Sheriff Swings It For Stiffs

The Stiffs put their nightmare start to the season well and truly behind them with a second win on the spin away to Fiskerton.

Drurs was a late withdrawal allowing a straight swap (on fielding inability) with Leggy. With Bomber Graham back for the Firsts, Tony Spence was a victim of the new ECB guidelines on average team height, but earned a well-deserved promotion to the Stiffs.

The weather was squally and the pitch a pudding and we were glad to bowl first. Cowlard had clearly been re-modelling his action on Steve Harmison spraying it around much more than usual. However Dave 1 in 4 Hill(i)er was in fine form with magic figures like a PIN number: 9-5-6-2. The Sheriff had been keeping his powder dry for a couple of weeks but now had his radar bang on. The Fiskerton batters had no answer as Dave took 6-26, including a clean bowled off the last ball to get maximum bowling points.

Inspired by the arrival of Pistol Pete Hardy to reminisce about his glory days at cover point, our out-fielding was again spot on with no drops. Even Boss Hogg gobbled a dolly at mid-off surprising himself as much as his team mates.

103 all out was a great display. KCC’s rotund food critic described tea as “bog standard fayre”. Highlights were the cherry bakewells, lowlights the out of date scotch eggs.

The KCC batters were given extra incentive to hang on to their places with news that Laddy was making an even stronger case for promotion to the Stiffs. Potty was even prepared to put his crown jewels on the line, in the space of a few balls going from bass to baritone to tenor, copping two deliveries amidships, much to the amusement of all. Less funny was his leg stump being up-rooted a few balls later.

Top Man Burton was not going to hang around and whacked a brisk 29 that put us on top. But wickets kept falling. Cowlard felt he had license to bring back his cross-batted slog after Drurs had added it to his repertoire the previous week, but only added to the fines committee’s notes playing too soon to be caught off a top edge.

Fortunately we had plenty of experience in the late middle order. Ted and the Sheriff played sensibly until BoomBoom was caught and bowled off a leading edge with only a few needed. Sheriff capped a memorable day hitting the winning runs with 2½ overs to spare.

Another 20 points and up to 3rd in the table.

MOM: Sheriff Hallam

MOM in running: Jean 1, Potty 1, BJ 1, Sheriff 2