Diss cricket round-up

29 July 2010

Diss will look to make it five wins out of six, as they host Brooke on Saturday.

They returned from the north Norfolk coast with an invaluable winning draw against Cromer. Diss were grateful to a wonderful batting performance as they racked up almost 300 runs, and a splendid five-wicket haul by Chris Germon to secure the win.

After being asked to bat, Diss started well with James Wilby smashing eight from the first over, including a great cover-drive. But his joy was short lived as he feathered a catch down the leg-side to hand overseas pro, Liyanage, his first wicket. The Sri Lankan picked up his second wicket after a patient partnership between Henry Rush and David Tooke (6) was broken with the latter chipping tamely to mid-wicket.

This brought Simon Cooper to the crease and he and Rush played with a brash confidence. Cooper sailed past 50 with an array of hooks, pulls and deft square-cuts. With the partnership on 124 Cooper was dismissed, caught in the deep for an exhilarating 73. Rob Tooke (33) came to the crease and smashed his second and sixth balls for six in an entertaining cameo.

Next to fall was Rush, as his marathon innings was ended on 73 after batting for almost three hours. Two further fine cameo innings stood out as Chris Cooper (27) and Benji Spinks (24) sought about pushing Diss towards 300. Both were caught in the deep by Regis, which left Mike Tooke and Tom Weal to bat the final few overs as Diss finished on a daunting 298 for eight.

With a lightning fast outfield, and tiny boundaries, this contest was by no means a foregone conclusion.

Chris Germon had Tuck (13) caught by Rush, then sent Charlwood packing for nought, with Weal snaffling a simple chance behind the stumps. Liyanage (0) and Turner (28) also succumbed to Germon's exemplary line and length.

Needing almost a further 250 runs for victory Cromer looked dead and buried, but a partnership of brutal hitting between Davies and Warnes threatened to turn the tables on Diss.

The pair were together for 19 overs and bludgeoned 124 runs before the game swung right back into Diss' favour as Rush dismissed Warnes (66) and L Davies (0) in his first over.

With Rush exploiting the swinging ball with devastating effect Cromer settled for a losing draw as they batted out the final 10 overs with little urgency.

T Davies eventually limped to a century, only for Germon to dismiss him the very next ball caught and bowled, for a five-wicket haul.

Diss had to settle for a winning draw, but got a useful 17 points, which keeps them well in contention for second.

Man of the match was Henry Rush.

Diss: J Wilby c L Barrett b N Liyanage 8, H Rush c-b K Regis 73, D Tooke c D Turner b N Liyanage 7, S Cooper c K Regis b D Elliott 73, R Tooke c L Barrett b M Warnes 33, C Cooper c K Regis b M Warnes 27, W Dawson c K Tuck b M Warnes 2, B Spinks c K Regis b M Warnes 24, M Tooke not out 5, T Weal not out 6; extras 40. Total (8 wkts) 298. Bowling: M Warnes 13-0-88-4, N Liyanage 13-1-53-2, K Regis 13-0-75-1, J Battrick 7-0-33-0, D Elliott 4-0-37-1.

Cromer: D Turner lbw C Germon 28, K Tuck c H Rush b C Germon 13, R Charlwood c T Weal b C Germon 0, N Liyanage c S Cooper b C Germon 0, T Davies c-b C Germon 103, M Warnes b H Rush 66, L Davies lbw H Rush 0, D Elliott not out 18, L Barrett not out 0; extras 12. Total (7 wkts) 240. Bowling: C Germon 13-3-45-5, S Cooper 13-2-44-0, R Tooke 12-0-64-0, C Cooper 5-0-49-0, H Rush 7-0-35-2.

An Alliance Division Five top of the table clash between unbeaten Cromer and second-place Diss A was expected to be a good encounter, and it did not disappoint with Cromer eventual seven-wicket winners with one over left.

Diss lost Liam Brown (5) in the fourth over bringing Tim Courridge (68) to the wicket to join Craig Barker (36) for a 100 partnership. This was ended with the run-out of Barker by a direct hit .

Courridge followed soon after being bowled by Craske (1-36). There was then a procession of batters getting out after making a start. Karl Dade made 10 before being caught, as did Mark Williamson (10) and Joe Quick (10) suffered the same fate.

Charlie Pask was compiling a patient 25 before also being caught. Alex Blakely (4) was next out with the score on 191, with 200 needed for maximum batting points Andy Tebble added two fours before having his stumps rearranged, leaving Jack Bell (3) and Richard West (16) to reach the 211, with West finishing off the innings with a couple of cracking fours.

Diss opened with the spin of Williamson (1-33) and the seam of Blakely (1-29). Blakely struck in his first over having B Clarke (10) caught by Courridge, Williamson had the Cromer batsmen unsure what to do with the spinning and jumping ball, and his first six overs only yielded four runs and included the wicket of A Lithins (7).

Cromer's two premier batsmen this season then set about the total with a concentrated effort early on, then opening up with confidence.

Courridge (1-66) had P Gascoyne caught by Williamson for 48 which brought O Kimber to the crease, and together with G Neale gradualy reeled in the Diss total and got an outright win with an over to spare with Kimber on 43no and Neale a match-winning 93no.