MCCU vs. Kent 2nd XI - Day Two & Day Three

13 August 2010

Day One – Close of Play.
MCCU 284 all out (Kruger 64, Turnbull 51) vs. Kent 2nd XI 73 for 2.

Unfortunately day two of this second XI Championship match was delayed until after lunch due to heavy rain at Fenner's in the morning. Credit must go to the Cambridge groundstaff who did a magnificent job of getting Fenner's ready for action by 1.10pm. The early lunch meant that only eight overs were lost in the day's play. This led to some groans from the students who realised they were going to have to field for two sessions of 48 overs! Of course this would be reduced if the could find a way to bowl Kent out.

Kent started at 73 for 2 and batted well against some excellent early bowling from the Cambridge seamers Woolley and Turnbull. Woolley in particularly bowled an aggressive opening spell including some well directed bouncers. The Kent number two Bell-Drummond batted well and was eventually dismissed by Duncan Bradshaw (Oxford) for 87. The score at this stage was 150 for four.

Ex-Durham MCCU wicket-keeper Paul Dixey fell soon afterwards as he was caught at mid-on mistiming a pull from the bowling of Dan Conway (Oxford).

A further shower at tea knocked ten more overs off the day and the students were left needing to bowl 34 overs in the final session. Leg spinners Tom Craddock (Leeds) and Daniel Bendon (Cardiff) could not make the break through immediately after tea and the MCCU captain Jak Martin (Oxford) was forced to bring his seamers back.

Kent continued to bat steadily and eventually declared on 300 for five. 16 runs in front of the MCCU team. This left the students with a tricky ten over spell to see out the day. Burton (Leeds) was caught in the slips whilst captain Martin was unlucky to be bowled by a delivery that kept low from back of a length. The score at the close of play was 33 for two.

The start of day three was delayed until 11.40am, as showers continued over Cambridge.

Stephen Gray was LBW for six in the fourth over after play started. Daniel Bendon (Cardiff) however gave the Kent players something to think about as he took the attack to them. He played some aggressive shots and made 68, which included eight fours and one six. Bendon was particularly positive against the short-pitched bowling. He was eventually caught at short leg which brought on the lunch interval.

This unfortunately was the end of the game as continued showers and one very heavy down pour led to the match being abandoned as a draw at 2.30pm.

MCCU vs. Kent 2nd XI, 11-13 August 2010 (219 KB)

MCC Staff.