Superb win for Brewers at Frensham

Alton 4s in superb victory at Frensham.
The Alton Brewers 4s bounced back from last week’s disappointing result to surprise 3rd place Frensham with a fantastic winning performance. Asked to bat first, Alex Freeman and youngster Ethan Van Der Linde, opened up facing a sharp Frensham attack. Goldsworth removed Van Der Linde early but Rohan Wills and Freeman then took the attack to the hosts with a 50 partnership, Freeman getting off to a flier, making good use of the fast outfield, dealing solely in boundaries for his first 7 scoring shots. When Goldsworth removed Wills, very able middle-order support came from brothers Sam and Luke Crook, and Abi Green who combined to add another 100 runs with Freeman. Skipper Martin Green then hit some shots and supported Freeman through to his well-deserved century and team to their eventual total of 193/7; this was considered by most to be slightly below par with the favourable batting conditions. The Brewers had a plan to cut out the boundaries and had the opening attack to execute this. The veteran partnership of Adrian Trim and Andy Tapp bowled an awesome 18 overs with combined figures of 18-4-27-3 removing the top order of Frensham and set up the defence for the Brewers without a singe boundary conceded. The hosts needed to attack and the change bowing knew they would be the target. Without any fielding restrictions Alton deployed a hugely defensive, but effective, fielding formation using the youth to ride the boundaries with Trim and Tapp often the only fielders saving the single. The trio of Jon Porter, Luke Crook and Abi Green put in a superb performance bowling to their plans and taking key wickets consistently putting the brakes on the Frensham chase. With batters all the way down the order the game was always in the balance so taking regular wickets was key for the Brewers. Porter removed the father and son combination of Nick (sharp stumping from Wills snr) and Sam Green (c&b) before Abi Green cleaned up both Ned Brown (47) and DeMierre who had come out swinging. With the game in the balance and Porter’s fine spell completed Luke Crook came back into the attack with Green switched to the other end to bowl the final. With the pressure on and the hosts needing 32 from the final 2 overs, youngster Crook dispatched the leg stump of Milane to the cheers of the visiting supporters. Crook and Green only went for 11 in the final 2 overs which crucially ensured the hosts were kept below 90% of the target enabling the Brewers to steal one of the four available “losing bonus points” for a 21-3 victory. The Brewers remain in relegation position but with a favourable run-in there is a chance that the townsmen could yet avoid the drop.