Eastbourne CC | Sussex Martlets

Match Report

Sussex Martlets XI v Eastbourne CC played at The Saffrons on Wed, 16th July 2014

Sussex Martlets 219 all out (39.5 overs – Seb Marlow 73, Matt O’Rourke 68)

On a beautiful sunny summer’s day the Martlets side that turned up at Eastbourne was a bit of an unknown quantity, comprising 5 candidates and 5 U21’s but on winning the toss decided to bat first on what looked like a pretty good Saffrons wicket.

Seb Marlow opened up with Steve Eke and made a solid start before Steve was adjudged Leg Before just as he was starting to get going. Ross Antrobus unfortunately got an edge to a good away swinger early on and fell to an excellent sharp catch at second slip and when Henry Rydon was LBW for 10 the Martlets appeared to be wobbling a bit at 70 for 3 in the 17th over.

Matt O’ Rourke had other ideas though and along with Seb Marlow, who was batting with a maturity way beyond his years, started to set about the bowling. The more they attacked, the more bad balls seemed to be bowled and Matt brought up an amazing fifty with a huge pull for 6 off only 28 balls. When he departed, tamely caught at Extra Cover for 68 off 39 balls the score was a much healthier looking 167 for 4.

In the meantime Seb had brought up his own fifty with a glorious straight drive for 6 and it was looking like the Martlets were going to be able to set a very challenging total. However in an attempt to keep the scoreboard moving swiftly, wickets started tumbling as risks were taken and the last six wickets capitulated for a rather meagre 52 runs, giving us a total of 219 all out in the 40th over (just after half time!). The highlights were obviously Matt O’Rourke’s 38 ball 68 with 5 fours and 6 huge sixes and Seb Marlow’s well-constructed 73 off 101 balls with 6 fours and 1 six.

The bowling was opened by Will Wright and Jon Lord, who kept things reasonably tight to start with. Will made the first couple of breakthroughs and bowled an excellent line and length at a lively pace. Henry Rydon replaced Jon at after 5 overs, the heat taking its toll and bowled a very tidy 13 over spell which also included 2 well thought out wickets. However, the Eastbourne batting, bolstered by the 2 Tomsett brothers and a couple of other in-form first team players proved too strong for our inexperienced attack, and when Mark Tomsett reverse swept 2 incredible sixes the writing was on the wall and sadly we went down fighting with 2 overs of the last twenty remaining.

Despite a disappointing result, everyone got involved and kept trying until the very end and I believe enjoyed a good old fashioned game of cricket!