PDQ 1st XI Match Reports

Sunday 27 September (PDQ Div 1)

Here we are at The Brow for the much-anticipated final PDQ game of the season against our local web-footed rivals West Mersea in absolutely magnificent weather conditions. Not much to play for other than bragging rights as both teams were locked into the positions in which they would remain. Surprisingly, given the weather, both skippers agreed upon an abbreviated game of 35 overs per side (was that rain looming over the Channel?) and unsurprisingly, Abberton skipper Kemsley Robb, on winning the toss elected to bat on what could only be described as a road on yet another wonderfully prepared track by ground curator, Bob Scott.

The opening encounters saw Steve Snell get off to a blistering start, although his antipodean friend, Luke Parsons, was unable to keep up and departed without troubling the scorers. This brought a strangely out-of-sorts Richard Moxon to the crease and, although he survived a few wafts, it was Snell who fell next for 30 after a quite belligerent innings. Too much nectar the night before! Moxon soon departed for just three but this brought Ryan Savill to join Robb in the middle and they enjoyed a a 147 run partnership, the skipper producing six maximums before falling for 126 to an excellent catch at cover by Matthew Golding. Savill continued his merry way and reached his own ton by driving a ball over mid off for six in the final over, finishing on 102 not out in a closing score of 292-8. To his credit, despite the onslaught, spinner Stuart Mills picked up four wickets.

Mersea got off to the worst possible start when Adam Rutter was caught behind off Gregan Savill without a run on the board and scorer Chunky still having three rolls remaining to be consumed. This was followed by a decent partnership between Mills (53) and Golding (24). Luke Bruce joined the party and scored 29, before Chris Storrar weighed in with 35 useful runs.

However, it was far too much for the Islanders who closed on 188, some 104 runs short of their target. Parsons joined that eltite ADCC club of players who have taken more wickets than scored runs (President Junior Whitfield) with three scalps all clean bowled and the wicket-keeper Paget saved probably his most proficient performance of the summer until the last day with a hat-trick of victims including two stumpings. Wonders will never cease!  RC

Sunday 13 September (PDQ Div 1)

Abberton cruised to a 79 run victory over mid-table Great Bromley in a match reduced to 40 overs per side because the threat of evening rain predicted by weatherman Steve Snell.

Snell (33) opened up positively with youngster Dan White and when the former hit over a straight one, Ben Huxley, Kemsley Robb and Mike Abrey (40) all supported well as White went on to compile an excellent 91 before tiredness caused the loss of his wicket. Despite the disappointment of missing out on a maiden ton, this was the sixteen-year-old's second fine innings of the weekend and gave him a new career best. Before the close, Tom Sawdon had bludgeoned 18* as the home side reached 239-6.

Bromley needed to score quickly to have any hope of success and, although their run rate was reasonable from the outset, they capitulated once their second wicket went down. Only Pip Allam with 47 applied himself fully and he received scant support from the middle order as the visitors were bowled out for 160 in the final over.

Spinners Ryan Savill and Tabish Zaman grabbed three wickerts apiece and Kemsley Robb, having set a superb example in the field with two memorable catches, did a 'Danny Woodrow' by taking the last two scalps.  MP

Sunday 30 August (PDQ Div 1)

Abberton inflicted another huge defeat upon luckless Bocking at The Brow on Sunday after running up 326 from their 45 overs to ephamaise tha massive difference in class between the top four and the lower part of the divsion.

After Mark Copson and Steve Snell (for a golden duck) had departed quickly to give the visitors what turned out to be false hope, Matt Gilary (84) Kem Robb (65) and Ryan Savill (44) piled on the runs and the good work was continued by Mike Abrey (last out for 51) and Tabish Zaman (33) whilst sixth change bowler Peacock claimed 3-14 late on.

Gregan Savill soon got his name on the wickets list as the mid-Essex outfit tried to climb a massive mountain. Opener Jackson made a defiant 41 despite, incredibly, being 'out' on no fewer than three occasions to Dan White no balls. Only two other batsmen managed double figures, one the thirteen-year-old Liam Petitt as Abrey (2-6) and Ryan Savill (30-27) also took wickets.

The winning margin was eventually 187 runs and, realistically, the game was over inside fifteen overs of the first innings. Next week's Cup semi-final against table-toppers Kelvedon & Feering will be a different prospect entirely. MP