JAKE EASTON’S 186 run haul was not enough for KIDMORE END as they drew their friendly match with READING UNIVERSITY ALUMNI AND STAFF on Sunday.
After calling correctly at the toss Kidmore captain Easton elected to bat and proceeded to score the second highest individual score in club’s history.
Easton’s opening partner Dhilesh Vasan, batting in single figures for the first time this season, had also looked for a big score and had reached 43 before he was caught behind by stand-in wicketkeeper Andy Greenhalf of Mohammed Nitesh.
Easton was especially severe on James Frost and Nathan Ruegg, who were both guesting for RUAS, as all of the RUAS bowlers tired in the heat.
Easton proved to be the dominant partner in the unbroken third-wicket partnership of 135 with Zac Leonard, with Leonard only scoring 30, as he was content to allow Easton to push on.
When Easton declared Kidmore End had totalled 289-3 in just 33 overs. In total Easton scored 130 of his runs in boundaries, courtesy of 22 fours and seven sixes and his score is now only surpassed by the innings of Paul Sullivan of 219 in 2002.
If Kidmore End expected the heat of the day would adversely affect RUAS, they were to be mistaken, as the visitors also took to scoring runs with aplomb.
After the early dismissal of Andy Eagle courtesy of a good ball from Elliott Teague, Binod Nair decided to go for his shots from the start and when Paul Lawson caught him off the bowling of Tom Wilkinson, this brought Mohammed Nitesh to the wicket and he proceeded to play the dominant part in the RUAS innings.
With Damian Murphy offering good support in a third, wicket partnership of 162, Nitesh drove RUAS towards an unlikely victory and reached his 100 with his 16th four, having hit three sixes earlier in his innings.
When Murphy was bowled by Zac Leonard after a well-made 51, Nitesh decided to chance his arm even further and when Leonard bowled him in his next over, the game ended in a high scoring draw as both Greenhalf and Frost decided to attack the remaining bowlers with gusto.
KIDMORE END
J Easton, not out
186
D Vaan, c Greenhalf, b Nitesh
43
D Atkins, b Nitesh
11
Z Leonard, not out
30
Extras
19
—
TOTAL (3 wkts)
289
RUAS
A Eagle, b Teague
0
D Murphy, b Leonard
51
B Nair, c Lawson, b Wilkinson
24
M Nitesh, b Leonard
106
A Greenhalf, not out
26
J Frost, not out
15
Extras
31
—
TOTAL (4 wks)
253
Best bowling: Z Leonard 2-33.
