Rory Reminds Richie

Saturday ✔️
Cricket ✔️
Rain ❓

Not this week as a dry day was forecast for the Llamas visit to Weybridge where the hosts won the toss and asked Reigate to bat.

Captain Jon Smith and Jordan Bunyan got the Llamas off to a steady start against Weybridge opening bowlers George Whatling and Imran Lodhi and it was Imran (10-0-44-1) who broke the opening partnership with the score on 30 in the 8th over when Smudger (16) had a nick caught by keeper David Harkin.

Rory Haughton in at 3 to join Jordan and the run rate for the next 9 overs didn’t change as the Weybridge change bowlers Ryan Sclanders and Chris Jarvis kept the Llamas in check and the 2nd wicket came in the 17th over with the score on 58 when Chris Jarvis (10-0-43-1) had a feather of an edge from Jordan (24) caught behind by keeper David Harkin. David Gent (2) fell lbw to Ryan Sclanders and the Llamas were pegged back at 66-3 in the 20th over.

At the halfway 25 overs the Llamas were 89-3 and Ant Ireland, promoted following last week’s 123 n.o. for the 3’s, joined Rory and the pair began to set about setting Weybridge a challenging score.
Rory (who has been knocking on Richie’s door with scores of 34 n.o. and 41 n.o. in the opening two fixtures) continued his good form and with Ant Ireland looking at home in this company, the pair began to accelerate as the sun started to break through the clouds.

Rory’s 50 was reached in the 33rd over and Rory and Ant’s 100 partnership was reached in the 40th over followed shortly afterwards by Ant Ireland’s 50 (to the cheers from his teammates).

Their partnership had reached 128 in 23 overs (Rory 63, Ant 54 extras 11) and was finally broken in the 43rd over when with the score now on 194 Ant Ireland (54) was caught in the deep by Weybridge skipper Alastair Stanley off the bowling of Ryan Sclanders (10-0-49-2).

Harry McInley joined Rory as Ror y went into overdrive and his well deserved ton came in the 46th over. Rory came to the crease with the score on 30 and was 5th out over 200 runs later with the score on 233 when he was bowled by George Whatling (10-0-68-1) for 111 in the 48th over. Only 34 of Rory’s runs came in boundaries as he worked the ball into gaps and spent much of his innings running between the wickets and the only time he looked in trouble was not from the bowlers but from a couple of close run out calls.

A final flurry of 14 runs from each of the final 2 overs from Macca (23 n.o.) and Nick Rotsey (9 n.o.) saw the Llamas finish on 263-5 after their allotted 50 overs with 89 runs from the 1st 25 overs and almost double 174 of the runs coming in the 2nd 25 overs.

Our Weybridge hosts provided sustenance before the teams resumed play.

With the wicket offering little in the way of sideways movement and no swing, the Llama opening bowlers George Elliston (10-1-37-0) and Ed Russ (3-0-22-0) couldn’t budge Weybridge openers Chris Smith and Haydir Ali and it was Haydir who quickly got into his stride with some classy boundaries.

In the 10th over with the score on 53 and with Weybridge going at the required run rate; it was a bouncer from Toby Briggs that Chris Smith (14) skied to Rory Haughton who ran in from deep fine leg to dive forward and take the catch...it was clearly Rory’s day.

Jordan McKinlay joined Haydir Ali and Haydir continued his boundary count to reach his 50 and keep Weybridge at the required asking rate before Will Brewis (7-0-24-1) got Jordan McKinlay (12) to play on for 94-2 in the 19th over.

Toby Briggs and Will Brewis, bowling in tandem, began the Llama squeeze as the run rate slowed and in the next over (20th) with the score still on 94 it was Toby who turned the game in favour of the Llamas when he got the 3rd wicket having Haydir Ali lbw for 58 to complete a wicket maiden; the 1st maiden of the game. Toby (10-2-34-3) got his 3rd wicket (and 2nd wicket maiden) in the 24th over with a sharp caught and bowled to dismiss Ryan Sclanders (4) at 100-4.
Harry McInley took over from Toby and soon had Chris Jarvis (10) caught by Nick Rotsey in the gulley and at 119-5 in the 30th over the game looked in the Llamas control as almost 150 were still needed from the last 20 overs.

A charge from Weybridge skipper Alastair Stanley and keeper David Harkin briefly threatened to keep Weybridge in the game before Nick Rotsey bowled David Harkin (24) in the 39th over for 156-6. After hitting Rots for a 6 and a 4, Rots had Alastair (32) caught by Smudger at deep long off for 179-7 in the 43rd over and repeated the dismissal 2 balls later for 181-8 having Imran Lodhi (3) also caught by Smudger for figures of 5-0-31-3.

Next over (44th) Harry McInley brought the game to an end when he took 2 wickets; firstly bowling Omkar Khot (2) for 183-9 and repeating the dismissal bowling Robert Taylor (0) for 183 all out and figures of 8.5-0-30-3.

More please of this type of game which was played in a competitive manner but without any of the sledging.

Plenty of individual contributions again this week but man of the match Rory keeps the Llamas level at the top of the table with Esher and (next week’s visitors) Wimbledon.