Jack Scriven bludgeons us to Cricketer Cup victory

Old Cranleighans 332 for 4 (Scriven J 176, Waters 66, Cope 36) beat OMTs 80 (Rollings 3-20) by 252 runs

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A big hundred from Jack Scriven laid the platform for a resounding 283-run win over Old Merchant Taylor’s in the first round of the Cricketer Cup on an overcast Jubilee. Scriven’s 176, which came off 137 balls and took three minutes over three hours (17x4, 5x6), was the second-highest score in the club’s history and certainly one of the most brutal.

Matt Crump won the toss and batted on a pitch dampened by heavy rain the day before and on which, with a slow outfield, scoring was unlikely to be quick.  The defeat the previous week had served as a wake-up call, but Seren Waters and Jack Scriven dispelled all nerves in an opening stand of 175. OMT’s did not help themselves with a spate of no-balls, which now mean a free hit as well. Waters was caught of the first of these, although it was a swipe he would never had played in normal circumstances. Corbett, OMT’s opening bowler, was brisk but his ten no-balls allowed too much freedom to the batsmen, and the support for him was thin on the ground.

Waters batted, as ever, with calm assurance, exploiting gaps and keeping the scoreboard moving. Jack Scriven hit the ball with power and brutality and none of the bowlers came close to mastering him. By the time Waters was bowled for 66 (90 balls 5x4)) the game was almost beyond OMTs and we had barely used half our allotted overs.

Brad Scriven, on the back of a first-class fifty, joined his brother and another good stand ensued, but it came to an unfortunate end when Brad aggravated a shoulder injury he had sustained earlier in the season. He retired hurt and headed to hospital. Sadly, his season appears to be over.

Jack Scriven was by now mauling the bowling, and chancing his arm. He thumped his fifth and final six over long-on, the ball taking the tumbling fielder with it, and almost immediately perished trying a repeat of the shot. Alan Cope chipped in with 36 off 34 balls and the final score of 332 for 4 was, never seriously going to be threatened.

The atmosphere for much of the innings was slightly surreal with regular trumpet fanfares emerging from a marquee opposite the pavilion where Guy Waller was giving a farewell lunch. Delicate negotiations ensured the blasts came between overs.

Will Rollings had struggled for rhythm all season but found his form for Cranleigh the day before and continued this by removing the OMT top three in a hostile opening spell. With Matt Crump getting movement from the other end – at times way too much – OMTs slumped to 21 for 5. Rollings finished with 3 for 20, Crump 2 for 15.

Elliott Hannah (1-14) and Luke Chitty (1-16) both looked unfazed on the Cup debuts and both picked up a wicket, and, fittingly, Jack Scriven and Waters polished off the tail to complete a comprehensive win.

Our total of 332 was the second highest in a club game, and the margin of victory was the most in a club game. It was also our biggest score in a cup match.

The next round is at Cranleigh on June 29 against the winners of Old Amplefordians and Haileybury Hermits.