Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club : Match Reports 2002 |
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Nomads 181 for 4 from 40 overs. (Moss
62 no, Hussein 33, Heslington 28, Baker 1-23) Trentside 182 for 4 from 37.1 overs (Frank 81no, Hancox 25, Heslington 2-22, Forster 2-31) Sorry Nomads slipped to their first defeat of the season. On a hard dry wicket at Burton, Nomads came unstuck against a youthful Trentside. Batting first, Heslington and Gardner made a solid start as the Trentside bowlers achieved admirable line and length. Heslington went first for a hard fought 28, stumped off the first change spinner who was, rather unfairly, turning it both ways. The opening stand having been worth 64. Gardner was caught almost immediately for 23. This brought together Hussein and Moss. After a sticky start, Hussein came to grips with the tight bowling and ably supported Moss who was in his usual free-flowing mood. The pair brought up a century stand for the third wicket, however, in trying to push up the run rate, Hussein went for a suicidal single only to be sent back, having achieved an excellent 33. Pinfield quickly got into his stride, but with the overs up, ran himself out by fifteen metres off the last ball, leaving Moss with a superb 62 not out. With a respectable 181 for four, Nomads must have felt they were in with a chance. Unfortunately, after an excellent tea, the bowling was not up to its usual tight standard. Trentside started rapidly, hitting Higginson and Forster firmly around the field. Greaves pulled off two excellent catches in his usual spot, the first of which would have graced any Lord’s test (anyone with a video of this effort is being asked to send it to S. Jayasuriya, c/o Sri Lanka Cricket team!). At 41 for 2, Nomads were in with a shout. Heslington spilled a catch off the Trentside number 4, so that he could claim his wicket in the next over. Heslington went on to record the excellent figures of 2 for 22 from his 8. After this however, Nomads bowlers appeared to lose the will to live, spraying far too many short and wide deliveries to the Trentside batsmen, who picked off singles at will and boundaries with impunity. Trentside eventually reached their target with nearly three overs left, after Pinfield came on looking for a rather unlikely double hat-trick! |
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CAPTAIN’S MATCH REPORT FOR MATCH V TRENTSIDE (19/5/2002)
Surely having heard about the Nomad’s winning start to the season Trentside featured a strong side with 12 players. I turned down the offer of one of their men, even though D.Moss had not yet arrived. As he lived nearest the ground, this was not unexpected. I won the toss and elected to bat. This decision was, at first, praised and then condemned when it was generally realised that Trentside offered excellent teas. M Heslingtom and P.Gardner opened the batting (Hussein padded up for #3 as Moss had still not appeared) and produced yet another good opening partnership topping 50 before Gardner was out to a good, low catch in the covers off a slightly mistimed shot. D.Moss, having arrived, went in and soon started to punish some erratic bowling. However Heslington was soon dismissed although there was some confusion as your captain and the batsman believed he had been bowled whereas the true method was stumped. A change in the usual batting order, due to a slight sulk on the part of Hussein, saw Moss and Hussein contribute a 100 partnership ended by Hussein attempting a single which Moss showed no interest in. With only a few balls to face there was a marked reluctance on the part of the 2 padded up batsmen, M. Pinfield and P.Higginson, to go out as both were front-runners in the Gonads stakes. The captain chose Pinfield who added a few quick runs before being run out on the last ball whilst Moss was removing his gloves prior to walking back to the pavilion. A score of around 180 was about 20 below the hoped for target due to a lower than usual contribution from extras.
After a large tea Nomads rolled out onto the field. The opening bowlers were
P.Higginson and D.Forster. Higginson never bowled with his usual fluency and the openers
went along at a good 6 per over pace. However two fine catches by K.Greaves off Forster
slowed things down somewhat and the appearance of an embryo at the crease for the
opposition saw the prospect of reducing the run-rate even more. Unfortunately Heslington
made the mistake of taking his wicket caught by Hussein and a more experienced batsman
entered the fray. Heslington eventually had him caught by Higginson but the bowling
resources were becoming stretched. and the cause was not helped by the injury curse
striking Hussein who was reduced to a pathetic, shamblng figure by a pulled calf muscle.
Moss was bowling well at one end but a reluctance by P.Blackburn to bowl saw Hoddy choose
himself over Greaves to bowl at the other end. His usual consistency was missing and the
added pressure on Moss saw his length become more erratic and the opposition reached our
total. At this point Pinfield volunteered to bowl and his first ball was pushed towards
the boundary, the two batsmen running some 7 runs before the stumps were removed from the
ground.
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