Sat 1st Aug - 1st XI v Valley End

DULWICH 223 (65.1) beat VALLEY END 129 (42.2) by 94 runs

A devastating spell of bowling by their pacemen set Dulwich up for a 94 run victory in their M.Zaidi & Co. Surrey Cricket Championship Division 1 match at home to Valley End.

Dulwich lost the toss but were not unhappy to be asked to bat first. Peter Frettingham and Jacob Rhodes took the score to 27 off seven overs when Frettingham was caught at slip for 9. The three Valley End seamers bowled accurately and the score advanced slowly, assisted by an assortment of byes, leg byes and missed chances. Will O’Donnell scored just one single off his first 28 balls, but then broke free as he and Rhodes added 69 in 20 overs for the second wicket. Rhodes had just reached his second half-century of the season when O’Donnell was dismissed for 22, off 57 balls. The pacemen had by now given way to the spinners who also bowled tidily and kept the scoring in check. Skipper Ollie Steele fell quickly and Dulwich went in to lunch at 105-3 in the 35^th over.  

Rhodes fell soon after the break for 63 off 119 balls, and Tommy Wright went for 17 off 26 to reduce Dulwich to 135-5 after 40 overs. This brought together Lucas Parry and James Schofield, who added 55 in 14 overs for the sixth wicket. Parry was the first to go for 28, off 40 balls, and Schofield fell six runs later for 29, off 53. Harrison Perry and Tommy Clout both fell in the hunt for quick runs, but the last three wickets had added 27 when Rory Sale was run out after being called for an ambitious single off the first ball off the 66th over. Dulwich were all out for 223, leaving their opponents 54 overs to score the runs.

Valley End’s hopes of getting off to a steady start were shattered by a blistering new ball attack by Clout and Joe Payne. Clout took the first wicket with the fifth ball of the first over, Payne took the second in the fourth, and Clout took two more in the fifth to leave Valley End reeling on 6-4, with the top four in the order having scored just four runs between them. Clout took another wicket in the ninth over and Valley End went in to tea on 32-5 after 15 overs. The pacemen each took another wicket after the break as Valley End limped to 52-7 after 23 overs. Skipper Jamie Stephens launched a counter-attack, dominating stands of 44 for the eighth wicket and 33 for the ninth before holing out for 59, scored at a run a ball, with the score on 129. He had also scored a half-century in the first match between the sides.

Clout bowled 15 consecutive overs to finish with 5-36, his third five wicket haul of the season and his second in successive weeks. Payne kept up the pressure at the other end, bowling 12 overs, also consecutive, to take 2-28. The last three wickets were shared between Perry, O’Donnell and Parry. Dulwich were hampered in the field by a hamstring strain which left Frettingham almost immobile; followed by a dislocated finger which sent keeper Steele to hospital. Wright took over behind the stumps for the final 14 overs of the innings, and acquitted himself admirably.

This was Dulwich’s third victory in a row, and lifts them one place to third in the table. But the situation is very tight, with only 17 points separating second and sixth. Next week the format reverts to 50 overs a side. Dulwich travel to Old Rutlishians, who have recovered well after a slow start, and who are now just five points behind them in fifth place. The first match between the sides was abandoned after 17 overs due to rain.