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The Heanor and Stapleford “Merger” certainly proved to be a massive talking point before the new season started. So, with all the talking out the way, business on the cricket field got under way. It was the 2nd team who got us underway and they got off to a winning start, with an away trip to the now expunged Wirksworth 4th XI. After winning the toss and batting, Heanor started well with Gaz Owen and John Parkinson. Owen fell first for 35 after a good stand of 60 for the 1st wicket. Parkinson fell soon after for 28 and this brought Harchuk to the wicket who hit a rapid 35 before running himself needlessly. At this point Brian Morley was getting into his stride and he played a remarkable innings of 71*. Brian looked very in-form to say he hadn’t picked up a bat since last season and lets hope it’s the 1st of many 50s for Brian this season. Heanor finished up with a score of 217 and were keen to get amoungst them. The legendary Maurice Edwards who opened the bowling for Stapleford 1st XI for many years, took the new ball with another ex Stapleford 1st teamer Mark Cliff. Going back to 1997 these were the new ball pairing which brought the 4A title to Stapleford. The Wirksworth openers started confidently and had wicket keeper Paul Thompson in their ranks so his dismissal was going to be imperative if Heanor were to win this one. The Wirksworth openers put on 50 for the 1st wicket, until Richard Meakin, struck twice in his 1st over. But it was Meakins 3rd wicket which was a real clincher. After hitting 46 out of 69 Paul Thompson was the victim as he went for a big cover drive and was brilliantly held by Brian Morley standing up to the stumps. From here Wirksworth were never really in it as the bowling of Harchuk (4-15) and Meakin (3-41) dismissed the home side for just 114.
The 1st team had a lovely May trip to Staveley which didn’t go to plan at all. A real wet, green seamer of a deck, ex Clowne youngster Dale Steers, marked his Staveley 2nd team debut with a fine haul of 5-22. It has to be said, the pitch was very bowler friendly, and the team bowling first got a real advantage. For Heanor Paul Marshall top scored with 29 as Heanor could even manage 100 as they batted the 46 overs for 98-9. With such a small total on the board, Staveley paced out their innings well and it wasn’t until the 45th over they crawled past their target.
So after a losing start, the 1st team had a chance to put things right at home to Marehay the day after. Out went Paul Fletcher and in came Adam Harchuk after he missed the 1st game at Staveley due to work commitments. It was Heanor who batted 1st and the contrast from the previous day was evident as Hessey and Brear looked keen to stamp their class on division 4N. It was no surprise that Brear was the early aggressor as he passed 50 first. Hessey also passed 50 and after this, they really started to turn it on as the scoring rate rapidly increased. Brear was 1st to his century and but was stumped for 107. The partnership was 200 for the 1st wicket and any doubts about this Heanor Town batting line-up were wiped out after the an opening stand which lasted 34 overs. Hessey reached his 100 but was out straight after reaching it as he was adjudged caught behind. Prance (10) and Marshall (26*) saw the innings out as 258-3 was racked up in the 46 overs.
In reply Neil Wilby was walking back 3rd ball after he hit Pete Thompson straight to the hands of extra cover. Marehay never recovered from this as there innings never left 1st gear. Harchuk who took a single wicket in his 1st spell, returned to take 3 wickets to finish with 13-5-19-4 and the Heanor spin master Colin Taylor who bowled a fine spell of 4-29 from his 14 over spell. 74 all out was the final count and a fine performance after a poor opening game.
The 2nd team were in action on the bank holiday Monday. Harchuk took advantage of playing due to missing the 1st teams 1st match. Again batting 1st Heanor started well with Parkinson and Brian Morley. Morley fell for 13 but Parkinson batted well but again fell in the 20s. Harchuk batting at 3 played well for a solid 60 but a middle order collapse was consolidated with a fine 9th wicket stand of 40 between skipper Ian Brackenbury (17*) and Richard Meakin which took the score to a respectable 159-8. Nutbrook should be up there come the end of the season with a fine bowling attack. 7Cs 2003 leading wicket taker Rob Gilbert bowled very well to finish with figures of 14 overs 3-38 and Nutbrook have a fine prospect to look forward to in young Goring who finished with 3-31. Judging by the pitch conditions, this was a very good score and would prove hard to beat.
