BPCC v ARMY

The third day of the 2022 tour saw a change in ground with the BPCC squad travelling to the Army Cricket Ground at Aldershot. With some cloud overhead but no rain forecast, the Army skipper won the toss and elected to field.

A steady opening partnership of 47 was finally broken in the 10th over when Will Evans was caught by Urie Hill off the bowling of Denson Narayan for 26. His opening partner Matt Sisson fell two overs later for 23, caught behind, also off the bowling of Narayan.

Shaun Smith and Gary Knight carefully negotiated a 16 run partnership before Smith was caught behind off the bowling of captain Jay Boynton for 8. Tom Knight made a steady 14 before being bowled by Narayan, then skipper Micky Martin made it to 12 before chipping to backward point off the bowling of Ben Golds. Sam Godfrey was next out for 3, also caught off the bowling of Golds. The partnership between Gary Knight and 8th wicket Dominic Manthorpe was worth 47 with the latter crashing 5 fours on his way to 28 before holing out in the deep to a Boynton delivery. The next stand was worth 42 with Knight accelerating and a handy 13 from Joe Flatt before he was caught off the bowling of Nicholas Schofield.

Will Heather didn’t trouble the scorers, caught off the bowling of Urie Hill first ball. Knight was the last wicket to fall for a magnificent 115 off 114 balls (11 fours and 2 sixes) leaving Mike Harling not out on 1. It should be noted that Knight is the first player in recorded BPCC history to hit back to back hundreds.

In reply, the Army’s innings stuttered immediately with Varun Bali leading edging a catch back to Dominic Manthorpe second ball of the innings. From there, the Army batsmen came out swinging with nearly every player getting starts before getting out. Liam Fletcher hit 4 fours on his way to 19 before being bounced out by Manthorpe, caught at deep square by Will Heather. Graham Wiseman was next to go, bowled by Mike Harling for 7. Tade Carmichael swung from the hip but couldn’t get going, hitting 3 fours before being bowled by Harling for 20. In the 13th over, Manthorpe trapped captain Jay Boynton in front for 2, leaving the Army struggling at 67/5. A stand of 35 between Denson Narayan and Urie Hill was broken when Narayan punched a ball to Micky Martin at mid off, Hill set off for the run and both batsmen ended up at the same end. Despite the throw from Martin being wayward, seemingly giving Hill the opportunity to get back, Harling ran the ball back to the stumps in time to affect the run out. Narayan fell shortly after, chipping the ball straight back to bowler Joe Flatt.

It started looking like the Army may make a stunning comeback when Ross Dearden and Connor Reed put on a partnership of 61 (the only 50 partnership of the day), but it wasn’t to be when in the 37th over, Reed feathered a catch to Knight, stood up to the bowling of Harling for a hard fought 40. 3 overs later, Dearden dragged his back foot and was stumped off the bowling of Sam Godfrey for 24 and in his next over, Godfrey bagged the last wicket having Ben Golds caught at deep square by Will Evans for 4.

Notable bowling from Dominic Manthorpe (8 overs, 3 for 41) and Mike Harling (10 overs, 1 maiden, 3 for 48)