Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club : Match Reports 2003

Wall v Lichfield Nomads
Date: Saturday 2nd August 2003.  Time: 2:30pm
Venue: Away.   Competition: Friendly - 40 Overs.
Result: Won by 7 Wickets
Conditions: Hot, sunny.
Toss: ?
Match Report by: John Hoddy

Nomads on Course for Curry?

The prospect of the end-of-season Captain’s Curry was enhanced by a solid victory over local rivals Wall. The return of captain Forster (for one match only prior to touring commitments) brought out the sun on a fixture which has been dogged by poor weather in recent years. Nomads were put into field after losing the toss and soon had Wall in trouble at 9 for 2 with 2 good catches ( by Smith & Pickering) off Fearon’s bowling. The pitch showed some variable bounce and the Wall batsmen were struggling against the lively attack of Heslington and Fearon. As the Nomad’s bowling line-up was not as strong as usual, Forster had to juggle his bowlers and so brought himself and Hoddy on after 8 overs had gone for 12 runs. Even so the pressure was maintained with  Hoddy  claiming a wicket thanks to a spectacular one-handed catch above his head by Pinfield at point. Pickering and Doug Hemmings took over after another 4 over spell by the bowlers and Wall’s score still looked inadequate at 65-3 off 24 overs. Forster and Fearon  completed their spells, each taking important wickets, to bring the score to 100-5 off 32 overs then Heslington and Hoddy returned. Heslington kept things tight but the batsmen, looking to score off every  ball, took a few runs off Hoddy who was replaced for the last over by D Hemmings  who claimed his first wicket for Nomads. A Nomads side with several regulars missing saw the appearance of Pete ‘the Whale’ Willis, Paul ‘6 0’clock club’ Smith and Doug ‘Coach’ Hemmings and the side did well to keep Wall to a score of 141-7.

Gardner and Heslington opened the innings with a flurry with 27 coming off the first 4 overs mainly from the bat of Gardner. The loss of Heslington saw Fearon coming in. He ably supported Gardner and the partnership progressed to 89 off 33 overs before he lost his wicket to a direct throw after running on a misfield. Wall were applying pressure with the tight bowling of Craig and Edwards and both batsmen felt they had to push things along resulting in Pinfield being caught in the covers for 5. However a couple of high scoring overs by Gardner off opening bowler Langham (14) and by D Hemmings off Vann (19) saw Nomads cruise to victory with 10 overs to spare.

Wall                                                                            Nomads

1) Vann            ct P Smith         Fearon             7        
2) Dhami          ct  Pickering     Fearon             0        
3) Phelps         ct Pinfield         Hoddy             18
4) Dyche          b                      Forster              28       
5) Craig           c Hemmings      Heslington     44
6) Fox              lbw                   Fearon                0        
7) Birch            no                                              22       
8) Langham     b                      D Hemmings     6        
9) Edwards      no                                                6        
Extras                                                                 12
 

Total                                                                141-7  

Wall                                                                            Nomads

1)    Gardner            no                                            81
2)    Heslington        lbw                   Langham          2
3)    Fearon             run out                                      13
4)    Pinfield               ct                     Vann                5
5)    D Hemmings     no                                           16
6)    Weir
7)    Hoddy 
8)    Forster
9)    P Smith
10)  Pickering
11)  Willis
Extras                                                               26
Total                                                                143-3
 

Heslington 8-1-24-1, Fearon 8-2-20-3
Forster 8-1-23-1, Hoddy 7-0-32-1
Pickering 4-0-18-0, D Hemmings 5-0-13-1

Langham 7-0-34-1, Dhami 2-0-14-0,
Edwards 6-0-19-0, Craig 8-1-19-1
Vann 7-0-38-1, Foxley 0.1-0-4-0
 

Fall of wickets - 28(2), 89(3), 106(4)