Clydesdale Bank 40: Essex set up 5-wicket win over Northamptonshire
The middle order batting for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Essex-c783 sparked well in time as the side clinched a five wicket victory in a Clydesdale Bank 40’s Group A clash against Northamptonshire at Garon Park on the 8th of August. Chasing Northamptonshire’s 215 for 6, Essex was reeling at 100 for the loss of 5 wickets in the 22nd over. However, Adam Wheater and Michael Comber were the heroes for Essex as both scored 126 runs for the sixth-wicket stand, taking their side home in the second last over of the match with 5 wickets still intact.
Essex rode on the young shoulders of Adam Wheater and Michael Comber after struggling on 100 for five. Both 20-year-olds recorded unbeaten half-centuries to see their side home with nine balls to spare. The youngsters kept their nerves when their seniors failed to do so, with Mark Pettini and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Michael-Comber-c1952 logged 52 off 50 balls. Earlier in the day, their accurate bowling was backed up by some sharp fielding, which restricted the visitors to 215 for 15 in their allotted 40 overs.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Stephen-Peters-c2574, the Northamptonshire skipper, after winning the toss, decided to bat first. The decision to bat first was well supported by openers Mal Loye and Rob Newton as both posted an opening stand of more than 50 runs, hitting sweetly-timed boundaries across the ground. In the 12th over, Tim Phillips broke the opening partnership with the total at 52 runs when he trapped Newton leg before wicket. Newton scored 19 runs from 28 balls, hitting three fours to his credit.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Northamptonshire-c824 at 100 for 3 on the board. Loye took 65 balls to complete his half century but failed to capitalize as he mistimed Bopara to Mark Pettini after adding only five more runs to his account. His 77 ball 55 contained seven muscular boundaries.
Loye’s dismissal allowed captain Stephen Peters to the crease and in partnership with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/David-Sales-c1337, the pair played a succession of beautiful shots to drag the side towards a respectable 40-overs total of 200 plus. Both batsmen added 50 runs to the team’s total for the fourth-wicket partnership. That became 150 for 4 when Sales departed on the last ball of the 31st over after mistiming Chris Wright to Grant Flower. David Sales, with the help of four boundaries, scored 36 runs from 34 balls.
After Sales exit, captain Peters played another half-century partnership with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/David-Masters-c1333 to Matt Walker in the second last over. He scored 25 runs after playing 22 balls.
Chris Wright did not let Peters score his half-century and sent him back to the pavilion on the second ball of the final over. Peters scored 46 runs from 53 balls including 3 boundaries. At the end of allotted 40 overs, Northamptonshire amassed 215 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. Both Wright and Bopara shared two wickets apiece.
Essex got off to a shaky start losing two wickets in the opening over. Both Pettini and Flower were sent back without scoring any runs. Despite losing two opening over wickets, Bopara and Walker took the initiative and posted 87 runs for the third wicket stand but the side was once again trembling at 100 for 5. Wheater and Comber continued the assault by Bopara and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Walker-c95903 by posting a 116 runs unbeaten partnership which helped Essex bag a five wicket victory with nine balls to spare.
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