Clydesdale Bank 40: Surrey Lions defeated Unicorns by 66 runs
Steve Davies and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Steven-Cheetham-c2582 joined hands to keep Surrey Lions in the running to win a berth in the semi-final of the ongoing Clydesdale Bank 40. The Lions overwhelmed the Unicorns with a margin of 66 runs at Sir Paul Getty’s Ground, Wormsley on August 22. Chasing Surrey’s competitive 40 overs total of 273, Unicorns could only amass 207 runs for the loss of 8 wickets.
Steve Davies, the wicketkeeper batsman standing in his 100th ODI, shared a three-digit stand with skipper Rory Hamilton Brown and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Stewart-c91370 Walters, as the visitors posted an imposing 273 for 4. It was Davies’ fifth ton in List A cricket and the first one for the Lions. In reply, the Unicorns were restricted to 207 for 8 in their run chase as Steven Cheetham claimed his career best figures of 4-32. With many of the Unicorn batters out of flair, Michael O’Shea’s 65 off 67 was not enough to stop a 66 run defeat.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Parsons-c80768 introduced a number of bowling changes, but not even that could stop the blitz of Rory Hamilton-Brown and Steve Davies. The Surrey skipper brought the 50 up for his side in the 7th over when he pulled a boundary over the mid-on region off Neil Saker. Seven overs later, Hamilton-Brown cruised to his own fifty off 45 deliveries.
The fourth three-figure partnership of the season’s Clydesdale Bank 40 Cup between Hamilton Brown and Steve Davies arrived in the 14th over. But shortly after cruising to a 100 plus partnership, Hamilton Brown departed after he lofted Jahed Ahmed to debutant Atiq-ur-Rehman standing at the mid-off. Hamilton-Brown scored 52 runs from 49 balls. During his 59-minute stay at the crease, the skipper entertained the Wormsley crowd with seven well-timed boundaries and a six.
Rory Hamilton-Brown’s dismissal took Stewart Walters to the crease and in partnership with the bludgeoning keeper Steve Davies; the partners played another aggressive stand. The pugnacious opener offered a chance to the opposition on 67 when he drove Jackson Thompson to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Josh-Knappett-c1737 but was dropped and the Unicorns failed to capitalize the chance. Two overs later, Stewart Walters – driving Thompson’s off-spin through the mid-on for boundary - cruised to his second successive fifty in the Clydesdale Bank 40 Cup. Walter’s 64-ball half-century included four boundaries.
Steve Davies piled up his fifth century of the List A cricket but failed to capitalize upon his ton and departed moments later for 101. The partnership was worth 121 when Glenn Querl broke it by claiming the wicket of Steve Davies with a full length delivery, leaving Surrey 227 for 2 on board. Davies’ 85-ball 101 contained 13 lofty fours and a huge six as well. Steve Davies was soon followed by Jason Roy and Matthew Spriegel as the Lions were at 246 for 4 with three wickets falling in five overs for only 19 runs. But Walters finished with 78 not out off 85 deliveries as the visitors mustered a daunting total of 273 for 4.
Unicorns went off to a steady run chase but a pair of wickets at 73 followed by Park’s wicket at 78 dented the hosts remarkably bringing the run rate considerably below the required 6.82 runs per over. Even a half-century partnership between O’Shea and debutant Atiq-ur-Rehman along with Saker’s 40 off 39 balls could not overpass the 66 run defeat in the end as the hosts were restricted to 207 for 8 by the disciplined bowling of Surrey led by Steven Cheetham.
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