Gladiators Edge Out PCA Masters In Bristol
The OneMove PCA Masters Series continued on Bank Holiday Monday with an entertaining match against the Gloucestershire Gladiators. A large crowd turned up early to take in the game, which took place before England’s NatWest International Twenty20 fixture versus Pakistan in the afternoon.
After winning the toss Gladiators captain Alex Gidman elected to field on a blustery day at the County Ground. Opening the batting for the PCA Masters, sponsored by Qatar Airways, was former West Indies all rounder Phil Simmons alongside Warwickshire’s Jim Troughton. The first wicket fell with the total on 12 as Troughton was caught behind off the bowling of James Averis.
This brought Warwickshire and recent England one-day debutant Alex Loudon to the crease and he shared an entertaining second wicket partnership with Simmons, as the pair put on 51 in eight overs to leave the PCA Masters with an excellent base from which to launch a competitive total from.
With the Gladiators deciding pace off the ball was the key, left arm spinner Ian Fisher was introduced into the attack and he made an immediate breakthrough, capturing the wicket of Loudon, caught in the deep.
This brought former Gloucestershire favourite Jack Russell to the crease, who received a superb ovation as he walked out into the middle. His stay was short lived though as Chris Taylor removed him for two, and more wickets followed in quick succession as Fisher accounted for Chris Cairns (2), Dougie Brown (3) and Phil Simmons for a hard hitting innings of 41.
The PCA Masters were eventually all out for 138 off the last ball with current Gladiator back up wicket keeper Steven Snell (24) and another former Gloucester favourite David ‘Sid’ Lawrence (17) the only lower order batsmen to make double figures.
In reply the Gladiators began brightly with Phil Weston and Craig Spearman crashing the ball to all parts as the openers put on 61 for the first wicket. Sid Lawrence brought a cheer from the crowd when he bowled Spearman for 25, but Hamish Marshall (37 not out) and Alex Gidman (23 not out) eventually saw the home side past the PCA Masters total with seven wickets in hand and six overs to spare. This despite the best efforts of Jack Russell who came on to bowl the last over of the innings.
The man of the match award went to the Gladiators Ian Fisher for his superb bowling figures of 4-15 from his four overs.
England took on Pakistan in the afternoon in front of a capacity crowd, posting 144-7 from their twenty overs. Pakistan’s reply seeing them to victory with two overs to spare and five wickets in hand.
The PCA Masters XI
Jim Troughton, Phil Simmons, Alex Loudon, Jack Russell, Chris Cairns, Dougie Brown, Stephen Snell, Shaun Udal, David Lawrence, Martin McCague, Anthony Ireland.
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