CRICKET: Last pair hold Ifield to draw despite Russ Jacob's five wickets

Ifield won the toss and decided to bat first. Raza Ali and Sam Dorrington survived an initial quick burst from St James’s Mali Richards, grandson of the great Sir Viv Richards, but then settled into a solid partnership with runs coming at a steady rate.

The score had reached 58 when Dorrington left a ball from Michael Murray and was out LBW for a decent looking 32. Jack Groves joined Ali but didn’t last long and was out caught for 4 to give Murray his second wicket.

Delray Rawlins and Ali looked comfortable against the bowling attack and started playing shots all-

round the ground but when Ali had reached 73 he got a nick on a ball from Richards and was caught

behind by Sims.

This was a welcome return to form by Ali and his innings included eight 4’s and three 6’s.

At 155 for 2 Ifield were well placed to post a big score but unfortunately the middle order failed

to fire and wickets fell at regular intervals with Michael Murray picking up the majority of them.

Rawlins remained at the crease but could find nobody to stay with him for any length of time and although he reached an excellent fifty it was clear that the score wasn’t going to be anywhere near what it should have been.

Skipper Caltsounis called the innings to an end at 216 for 9 in the penultimate over with Rawlins unbeaten on 62 and opposition skipper Murray ending with figures of 6 for 61 off 23 overs.

St James began their replay quickly and opener Adam Din hit the first three balls of the innings from Ali for four but after blocking the next ball he was caught behind by Groves.

Jenkins joined Cooper but after the express start from Din scoring was proving a little more difficult and after 10 overs with the score on 39 Jenkins was out LBW to Caltsounis for 16 having survived a huge appeal for a catch behind off the glove the previous ball.

Richards came to the wicket and straight away looked to be more than just a bit useful but after a lovely straight four down the ground he collapsed with cramp and was forced to leave the field of play.

Cooper and Sims took the score to 72 before Sims was bowled by Russ Jacob for 18 which brought Ifield old boy Tayab Mahmood to the crease and he signalled his positive intentions from the start with a couple of quick boundaries.

At this point the game was very much in the balance with the visitors having wickets in hand but it was Ifield who seized the initiative and when Cooper was caught by Ali off Rawlins for 25 followed quickly by a smart stumping of Mahmood by Groves off Jacob for 29 the balance had swung back to the home team.

The limping Richards returned to the action but was clearly still in trouble and when he was bowled by Jacob for 14 St James found themselves at 124 for 6. Thereafter it became a case of whether Ifield could collect the final 4 wickets or St James could hold out for the draw.

Michael Murray renowned for his patience with the bat was going to be the key wicket and Ifield worked hard but couldn’t find a way through his defence and he remained stubbornly immovable.

Graeme Dean bowled Taylor for 2 and then Jacob picked up the wicket of Clark courtesy of another Groves stumping for 4 and when Jacob picked up the ninth wicket of Tim Hutchison for 6 Ifield felt that they were just about there with one wicket to get and 7 overs to get it.

The St James number eleven Adam Cooper joined Murray and showed tremendous poise and character and a good deal of technique in withstanding both spin and seam in the final few overs to frustrate Ifield and at the close of play St James had survived at 149 for 9.

Despite having the better of the draw Ifield will feel disappointed at not picking up maximum points and a slightly weakened St James side will probably have gone home reasonably happy with their day’s work.

Next week Ifield travel away to newly promoted Lindfield on Saturday and then to Findon on Sunday in the National Village Knock-Out.