In reply Harchuk and Brackenbury reduced Nutbrook to 23-4. Rob Gilbert smashed 4 sixes to the short leg side boundary off Richard Meakin and he was Nutbrooks only real hope of winning the game. But Steve Morley (5-29) who took 5 of the last 6 wickets to fall, bowled Gilbert for 45 and the game was all but over. The last wicket fell to Harchuk (3-23) as Nutrbook fell 61 runs shy of Heanors total. 2 wins out of 2 for the 2nds, would probably have been 3 out of 3, if the game against Belper Meadows 4ths hadn’t been called off the day before.
The following Saturday, Heanor travelled to Ashbourne . After a week of heavy rain, it was suprising the game went ahead. Ashbourne won the toss and elected to bowl. Hessey and Brear took a more cautious approach as Flack and Hill bowled well in their opening stint. Hessey a fine player of fast bowling on harder tracks found runs hard to come by, typically Andy Brear after playing himself in, went on the march with some excellent hard hitting. After a 2nd consecutive century stand, Hessey fell for 28 caught at 1st slip by Bembridge off Tony Shaw for 28. Mark Prance came in at 3 and went for 2 as he nicked Shaw behind. In came Marshall and fell lbw to Shaw for 9. Harchuk joined Brear, and it was now where Brear really started to turn it on. Overs from Flack and Shaw went for 12 and 17 respectively as Brear really turned up the heat on the Ashbourne attack. He got to a magnificent 154 until he was caught at point by Tarr off Flack after an innings which included 8 fours and 7 sixes. Im sure you can appreciate the greatness of this knock with was batted on a drenched Ashbourne surface and very slow outfield. 74 out of 154 in boundaries shows you how much running was required! The innings was finished off by Harchuk (9) who retired hurt after damaging his knee, and the Owens as Heanor reached 217-5 from 46 overs. Ashbournes best bowler by far was Tony Shaw as he finished with 14-1-64-3 and would have finished with better figures not for his last 2 overs going for 24.
After 2 ibroprofen, and loads of cold spray provided by Marshall, Harchuk (8-1-12-1) opened the bowling with Thompson (4-2-6-0) and it was Harchuk who struck 1st getting the big wicket of Flack for 10 caught by Gaz Owen. From here the innings went into freefall with some very cheap wickets as spinners Colin Taylor (10-2-28-5) and Halford (5.4-0-22-4) bowled with fielders round the bat. Only Heath (17) and Shaw (11) offered any middle order resistance but the total of 217 was always going to be too many as Heanor won by 145 runs.
The 2nds turned over Little Eaton the following day at the Town Ground. John Parkinson got the team off to a real flyer with a brisk 32 but a middle order collapse left Heanor struggling. The key partnership was between Maurice Edwards (89) and Mike Clifford (15) got the innings back on track. With Edwards approaching his hundred he fell for a fine hard hitting 89 and with only 38 overs gone, Brackenbury chose to declare which was a good move with the clouds building.
Little Eatons reply looked like they had a losing draw in mind from ball one and maybe were hoping the rain would fall harder. When the players came off for rain it looked like game over but the rains stopped and Rich Meakin (4-28) and Maurice Edwards (3-13) should be applauded for their efforts as the ball was a real bar of soap and the bowling crease a mud bath bowled well indeed to take Heanor to victory by 143 runs.
A great start to the 2004 season for Heanor. The club having Played 7 won 5 and lost 1 and 1 rained off, it has to be said, early indications suggest the “merger” has been a success and it wouldn’t be wrong to say, some real potential silverware could be obtained this season.
Heres to the weekend with the 1st team playing home to Butterley on Saturday while the 2nds take on Belper Meadows in what is a rearranged fixture.
Related Links:
Anston beat Heanor
Heanor Town 2004 Preview
Heanor and Stabbo Merge
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NEXT FIXTURE
Darley Dale (1sts) Old Park (2nds)
VENUE
1sts (H) 2nds (H)
DATE
12/6 (1sts) 6/6 (2nds)
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