“Did he play?” – Week 9 West Bretton (a)
West Bretton vs Nostell St Oswalds 13th June 2009 Match Gallery
This week saw an unbeaten Nostell side make their first trip to picture-postcard West Bretton. Club captain Jimbob, tired after a 3 minute walk from his house strode out for an early toss with the oppo skipper and promptly returned delivering the bad news – bowling in 30 degrees. Why do we always lose the toss on the warmest days?
Saviour Hurst and Uncle Ken shared the new ball, Lee showing decent carry on a used pitch and Kenneth keeping it pitched up to give it a chance to swing. 3 or 4 tight overs passed without incident apart from the electronic scoreboard being a bit optimistic, 587 for 7 after 2 overs would be an interesting game!
We got the breakthrough soon after after a mixup in the running left both bats down the same end, Jimbob deciding to throw down the wrong end, and Jase mopping up the mess with some quick thinking to beat the batsman to the other end. Two direct hits in 5 seconds, is this really Nostell? 
More good work from Jase behind the stumps got rid of the other opener, stumped trying to drive an Uncle Ken outswinger. No. 3 Winwood played some nice shots off the Saviour’s bowling before chasing a wide delivery from Ken and feathering a catch to Jase, who promptly claimed the hat-trick of catch, stumping and runout.
(Young) Captain James replaced Lee (staring down the barrel of a none-for) and settled into bowling at good areas, eventually getting rid of No. 4 who had taken a liking to Ken’s bowling to get the old fella taken off. Cue wild thing Dale Evans, owner of both the best yorker and beamer at the club to concede about 63 from his first over. After a reprieve from the Young Captain, Dale returned with 2 yorkers to uproot the batsmens stumps and leave him on a hattrick, only to be denied LBW by the thinnest of edges after the loudest appeal of the season so far. I managed to hold a sharpish gully catch during the Dale show after dropping a harder but takeable one handed chance and we were through them.
The only other talking point of the innings was the tantrum thrown by a batsman who claimed an umpire isn’t in a position to give a runout unless he is exactly square of the wicket even if he can actually see the line and the bails at the same time. Hmm. After a small sendoff from the King Wayne Noble, normal service resumed and Leroy returned to spare his spreadsheet the shame of a zero in the wickets column to clean up their No. 11. Innings over, we were set a target of 113 in 57 overs.
Lionel’ Richie Hardman and the King got us of to a steady start with no alarms and saw us approach 50 without loss after 20 overs. The introduction of spin saw the runrate rocket to 2.5 but also accounted for the King, caught on the boundary for a patient 21. After a week off balloon blowing, a stag trip and a rained off game I strode out, trying to remember which handed I was and why everyone was wearing white. After 2 floaty, non spinning spin deliveries natural instinct took over and I was off the mark with a straight six. It’s all coming back to me now.
Not to be outdone Richie stepped up to the plate, getting to his 50 with some nice shots before holing out for a well made 59. On the back of 75no last time out Jase joined me at the crease. A couple of lusty blows and some scurried singles later the game was won and beer o’clock beckoned, unbeaten record intact and a nice suntan to boot. A special mention to King of Scotland Mal Green, who leaves us after this week (probably) to return to Edinburgh castle, cheers Mal. Also well done to Special Teams Sarcasm Stevie Teasdale, a noticeable lack of 2nd-bounce-spinning-past-me incidents this week! Last special note to the ever observant Young Captain, asking “Did he play?” after one of the umpires had said goodbye.
We welcome Brodsworth next week, hopefully we’ll get a good day again and a similar result.
