DCCL Division 3 North - 7th June 2003

Clay Cross CC Match Ball Sponsor - Peacock Inn

Clay Cross 187-6 (Lemon 41, Benison 40*, Hargreaves 3-54)
Riddings 197-7 (North 76, Steele 49)

Clay Cross (11 points) drew with Riddings (15 points)

North In Pole Position
Despite the early loss of A Houghton, David North was positive from the outset and played a range of expansive off drives.

Bitter Lemon
With the loss of J McGuiness, Lemon joined North and had just played a few juicy shots when things suddenly turned sour. With the score on 66, Lemon had to retire due to feeling unwell. 

Steel Works
Skipper, N Asmore played steadily and gave North as much of the strike as possible. When North was eventually dismissed for 76 with the score on 130 a very productive partnership was formed. A Steel (49) and E Fenn (19) boosted the score before a flurry of wickets towards the end of the innings.

Lemon Refreshed
John Lemon came back to the crease for the final few deliveries and managed to take 11 runs from the final over to lift the Riddings score to 197-7. Jon Branson (2 for 39) and James Carley (2 for 54) were the main wicket-takers for the home side.

'Deakin' Blues
The 1977 Becker / Fagen composition that first appeared on the album Aja, has undergone a slight reworking for this sub-title. After Paul Lemon (41), Steve Nottingham (11) and Darrell Dring had been dismissed Clay Cross found themselves in the strong position of 97-3. The Miller / Greenhalgh partnership was working well.

All this changed within the space of two deliveries. Greenhalgh was adjudged LBW when sweeping at Eric Fenn. The great Yorkshire player of yesteryear, Wilfred Rhodes (39,802 runs and 4,187 wickets) once said scornfully, "Sweeping. That nivver was any sort of shot. Once I was watching television with a cricketer coaching youngsters how to sweep. I had to switch it off."

Ian Miller then fell LBW to the first of Hargreaves' first ball of the next over. 

Dave 'Grieves' With Benny & The Jets
Paul Benison and Dave Greaves dug in with the aim of recovering the situation. They had taken the score to 146-5 at the end of the 39th over. 52 were needed in 7 overs. Crucially only two runs were scored in the next two. Faced with the ever-increasing run rate Greaves went for another big hit and was out to an excellent catch by Houghton on the long-on boundary, having made 27. 

James Carley joined Benison and ran well at the outset, achieving twos when only a single looked on. However, Clay Cross came to the final over needing 23 runs for victory. Eleven runs were scored, Benison finished 40 not out and the match was drawn.

D Fenn (2 for 38) caused problems throughout with his extra bounce and received good support from D Hargreaves (3 for 54). 

Unsolved Mysteries
1 To sweep or not to sweep?

Champagne Moment
The ball on the Welfare roof !!

The Oak Legend of Gold Man of The Match
Dave Greaves - a spirited effort