Another thrilling commentary on last weekend’s cricket action by Keiron Metcalfe:
THIS LAST weekend was another good one for the Club, with the 1st XI fighting back from what seemed a nailed-on defeat at Patrington to force a winning draw against their neighbours’ 2nd XI and the An XI absolutely battering Bransholme & Kingswood C.C. at the Middle Lane Cricket Ground.
“A winning draw” at Patrington:
After Captain Rich Ingram was asked to bat on one of the poorest Patrington pitches any of the senior players could remember, his 1st XI fought through the extremely indifferent bounce and posted 192 for 5 from their 45 overs. Stuart Towse top scored with a very good 72 at number 4, with Richard Rosindale continuing this season’s good form with the willow with 44. Phillip Hill contributed a breezy 24 at number 5 before being run out as the innings drew to a close. But Hill’s score was only the FOURTH highest; the third biggest contributor to South Holderness’s total was Patrington’s extras – 8 byes, 14 leg byes, 4 wides and 7 no balls adding a vital 33 to the 1st XI’s card. For Patrington, Glenn Ratcliffe, James Nettleton, Jamie McKinley and Kieran Finnegan all took one wicket each.
Despite the nature of the pitch, the 1st XI’s senior players reckoned they should have had another 25 to show for their efforts. And, with all 10 of Patrington’s wickets intact with them 100 runs into their chase (with opening bowlers Richard Rosindale and Stuart Towse both going wicket-less), perhaps that figure should be revised to another FIFTY runs. But Rich Ingram started to drag his team back into the match, orchestrating a collapse by Patrington that was more typical of something his own team might produce! The skipper was aided and abetted by Lee Darby (12-1-43-1 at second change) and Phil Hill (4-1-9-2 at third change) as, all of a sudden, South Holderness removed their heads from the jaws of defeat and started pushing for the outright win. As it was, though (and despite Ingram’s excellent performance, finishing with figures of 12-4-32-5), Patrington held on for the losing draw, closing on 156 for 8. Jamie McKinley top-scored with 62 at the top of the order, being backed-up by his opening partner, Stewart Guy (33) and his Captain, Glenn Ratcliffe (30).
The winning draw (and 26 points out of a possible 30) sees South Holderness once again open up a gap (18 points) between themselves and Patrington. But, just as was the case the previous week, last week’s results brought no change to Division 4 East of the Y&DSCL, with South Holderness in 5th place (31 points behind their hosts next week, Hill Top C.C., in 4th) and Patrington in 6th, 17 points ahead of the resurgent Brandesburton C.C. in 7th.
Metcalfe’s Marauders!
Back in Hedon, Keiron Metcalfe’s An XI braced themselves for the arrival of Bransholme & Kingswood C.C. at the Middle Lane Cricket Ground. After the An XI’s well-earned Winning Draw against the same opposition three weeks earlier, this was sure to be a feisty affair. And so it was…….. But, having been asked to bat on a brand new pitch, Metcalfe’s team held firm and posted a competitive total of 155 for 8 from their 40 overs, with Eddie Samphire top-scoring at number 6 with 29, Gary Chapman anchoring the innings at number 5 with a workman-like 23 (after the team had been reduced to 51 for 4 before drinks) and numbers 8 and 9, Dave Gatti and Graham Slinger, adding quick-fire scores of 14 and 18 which pushed the team towards and beyond the 150 mark. For Bransholme & Kingswood, Lewis Hales and James Crombie finished with 3 for 42 and 3 for 44 respectively, whilst Simeon Howitt took 2 for 22.
Despite the pitch being brand new and well-prepared, the previous Thursday’s rain meant that, just below the top, things were still a bit damp, causing some deliveries to keep low. But, after South Holderness had battled well and dug in to post a competitive total, the very warm and sunny conditions meant that, by the time it came for Bransholme & Kingswood to start their chase, the pitch was drying out and behaving a little better. So, knowing that their guests had a couple of more-than-capable big hitters who could very quickly eat into the target, it was imperative that ‘Metcalfe’s Marauders’ made an early breakthrough and then kept their foot on the visitors’ throats. And that’s exactly what happened. Andrew Berry bowled 11 overs, conceded just 13 runs and bagged 5 wickets; and, in only his second League game of the year, Dave Gatti returned figures of 7-2-19-2; that then left Ian Ces Harrison to mop up the tail, in (probably) his last game of the season, returning figures of 6.4-1-12-3. The result of this ruthless bowling performance was the dismissal of Bransholme & Kingswood for just 51 runs inside 28 overs and an enjoyable 104-run victory for South Holderness.
This result sees Bransholme & Kingswood (without a winning result since 10th May) slip into the relegation zone of Division 3 of the Eastern Conference, 16 points adrift of Humberside Police C.C. in 8th. Meanwhile, though, South Holderness have reached their highest position of the season, thanks to table-toppers, Foxton’s C.C., defeating Cottingham 2nd XI. Considering his team should have been competing in Divion FOUR this year, 3rd place (with three wins, one winning draw, one winning concession and one abandonment from 10 games) is more than Metcalfe would’ve been expecting with 8 games still to play.
So, whilst it would need something bordering on cataclysmic to occur for the An XI not to survive in Division 3 this year, Metcalfe will be mindful of the fact that such a cataclysm could be brought about by just a couple of careless performances against the teams in the bottom half of the table that they still have to face. So, when Pelican C.C. come to the Middle Lane Cricket Ground next week, heads will need to be switched on and brains engaged; because, make no mistake, having propped up the nine teams above them for the first six weeks of the season, Pelican will present a credible test due to their new-found lease-of-life following three winning results from their last four games and elevation to 6th place, 39 points behind their hosts next week.
Next Saturday 19th July 2014:
The An XI are home at Middle Lane from 2pm playing Pelican CC.
The first XI are away at Hilltop CC playing their first team.
After Captain Rich Ingram was asked to bat on one of the poorest Patrington pitches any of the senior players could remember, his 1st XI fought through the extremely indifferent bounce and posted 192 for 5 from their 45 overs. Stuart Towse top scored with a very good 72 at number 4, with Richard Rosindale continuing this season’s good form with the willow with 44. Phillip Hill contributed a breezy 24 at number 5 before being run out as the innings drew to a close. But Hill’s score was only the FOURTH highest; the third biggest contributor to South Holderness’s total was Patrington’s extras – 8 byes, 14 leg byes, 4 wides and 7 no balls adding a vital 33 to the 1st XI’s card. For Patrington, Glenn Ratcliffe, James Nettleton, Jamie McKinley and Kieran Finnegan all took one wicket each.
