On a glorious day Stansted came to the Green currently in 3rd place but with the second best set of results having won their last 7 matches that had been completed and Matching Green were top having won all of their 9.
The games between the sides are often very tense and close. Stansted won the toss and surprisingly put Matching in to bat especially given the heat and the track that, whilst was a tiny bit soft due to the rain, looked like a good one.
Ben Baker and Matty Abbottson opened the bowling for Stansted and bowled really well with Baker producing some late swing and Abbottson bowling a good length. Jack Scantlebury was soon out for 6 off a leading edge to Abbottson. This brought Jason Green to the wicket who has been in tremendous form with the bat. Baker bowled really well at Green and eventually had him caught behind off a “beauty” as Green called it for 0. Matching were under pressure at 13-2.
Dan Sibley came to the crease and having torn a hamstring in mid-week was very immobile. Jed Scanlon was at the other end batting with precision and technically very sound.
Sibley crashed a couple of trade mark fours to get himself going and then he continued to hit singles and boundaries , 16 in all , 11 4’s and 5 6’s, he and Scanlon had shared a 3rd wicket stand of 160 when he was eventually dismissed for yet another century. 102 in fact.
Scanlon was soon out after Sibley for a well made 56. Matching were now 177 for 4 off 32 overs .
The wicket began to deteriorate and Stansted continued to bowl well , especially Josh Monk given he was nursing a back problem. Matching ended on 236-8 off their 45 overs with no other batter scoring more than 15.
Monk 3-27 , Ben Baker 2-43 and Joe Baker 2-71 were the chief wicket takers for Stansted.
The wicket was drying but also tiring so it was difficult to predict if 236 was a good score .
Jason Green decided to make up for his duck earlier on with a really hostile and accurate spell of opening bowling , removing the dangerous Fred Kirby, Ian Parsons and skipper Matt Cope all bowled for 4 0 and 0 respectively, whilst Charlie Bass bowled Ben Baker for 0 at the other end.
Stansted were reeling at 15-4, however Charlie Kirby and Mike Burgoigne had other ideas and set about repairing the Stansted innings , Charlie was dropped on 3 occasions but batted with much class as he often does. Burgoine was eventually removed by Hartnell, again bowled for 26 and in strode the young powerhouse Josh Monk. Josh showed no fear and set about the bowling plopping several sixes in to the famous Matching pond .
The first ball after the second drinks break, Simon Wasley had Kirby caught behind down the leg side for 62. Joe Baker came and went for a sprightly 17 and Matt Abbottson the same for 18. Hartnell eaked his revenge on the pond dumping by tempting young Monk down the wicket and bowling him for a near match winning 50.
The game was now Matching’s to lose having been in the balance for a while. Paul Dawson who had bowled tightly with Hartnell then removed the last two wickets and Stansted were all out for 204. An excellent game that either side could have won .
The best bowling figures from Matching were Green 3-43 , Hartnell 3-64 and Dawson 2-44.
10 out of 10 for Matching and a bit more distance between themselves and Stansted. With Nazeing winning again things are still tight at the top of Division 1. Matching travel down the road for a local derby with Hatfield Heath this Saturday.