Staffordshire’s three-day campaign begins with a trip to Chesham to face a strong Bucks side.
Bucks won the toss and elected to bat as the warm weather continues. Liam Hurt bowled Billy Dodds in the opening over to give Staffordshire the perfect start. Sam Keeling-Wright also struck early when he had Aaryan Sawant caught by Sam Kelsall when he pushed forward in the 4th over as Bucks fell to 7/2. The home side made their way to 36 before Staffordshire took another two quick wickets. Keeling-Wright claimed his 2nd wicket when he bowled Archie Dodds before Matthew Pardoe was caught brilliantly by Kelsall when the ball rebounded off the gully fieldsman as Bucks fell to 36/4.
The introduction of left-arm spinner Tom Brett brought the downfall of Aum Raykar for 24 when he top-edged a sweep to Callum Hawkins on the deep square leg boundary as Bucks lost their 5th wicket with only 68 on the board. Josh Lincoln and Bertie Foreman then added 39 in just under 5 overs before Jake Garlick had Josh Lincoln caught behind by his brother Dan to leave Bucks 107/6. Foreman made his way to 32* with 6 boundaries as the home side reached lunch on 116/6.
Foreman went to his 50 after lunch from just 53 balls. He’d struck seven 4s and a six and was helping Bucks through a tricky period after the poor start. Liam Hurt picked up 3rd wicket when he had Foreman caught behind by Dan Lincoln for 51 when he attempted a hook shot. His dismissal ended a promising stand of 43 between himself and George Harvey for the 7th wicket. Harvey has made his way to 31 and had added 47 for the 8th wicket with Edward Bragg before Garlick had him caught behind by Lincoln when he attempted a drive outside the off-stump.
Bragg was caught by Reeve Evitts when he dragged a short ball from Brett into the leg side for 44. This left the score on 206/9. Tom Weymes was the last wicket to fall when Lincoln took his 4th catch off the bowling of Kelsall as Bucks finished on 211. It had been a good rear-guard action from the home side as their last 4 wickets added 104 and frustrated the visitors. Hurt claimed 3/40 from 15 overs as he was the pick of the bowlers. Keeling Wright (2/41), Garlick (2/53) and Brett (2/26) shared 6 wickets between them as Staffordshire could be happy with their bowling effort in hot conditions.
James Kettleborough and Kelsall survived a tricky 3-over period before the tea break unscathed. Bragg picked up Kettleborough shortly after tea when he fiddled at a ball outside the off-stump to leave Staffordshire 4/1. Kelsall followed in the next over when he flicked Weymes to Billy Dodds at square leg as the visitors fell to 12/2. Evitts was positive for his 19 before he lost his off-stump when he offered no stroke to a delivery from Weymes.
Michael Hill was caught at 3rd slip at the second attempt by Raykar when he tried to force Bragg through the off-side. Callum Hawkins followed the next ball when he was caught at second slip by Pardoe when he played a loose shot outside the off stump. This left Staffordshire in deep trouble at 44/5. Dan Lincoln and Joe Hawkins then added an unbroken 51 in 25.2 overs to get Staffordshire to the close on 95/5. Lincoln was unbeaten on 28 from 120 balls, with Hawkins 24* from 63 as patience was the name of the game for the visitors.
Day 2.
The day began poorly for the visitors when Hawkins was brilliantly caught behind by a diving Walker from the last ball of the 1st over of the day, as Staffordshire fell to 103/6. Hurt lost his off-stump when he offered no shot to a Weymes delivery as they fell to 124/7. Weymes collected his 4th wicket when he rearranged Keeling-Wright’s stumps as he looked to score through the leg side. A 5th wicket from Weymes followed shortly after when he got a ball to nip back and beat Lincoln’s defences as his long vigil was finally ended on 44. He’d struck 4 boundaries and batted for 221 minutes as he tried to drag Staffordshire to parity. Archie Dodds bowled Garlick 2 overs later as the Staffordshire innings ended on 143 early on the 2nd morning. Weymes finished with impressive figures of 5/56 from 18 overs. Bragg claimed 4/41 from 20 overs, as they were both excellent. Bucks secured a first innings lead of 68.
