30th August
THORESBY
COLLIERY 2nd (20) 244 for 3
ANSTON 2nd (4)
164 all out
Having taken only 21 points from the previous 100, it was time
Thoresby got back to winning ways in an increasingly ‘tight at the bottom’
Division 6.
As we arrived at the postage stamp ground of Anston, we were
boosted by the surprise and late inclusion of Stevie Willis to the team. He’d
only been giving Lee a lift to Edwinstowe but was directed, no doubt with some
influence from N.Birkett, towards Anston!
Rob lost the toss and we were invited to bat, openers Godfrey and
Halfpenny resuming their partnership after a break of several weeks. To be
honest, the bowling was pretty friendly to begin with. Both bowlers had a tendency
to be short and the biggest problem was the inconsistency of the track that
gave a tennis ball bounce on occasions making timing very difficult. We had
moved swimmingly into the 40’s off the first 10 overs until Anston found
anything like line and length. Scoring then became more difficult and the
innings hit a lull. Into the 70’s at halfway represented a slowdown and
Godfrey, trying to force the pace, was sent back by Halfpenny to be run out for
a useful 30.
This brought Stu Evans to the crease and the introduction of young
Froggatt to the attack. Now we’ve come across this lad before [see Anston (home) report] and, although well intentioned,
he has a tendency to be somewhat erratic. By his own admission he tries to bowl
as fast as he can; nothing wrong with that, he bowls some cracking deliveries
but with a smattering of no-balls, very short pitchers and then the odd beamer.
It didn’t help, then, when Halfpenny fended just such a beamer off his chest
with the glove, that the umpire said it had dipped onto his thigh pad! The
aforementioned batsman asked for a brief explanation from the umpire who was
convinced the ball had been below waist height. Halfpenny decided that a break
was called for whilst skipper Walker attempted a conversation about the merits
of dangerous bowling. Unperturbed, the umpire carried merrily on with the game.
Evans and Halfpenny tried to up the run rate but with 12 overs
left there was only 119 on the board – nowhere near enough on this tiny ground,
as skipper Walker frequently reminded the batsmen! However, things did improve.
Evans was eventually bowled by the returning Williamson for 34 and Halfpenny,
c&b by Froggatt, for 77 as the score reached the 150’s. This was an ideal
platform for experienced duo Woods ‘n’ Willis to launch the final assault.
Stevie managed this with aplomb, unleashing a series of 4’s and 6’s in the
final 5 overs to finish on a remarkable 66 NO from about 25 balls.
With the addition of 32 extras, including 16 no-balls from
Froggatt, the Thoresby total
was
finally boosted to 244 for 3.
This looked like being plenty, especially when one of the openers
was run out (Willis) backing up. However, the next 40 minutes would see
Thoresby sweating as the remarkable Froggatt, sent in to have a go, did exactly
that. He is obviously full of raw talent and, with some guidance, could be a
very useful cricketer. After sweetly timing a few boundaries pretty straight,
he began to unleash an array of shots whilst backing away from the crease. His
50 was applauded with only 55 on the board as first Hutchison, and then Woods,
came in for some stick from him. Steve Willis should be commended for his
persistence after being struck for several 4’s and a 6 by Froggatt as,
eventually, Stevie had his man bowled. But the youngster had scored 83 (3x6,
11x4) out of the 93 on the board.
Unfortunately for Anston, with little support from elsewhere, the
innings began to tail away. Only a spirited partnership by nos. 7 and 8 came
anywhere near keeping up with the run rate and, after Stu Evans had taken a
couple of wickets both bowled, at 160 for 8 the run chase was over. When
injured captain Smith came to the crease there were 5 overs to survive; he and
partner King defended well. Willis returned to bowl the penultimate over of the
innings, had a good shout for LBW turned down first ball then next up had a
similar appeal answered in the affirmative.
In all, then, a conclusive victory but not without its hiccups.
Stevie Willis undoubtedly, and not surprisingly, made a difference and the
result now sees us mathematically clear of relegation. The unluckiest incident
of the day was when Brian Woods came in from fine leg to take a superb running
catch off Hutchy, only to re-split the stitches in his finger put there just
two weeks ago. Rumour has it that Brian has a block booking at A&E on a
Saturday night.
Willis 13.2 4 44 4
Hutch 12 2 35 2
Woods 10 2 44 1
Evans 9 1 29 2
Other results:
At Eakring Road: BILSTHORPE (14) 138 for 9, drew with WHITWELL 2nd (6) 111 for
7
At Clumber Park: CLUMBER PARK (2) 128 for 9, lost to CUCKNEY 2nd (17) 129 for 4
by six wickets
At Staveley Lane: ECKINGTON 2nd (17) 185 for 7, drew with BLIDWORTH 2nd (8) 177
for 7
At New Orchard Lane: LEA PARK (20) 207 for 7, beat THURCROFT 2nd (6) 174 all
out by 33 runs
|
Division Six |
|
|
|
Tie |
W D |
|
|
Bonus |
Pts. |
Total |
|
|
P |
12 |
10 |
6 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
Bat |
Bowl |
Points |
|
Welbeck Colliery III |
18 |
8 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
52 |
57 |
269 |
|
|
19 |
9 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
57 |
54 |
265 |
|
Cuckney II |
18 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
49 |
52 |
251 |
|
Bilsthorpe |
18 |
9 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
51 |
56 |
243 |
|
|
18 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
50 |
49 |
221 |
|
Blidworth II |
18 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
40 |
50 |
190 |
|
Thoresby Colliery II |
19 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
35 |
42 |
181 |
|
Anston II |
18 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
6 |
36 |
51 |
169 |
|
Thurcroft II |
18 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
26 |
48 |
140 |
|
Eckington II |
18 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
9 |
30 |
42 |
136 |
|
Whitwell II |
18 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
8 |
23 |
39 |
124 |