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Brodsworth Main v Nostell St Oswald 5th September 2009

As we continued our quest for another 10 points to consolidate our league leadership we travelled to play Brodsworth, to seek revenge for our home defeat earlier this season. As with most “Miners Welfare” grounds the facilities were top notch and the wicket looked surprisingly like a “ Nostell” track. Plan “ A” was for the wedding guest to win the toss, bowl first, open the batting and bugger off the Derbyshire to enjoy the evening festivities……… so naturally he lost the toss and we batted first !

Lee and Wanna made a steady start towards our intended target of 180 but as the game progressed several revisions were proposed. Anything between 125 and 140 was beginning to look par. Wanna fell cutting one to gully as Leroy settled in to accumulate runs off a lively opening bowling pair. The Ginge came and went and that brought season debutant Nick Oram to the crease. It was as if he’d never been away and he soon began to take advantage and build a useful score. Lee finally perished on 47 clipping one to deep mid wicket and we were all slightly disappointed that he’d fallen short of another half century. ( Fate however played it’s hand and at tea, as we retired to the dressing room we discovered that he had in fact scored 51, so he received rapturous applause from 2 of us!). Jase was sportingly brought back to the crease after having been given LBW off thick edge ( well done Brodsworth), and shortly after got himself out in a more legitimate manner. Nick continued  to put the bad ball away as the wedding guest came and went, an innings I missed as I was unwrapping a cigar. The Rock star entered the fray and did his best to rotate the strike in Nick’s favour before going the same way as Wanna. The Chav, having eaten 6 bags of crisps, 4 Mars bars and a plate of chips and peas strode to the wicket to return shortly after ; another innings I missed because this time I was lighting a cigar. Mally, fresh from having been viciously savaged by Martha and Alice’s 9 week old puppy took up the fight to be joined by me as the 8th wicket fell, with Nick departing for 57. At 157 with 3 overs to go our target of 180 was looking shaky as the two opening bowlers returned. 2 overs later and only 3 runs needed after I had pulled 2 deliveries passed mid wicket for 4 and played possibly the “gayest ever” cricket shot flicking a leg side ball off my hip, in the style of Julian Clary, for another boundary. With the target reached and 1 delivery left, I fell to a good a fashioned slog which I missed by about a week and half and we took tea at 180 for 9.

Tea was a feast………easily the best by a distance in this league. Many thanks to the hard working “Brodsworth Babes” in the kitchen.

Jim and Lee took the new ball and wickets were at a premium as we knew they would be with Brodsworths top 5 being more than useful. At drinks with Lee, Jim and Dale having taken 1 each ( Dale’s to a stunning left handed catch by Matt) and a crazy run out; Jim departed and I took over at his end, with Lee, and then Nick operating at the opposite end. The batters obviously decided to punish me for scoffing most of the tea time bread and butter pudding and plundered 32 runs off 4 of the worst overs I’ve bowled this year. Lee replaced me as Brodsworth faced getting a run ball for what would have been an unlikely but well deserved victory.
With Nick and Lee in tandem we got the “wheels back on” and despite the determined efforts of  Brodsworth’s excellent all-rounder Tagg, the remaining 6 wickets fell at regular intervals and the innings closed at 140.

We welcome Thurnscoe to what will be a surprisinguy quiet Garmil Lane next week, as Jase will be on his way to New Zealand .

4 points will secure us the Div 3 Title in our first season and by doing so we will be the third of the old Leeds West Riding teams to be promoted to div 2.

Bring it on boys