Billy and Archie Dodds survived to the 110 overs before the lunch break as they took the score to 21/0 as the home side looked to build a substantial lead. They took their partnership to 62 before Billy Dodds was stumped by Lincoln when he advanced down the pitch to Brett, who beat his outside edge. Sawant was then well caught by Kettleborough at slip from the next ball as Staffordshire claimed 2 very quick wickets. They picked up a bonus wicket when Pardoe drove Kelsall straight down the pitch, and he deflected the ball onto the stumps at the non-strikers’ end to run out Archie Dodds and leave the score on 67/3.
Staffordshire had fought back well in that short period, as it looked like the game was starting to get away from them after the lunch break. Pardoe and Raykar added 59 before Joe Hawkins had Raykar caught behind by the reliable Lincoln shortly before the tea-break to leave Bucks 126/4. They reached 141/4 at the interval with a lead of 209. Hurt returned to have Pardoe caught by Kettleborough at slip for a well-made 47 with five 4s and a six.
Josh Lincoln then came out with attacking intent, he scored 37 from just 15 balls with seven 4s and a six before he was caught by Evitts off Keeling-Wright as he attempted to score through the off-side. His wicket left Bucks 217/6 with a lead of 285. Foreman reached his second 50 of the match from 44 balls with ten 4s before he was bowled by Keeling-Wright for 60 as Bucks lost their 7th wicket with 250 on the board. Harvey was again useful with the bat. He made 24 and added 43 with Bragg before Joe Hawkins bowled him when he attempted a reverse sweep. Connor Haddow was caught behind by Lincoln off Garlick before Bucks declared on 316/9 with Bragg unbeaten on 33. This left Staffordshire requiring 385 to win on the final day. Keeling-Wright (2/44), Brett (2/69) and Joe Hawkins (2/64) did their best to keep the scoring rate down throughout the day.
Day 3.
Kettleborough and Kelsall began well on the final morning. They added 50 for the opening wicket in 67 balls before Kelsall was LBW to left-arm spinner Haddow on the back foot for 30 from 34 balls with four 4s to leave the visitors 61/1. Evitts was caught by Weymes when he attempted a pull shot off Josh Lincoln as Staffordshire lost their 2nd wicket with 80 on the board. Kettleborough moved to his 50 from 88 balls with five 4s before he was bowled by Foreman for 55 as Staffs lost their 3rd wicket just before lunch. Lincoln and Hill got them to the break with the score on 120/3. Staffordshire now realistically had to survive the final two sessions of the match with the 7 remaining wickets they had in hand.
Disaster struck for the visitors shortly after the interval, though, when Hill nicked Foreman through to keeper Walker before Haddow took two wickets in the next over. He trapped Callum Hawkins LBW for a pair before Joe Hawkins was well caught at silly point by Raykar when he looked to defend. Another huge blow was struck by Bucks just four balls later when Foreman trapped Lincoln LBW to leave Staffordshire in ruins at 129/7. They’d lost 4/9 since lunch, and any chance of saving this game was quickly disappearing.
Foreman claimed his 4th wicket when he trapped Hurt leg before to leave the visitors 148/8. Keeling-Wright made an entertaining 28-ball 35 with four 4s and two 6s before he was caught by Billy Dodds attempting a reverse sweep off Haddow. Brett added 22 with three 4s and six before he was last man out, caught in the deep by Sawant to give Haddow his 5th wicket, and Bucks’ victory by 187 runs. Haddow was superb and finished with 5/45 from 21.2 overs. Foreman rounded out a fine game, finishing with 4/54 from 11 overs.
Bucks had been the team throughout the game and deservedly banked 21 points for their efforts. Staffordshire took 4 points from this game and are next in 3-day action when they take on Cambridgeshire at Checkley CC from the 26th of June.
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