Hard and Fast - Week 19 Yorkshire Main (h)
I turned up just after 1pm on Saturday to see two things of great note, Leroy rolling the square (why???) and a Nostell CC pitch that was firm with a surround that had a lush green colour to it. Now one would suggest that after having seen this that all of the effort, and all of the funds spent, have proved to be well worth it and that the Nostell square is benefitting greatly.
The young captain strode out to the wicket determined to win the toss and have a bat on the fore mentioned pitch….he lost it and was asked to don the Whites and take to the field in the 25 degree heat. The quiff took fist use of the new ball and immediately induced a glove from the opener first ball only for yours truly to grass a diving chance….much to the dismay of the ginger whinger in the gully. The young combo of the captain and myself combined to complete the first wicket when the openers decided it was a wise idea to try and sneak a run, the captain pounced and got the ball in to me over top of the stumps and the batsman was out by yards. Uncle Ken got a ball to nip back of the seam next over to get his wicket tally up and going. This got the quiff fired up and he then proceeded to take 3 wickets in the next over as the ball started to swing and seam, and this combined with batsmen who were not keen on facing Nostell’s saviour, started the visitors rot. Uncle Ken picked up another soon after to have Main reeling at 26 for 5. Leroy polished the tail off and ended with figures of 6 for 13 to take his season’s wickets to over 70…about 60 more than Mal has in runs!!!. Ken ended up with 3 for himself. Mention to Mal who took a blinding catch at slip and to the Heff who held onto a steepler at mid off.
We were very confident of chasing down the 40 runs required to win, especially when the ginger and Big Ritch strode out to the wicket and both put the first balls they faced to the boundary. The ginger was first to go when he tried one to many big shots and was well caught. That gave him time to come back and join the lads and describe how he made the taxi driver stop three times that morning on the way home to allow him to show the driver what he ate and drank the previous evening. Mal was promoted up the order to find some form and he hit two boundaries before he was caught behind. The captain joined Ritch and between them they polished off the total in short time to give Nostell a win by 8 wickets before the clock hit 4pm.
So once again it was the bowling of Lee that got us going, and some tight bowling form the uncle that caused the Yorkshire down fall on what we thought was a 200 plus wicket. Well done to both, and to the young captain for losing the toss!.
Next week it is back to Garmill Lane as West Bretton visit.
