Boxgrove v Pagham

 

  Sunday 30th August

 

 Boxgrove chose to field first on what was a dark and damp day and soon had the Pagham openers in all kinds of trouble. Paul Mant (0 for 30 off 7 overs) in particular bowled extremely well but with very little luck as he beat the bat time and time again. Kevin McGeough (0-22 off 9 overs) also bowled a good spell but Pagham eventually weathered the storm and began to build a decent score. When the Pagham opener, Finlayson, reached three figures his skipper declared on 211-2 setting up testing 20 minute spell before tea for the home side. The only Boxgrove bowler to have had any success all afternoon was Tom Vinnicombe with 2 for 56 off of 7 overs.

The Boxgrove skipper turned to a mixture of youth and experience in Donnovan and Bailey to open the batting but although they successfully negotiated the 20 minutes before tea they both fell soon afterwards for 0 and 7 respectively. The bowling was proving to be extremely testing with a lot of turn but Mark Holl and James Thorpe clearly seemed up for the fight. Holl hit his first two balls for 4 but was then content to support Thorpe in what was developing into an interesting run chase especially after the effective spinners had been seen off. However with their partnership at 144 and Thorpe eyeing up a third successive hundred for the club, the Pagham skipper brought his spinners back into the attack and his counterpart Thorpe was stumped off the bowling of Eade for an impressive 94. Tom Vinnicombe came to the wicket but time was running out and although Holl (53 not out) reached his half century Boxgrove fell just short and had to settle for a draw.