1:24pm Wednesday 4th July 2012
SHENFIELD'S third successive home match saw them draw with Buckhurst Hill, stretching their unbeaten run to four league games.
After winning the toss, Kliber weighed up his options and took the bold decision to bowl, feeling this was the best chance of winning this match.
On an extremely good wicket Buckhurst Hill got off to a great start and opener Russell Beckett found the boundary all too often against the seam attack.
Suhaib Sarwar was introduced and soon had Kiwi Todd Astle LBW for a quick 20.
A key feature to Buckhurst’s innings was everybody got a start, and Shenfield failed to pin any one batsman down as the innings ticked along at five an over.
Beckett was eventually out for an excellent 126 at nearly a run a ball.
The Bukchurst Hill innings looked as though it may surpass 300 prior to this, but a controlled spell towards the end of the innings built pressure and three late run outs helped limit the visitors to 291 from their 58 overs.
Facing 292 to win, a solid start was crucial and they got this from John Walter and Suhaib Sarwar, despite Ali (11) being dismissed early on.
After getting their noses ahead of the run rate, Shenfield’s John Walter was extremely unlucky to be given LBW when all around him were appealing for a catch off the leg spin of Astle.
Despite all Shenfield’s top six getting starts, no one was able to convert these starts as the rate gradually increased.
By the time Astle (6-47) had bowled his allotted overs, Shenfield had already retreated and showed great depth in their batting line up when Lugg (26*) and Hindley (20*), both better known for their off spin saw off the final hour to assure a draw.
After taking nine points and seeing the visitors take 14, Kliber said: “In fairness, Buckhurst Hill were able to score quickly after a well-built ton from Beckett today. That was probably the difference.
“It was a great track and we knew it wasn’t out of reach – we’ve chased 300 before on worse tracks than that so we had the belief, we just needed someone to go on and get a big one and the rest of us bat around him.
“Buckhurst are a decent side and won’t be getting relegated this season. Despite not being at our best today, we haven’t lost, which we can take a lot from.
“That’s now four unbeaten. Without getting carried away, when we play well we are winning, and when we are not quite at the races, we are hard to beat.”
Shenfield take on local rivals Brentwood next week.
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