Destructive Date Tom-inates Run Chase
- Admin
- Jul 8, 2019
- 3 min read
On a hot and muggy day at the Beacon, Seaford set out to extend their winning running to double figures with a victory over mid table Crowborough. Skipper Karlos Wootten took again a much changed side on the road, true to form Karlos “ why bother with the toss” Wootten called wrong and was quickly asked to get in the field and bowl. This looked like a good decision as the home team raced to 60 without loss in overs 9 overs, before Dan Foden 33* had to retire hurt with a hamstring injury, this coincided with openers J P Smith and Jon Pitts having a rest. On came Bilesh Jayamanne and Mitch Ellingham to put a brake on the runs, the drying up of runs bought wickets with Jayamanne grabbing two in two balls. With the heat increasing Ellingham finished his spell and on came all-rounder Tom Date with his variety packed overs of off spin, bowling in tandem now with Ben “ Grenade “ Page they kept the middle order in check, also keeping wicket keeper Oscar Weisz extremely busy with some variable lines and exaggerated bounce. Two wickets for Page and one for Date exposed the lower order to the returning J P “Pidge“ Smith, he sliced through the lower order grabbing three quick wickets, unlucky not to grab a fourth when Ben Page we think thought the ball was actually a grenade and grassed a straight forward catch.
On the whole Seaford fielded really well, caught some good catches and ground fielding was excellent apart from a last ball of the innings hiccup from gun fielder Ellingham, who we think had the tea in his mind as the chicken odour wafted across the playing area causing the ball to trickle through his legs for four more runs. Seaford's bowlers today lost their lines a little reflected in top score of the innings, extras 56, something to get back to normal next week. All in all 196 chase was within Seaford’s range with a very strong looking batting line up.
The run chase started explosively with Jonty Reynolds racing to a quick fire boundary packed 28 out of opening partnership of 33 before he was out unluckily to a stunning catch by Follows in at short mid-wicket. Somehow he managed to grab one handed a sweetly timed on-drive to send a rueful Reynolds trudging back to the pavilion. This bought in Tom Date, from the off he looked in prime form peppering the boundary all around the ground with crisp drives and booming pull shots, before we knew it 100 was up in the 13th over. Rob Gravett with 40* red inker, a splendid mature supportive role giving the strike back to Datesy with some excellent running between the wickets. Crowborough were by now understandably wilting under the onslaught. Date then teed off with some large sixes as Seaford got over the line in the 26th over. A fine match winning ton for Tom date, great to see a promising start turned into a match winning knock, let’s hope that is first of many going into second half of the season.
A comprehensive win today set up by some fine fielding and bowling, finished off with a gem of a 100 from Tom Date. Team spirit and momentum now is hugely with Seaford as they prepare for match day 11 at home to Linden Park 3s, looking to keep going their winning start to the season, Can’t wait let’s hope the sun shines on the Salts for that.
Author; Karl Wootten
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