After our narrow loss against Himley last week when chasing, we decided to bat first and try and put the pressure on our opponents. Tom Cowen and Niall Cooper opened up, and TC who was still on the golf course when the rest of his team-mates were meeting at the club, got us off to a good start scoring 28 off 34 balls. However, when TC departed in the 9th over to an excellent catch at mid-wicket our innings subsided from 48 for 1 to 48-4 in the space of 3 balls. Captain Brooks ‘retired early’ i.e. he missed his 1st and only ball, followed next ball by Crespo Crowther to give the Oldswinford bowler a hat-trick.
Jack Harry was not daunted by the task, and with the help of some quick singles and then some lusty blows he repaired our innings with the help of Alex Chilton and then Jake Heath. Jack was eventually out for 23 trying to steal one run too many, but with the help of Jake (14) and Todd Quiney who hit a 6 and a 4 off the last over we closed our innings on a very creditable 127 for 7, our highest score of the season.
Oldswinford then came out and gave us a touch of our own medicine by attacking from ball one. They were 30 off 4 overs, 68 for 2 off 9 and 83 for 2 off 11 when the introduction of our secret weapon (Niall the spin) put a break on the scoring. Niall only conceded 8 runs off his 3 overs and Alex Chilton took a superb catch off James Whitehouse, but it still meant that Oldswinford needed only 5 runs off the last 2 overs to win.
Mikey decided that being as he was rather deficient in the ‘Captains knock’ department, he better have a ‘Captains bowl’ and proceeded to bowl a double wicket maiden in the penultimate over. Alex was then given the dubious honour of bowling the last over. A single off the first ball and a wicket off the 3rd kept things interesting and then disaster, he bowled a wide which Oldswinford also scampered a run off, so it was 3 balls left 2 to win. Next ball was a dot, racking up the pressure then off the 5th ball our opponents attempted a quick single which was returned to Windy the keeper who removed the bails and up went the umpire’s finger. Still 2 to win, but then wait, in the excitement we had forgotten that 3 of their batsmen had retired after reaching 30, so we had actually just taken the final wicket. Wombourne win by 1 run!
The watching parents all went for a lie down or a very large drink. Our opponents were understandably distraught and there were commiserations and congratulations all round. Yours truly gave the very noisy dressing room all the old clichés about it being ‘a funny old game’, and ‘keep plugging away and you never know what might happen’, but nobody was taking a blind bit of notice.
James Calleia chose this game to make his debut. We had to tell him afterwards that they weren’t all like this.
And so on to a semi-final against the winner of the southern play-off. At the time of writing I don’t know who we are playing or when, but I do know that it is at home, so watch this space.
Tigga
Related Links:
Under 15's v Netherton
U13 Update
U15's v Himley
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Author: Malcolm Hughes
Date: 15-08-07 11:57
Superb lads.Well done.
The U15's also won our section and play off at Coombswood on Thursday.
many of the U13 now make up our U15's team so it's pleasing to see them doing well.
:-D
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Author: W.S.W
Date: 15-08-07 11:57
Well done lads,let's hope you can get a few down to watch your next game if its at home.
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Author: Bill Staite
Date: 15-08-07 13:20
Tigga
Give WSW a 'rocketing' for replacing this story on the front page within a an hour or so of it being posted.
I hope this means he will write a report every week now and didn't just do it to SPITE you?? :-!
;-)
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