Eastbourne College | Sussex Martlets

Match Report

Eastbourne College (255 for 7, Jacob Smith 134) beat Sussex Martlets (131, Brad Evans seven wickets) by 124 runs

The Martlets season opener again the college got off to a blustery start on the sunshine coast of Eastbourne. Having won the toss, an XI of true and good men set out to field first, aiming to make good use of a slightly moist track. David Twine and Daniel Weigl bowled with control, only occasionally erring from a good line and length. Twine made the breakthrough when one of the opening batsman shouldered arms one too many times and was bowled for 14. The college continuted to eek out runs and lunch was taken with the innings delicately poised at 123 for two from 31 overs with the young opener and captain Jacob Smith on 59 not out.

Twine bowled another beauty to pick up wicket quickly after lunch but the college’s running between the wickets kept the scorecard moving. The introduction of spin, with Paul Walker and Will Rydon, was a well-executed plan to tie the lads down until Walker fluffed his lines, dropping Smith on 94 off a return catch. In sight of his first hundred, Jacob decided that the short leg-side boundary would be the destination for Walker’s next ball and brought up his ton with a six. He subsequently played without fear, departing for 134 with a thin edge to Joe Akers-Douglas off the bowling of Rydon. Having faced 53 overs, the college declared on 255 for seven. Rydon took three for 51 from nine overs.

A tricky little 30-minute session before tea for the Martlets finished at 20 for three from 8.4 overs. Zimbabwean Brad Evans bowled a fine spell, picking up all three wickets. When his college duties are finished, he will become Eastbourne CC’s overseas player.

Resiliance from the Martlets middle order kept up with the required run rate but sadly the early damage had been done.

The game looked to be saved but Walker and Rydon fell within three balls of each other, Brad Evans returning and picking up his fifth and sixth wickets of the day.

With ten overs to save the game, Mark Trubshaw and Akers-Douglas set about the task. Three overs later, however, the latter was caught and the game looked to be gone, with a pumped-up Evans chasing a seventh wicket.

Trubshaw and Sam Hart batted through the final six overs, however, scoring only one run before, in typical Martlets fashion Hart was adjudged leg-before on the final delivery of the match, the Martlets thus losing by 124 runs.

A fantastic day at the college. The Martlets were very well looked after thanks to Matt Banes, his team and catering staff. Also thanks to the umpires and scorers.