Match report Lancs v Essex totesport League 2004

Match report Lancs v Essex totesport League 2004 by Neil Adams

Scorecard:

Summary

When you field well, bowl accurately and bat diligently, you are likely to succeed. This was certainly the case in this totesport league match versus Essex. The Eagles captain, Ronnie Irani, won the toss and elected to bat. A brave decision considering the previous days conditions and the heavy cloud cover. Lancashire stand-in captain, Carl Hooper, set an exciting seven/two field during the opening exchanges and was duly rewarded with three wickets in the first six overs. Truthfully, Essex never fully recovered from this poor start despite Irani scoring 102 not out from 130 balls. The middle order batsmen were forced to occupy the crease and as a direct consequence the run rate seldom exceeded 3.5 runs per over in the first 30 overs.

Irani steered Essex to a respectable but not insurmountable score of 185 for 7 from 45 overs. Anderson and Chapple finished with two wickets each, while Hooper's triple spin attack conceded just 100 runs from 27 overs. Ironically, Hooper's final bowling figures were identical to that of the previous match versus Hampshire (9-0-30-1).

Set just in excess of four runs per over for victory, Lancashire adopted a very sensible approach at the crease and always remained in front of their opponents when comparing scores at the end of each over. Loye (15) was not impressed to be given out leg before wicket to Scott Brant in the 6th over (22-1). Sutcliffe (26) edged a wide ball from Adams to Foster in the 15th over (56-2), while Dinesh Mongia (9) fell leg before in the 18th over to set the home supporters nerves on edge. (72-3). However, Mark Chilton (59) and Carl Hooper (50) added 114 unbroken for the fourth wicket to steer Lancashire to victory with 38 balls to spare. Chilton's use of footwork throughout his innings was particularly notable, while Hooper remained his usual cool calm self - full marks all round!

Lancashire man of the match - Carl Hooper 50 runs, 1 wicket and some exciting captaincy. Full praise must also go to Mark Chilton for his 59 runs and some excellent fielding in the deep.

Key Notes of the Day

Essex won the toss and elected to bat
Flower bowled Anderson 0 (Off stump) - 0 for 1 in the 1st over - Irani 0*
Napier caught Haynes bowled Chapple 1 - 7 for 2 in the 4th over - Irani 6*
Bopara caught Haynes bowled Chapple 3 (Low dive to right) - 13 for 3 in the 6th over - Irani 9*
51 for 3 in the 16th over - Irani 34* Grayson 10*
50 partnership - 63 for 3 in the 19th over - Irani 37* Grayson 15*
50 Irani from 72 balls (7 x 4) - 87 for 3 in the 26th over - Grayson 26*
Grayson caught Chapple bowled Mongia 28 (Low running catch at long-off) - 89 for 4 in the 28th over - Irani 50*
101 for 4 in the 30th over - Irani 58* Pettini 4*
Pettini caught Chapple bowled Keedy 27 (Deep square leg) - 137 for 5 in the 39th over - Irani 71*
150 for 5 in the 41st over - Irani 83* Middlebrook 1*
Middlebrook bowled Hooper 2 - 152 for 6 in the 41st over - Irani 84*
100 Irani from 129 balls (8 x 4 & 3 x 6) - 177 for 6 in the 45th over - Adams 7*
Adams bowled Anderson 11 (Leg stump) - 181 for 7 in the 45th over - Irani 100*
185 for 7 from 45 overs - Irani 102* Foster 1*

Lancashire set 186 to win @ 4.13 runs per over
Loye lbw bowled Brant 15 - 22 for 1 in the 6th over - Sutcliffe 3*
50 for 1 in the 13th over - Sutcliffe 22* Chilton 9*
Sutcliffe caught Foster bowled Adams 26 - 56 for 2 in the 15th over - Chilton 11*
Mongia lbw bowled Napier 9 - 72 for 3 in the 18th over - Chilton 17*
100 for 3 in the 25th over - Chilton 25* Hooper 11*
50 partnership - 123 for 3 in the 29th over - Chilton 33* Hooper 22*
153 for 3 in the 34th over - Chilton 49* Hooper 33*
100 partnership - 172 for 3 in the 37th over - Chilton 54* Hooper 47*
50 Hooper from 63 balls (3 x 4 & 1 x 6) - 178 for 3 in the 38th over - Chilton 57*
Lancashire 186 for 3 from 38.4 overs - Chilton 59* Hooper 50*
Lancashire 4 points beat Essex 0 points by 7 wickets