Steve Clapp At His Best!! As Sodbury Crush Old Down
Article Date: 15th August 2007
A round of applause for Clapp
Bristol and District League 1st XI Senior Division Chipping Sodbury (218-7) beat Old Down (82ao) by 136 runs.
CHIPPING SODBURY showed true bouncebackability after their first league defeat last week with a polished performance against Old Down.
Skipper Jamie Rendell won the toss and elected to bat on a great track.
He led from the front with fellow opener Craig Scully as the pair reached a quickfire 67 before Scully fell for 23.
Rendell soon followed but not before he had reached an excellent half century.
Rich Bennett and Daniel Clarke then had to consolidate against an improving Old Down attack as they added 69 for the fourth wicket. Clarke was dismissed for an unusually sedate 43 and it was left to Bennett (46) to guide Sodbury to their final total of 218-7.
However, Sodbury felt they were 20 runs short of their ideal target, especially as they were missing the focal point of their bowling attack Jon Toghill.
They need not have worried though as the opening pair of Steve Clapp and Jamie Wakefield produced a magical spell of bowling.
Wakefield made the initial breakthrough and bowled superbly to finish with figures of 2-29.
However, it was a rejuvenated Clapp who did the most damage, rolling back the years with his left arm swing as he destroyed Old Down with 7-40 from ten overs. James Hicks was bought on to finish proceedings as Old Down were dismissed for just 82.
The bowlers were brilliantly backed by wicketkeeper Paul Crabtree, who claimed five victims in the demolition as Sodbury ran out winners by 136 runs.
The Cotswold Vintners Man of the Match was Steve Clapp.
