Braunston CC v Napton CC

From the records, it appears that it has been over a dozen years since Napton CC last played Braunston, 25th April 2010.
That game was also at Braunston and interestingly, three of the players in the above team list were playing in that game. Napton won the match.

In 2022, Captain Mike won the toss and decided that Napton would bat first.
It was agreed on 35 overs for each team.

On a track that occasionally bequeathed a regulation full-length ball with the qualities of a short-pitched delivery, a ball above the shoulder often surprised the batsmen.
Such a ball caused the downfall of one of the two Napton batsmen who were back in the pavilion by the end of the second over.
1-2 after 2 overs

Stuart joined JP in the centre and this pair moved the score along at a steady pace.
In the 13th , JP demonstrated the strength of his home-produced bat with the complete demolition of his own wickets.
Next batsman Nick immediately indicated his intent with a ‘six’.
It only takes one big-hitter to transform a score and Nick, partnered by Stuart and then James, took on this task with a flurry of immaculately struck boundaries that had the fielders positioned on the perimeter whenever he was on strike.
After these three had departed Napton were:-
164-6 after 31 overs.
Mike, coming in down the order, added a few and made double figures.
At the completion of their allocated overs Napton were:-
188-8 after 35 overs.
Nick Brown 73 runs 13 boundaries inc. 5 sixes
Stuart Alsop 29 runs 5 boundaries
James Pelter 21 runs 2 boundaries
Mike Eadon 17 runs 2 boundaries
30 extras.

At just less than 5.5 per over required by Braunston, Napton would have a difficult task to defend their total.

Opening bowlers Stuart and Liam bowled accurately and frugally, conceding just 40 runs in the first ten overs; thereby keeping the home team comfortably below the required run-rate.

Much would be expected of first-change bowlers JP and James.
In his second over JP took Napton’s first wicket with a C&B and with the very next ball a catch by brother Mike gave him another.

In his first over James was fast and his action fluid, but unfortunately a knee problem reduced him to a walking delivery for the last delivery of the over.
This was a blow for Napton; losing a main strike bowler.

However, JP was at the top of his game, bowling a home-team batsman in his third over.
George took the fourth wicket with a C&B.

JP was on a purple patch and recorded a double-wicket maiden in his fifth over via catches by James and Stuart. A well-deserved ‘fiver’ for JP’s splendid bowling. At this stage of the game his figures were 5-15.
64-6 after 18 overs.

With the innings at the half-way mark and Braunston light on the required run-rate, with six wickets down, one may have been thinking that it was ‘in-the-bag’ for Napton.
This was not to be the case.
Two of the home-team batsmen got to grips with the bowling and peppered the boundary, running the score along at an alarming rate.
Stuart broke this partnership. James, who had donned the big gloves, ran up the wicket to catch a skyed shot.
173-7 after 30 overs.
5 overs left, 16 runs required and 3 wickets in hand.
It certainly didn’t appear to be ‘in-the-bag’ now for Napton but more the other way.
The 31st over added 4 runs – 177-7
Mike tossed the ball to Rob for the 32nd.
The first four balls conceded just one run.
Rob floated up the fifth, the batsman struck it to square-leg where Graham said “Thank you very much” 178-8
With the last ball of the over Rob gave it a little extra air. The batsman, undecided how to deal with it, was skittled.
178-9 after 32 overs.
9 runs came off the next over
187-9 after 33 overs
One run required for a tie and 2 for victory.
After the two wickets in his last over Rob was on a hat-trick ball.
The batsman facing was on 52 and had been clocking up sixes and fours with ease.
Rob floated the delivery up high; the batsman took a long pace forward to put it away.
Whether it turned a little in the air or the spin on it bit as it grounded, I know not, but it went past the bat and into James’s gloves.
On seeing the batsman still out of his ground James wasted no time in removing the bails.
A stumping, a hat-trick and game won by one run !!!!
187-10 after 33.1 overs.
John P Eadon 7 overs I maiden 5-37
Rob Pelter 1.1 overs 3- 1
Stuart Alsop 7 overs 1-26
George Pelter 4 overs 1-35

An exciting win for Napton. JP’s ‘fiver’, Rob’s hat-trick and Nick’s 73 runs stick out; but the whole team kept up the pressure even when it looked like the game was slipping away from us. The committed fielding and overall tight and controlled bowling kept Napton in the game.