollie Mulberry and Chris Head opened the bowling and Mulberry uprooted Kelly's Elliot's stumps only to turn around to see he had bowled a no ball! The overs ticked over with Kelly scoring slowly before Alex Hill made the break through, immediately followed by a second wicket, well caught at short mid off by Ben Jackson. A rejuvenated Alex Smith bowled with control and away drift but it was his alternative delivery, which he has worked on in the nets, which did the trick with Alex Hill taking a stunning one handed catch at square leg. Smith then took another wicket thanks to a smart stumping by George Stephenson (2-8 off 5 overs), Hill chipped in with two more wickets finishing with 4-21 off 7 overs and Mulberry and Jackson one a piece. With College trying to buy wickets, a spirited repost from McManus and Monger, saw Kelly finish on 122-9 off their 35 overs, 164 short of Plymouth College.
The batting definitely benefitted from the T20 middle practice, the fielding was excellent all things considered but perhaps the bowling lacked the accuracy and necessary direction due to it being very early season. Ed Knight and Henry Bennett's spin may also have had more of an impact if they had bowled earlier and a T20 field had been adopted for Kelly's lower order batsmen.
All in all this was an excellent early season victory, which bodes well for the remainder of the season.
