Stop The Press

We’ve done it! We’ve done it, We’ve done it!

The wedding speech can wait…

In a week where the first XI gained their opening victory of the season so did the mighty under 12’s, Joyous scenes at the field of dreams saw the first junior victory in 20 years and a thoroughly deserved victory for the boys after months of hard, hard work and tremendous progression. The perfect wedding present for Tuckers!

Ellerslie were the visitors for the pairs match who won the toss and inserted Keyworth. With 11 boys vying for 10 places, Shepherd showed remarkable maturity and team play to step aside, which was very much respected and continuing the terrific attitude that has been shown by all, all season. Cairns deputised behind the stumps for the second time in the week with Hennessy absent.

Leggy picked some nurdlers to open, with runs per ball the key. Tudor and Cairns giving a superb platform with 15 for the first pair. 215–0 off 4.

Newell and Mills put on an excellent 26 runs for the loss of a solitary wicket for the second pair, after Newell was trapped LBW. 241–1 off 8.

Stolworthy produced his highest score to date and tried to turn 2s into 1’s but Brown kept pushing, Brown was uncharacteristically out of sorts with the bat presenting a straight forward caught and bowled and a clean bowled but his time was to come later… 261-3 off 12

Normington and Steiner were in good touch, Normington in particular with some heavy hitting. Steiner was finally triggered by the boss after swishing across the line at a succession of straight ones. 271-4 off 16

It was left to the reliable duo of Healey and Neece to post a defendable total and 19 runs for the loss of just one wicket was an excellent conclusion to the innings with some hard running to finish. 298-5 off 20 – nett 68 with 69 required for victory.

A behind closed doors refocusing ensured that spirits were high with a taste of victory in the air, knowing that an abject bowling performance could easily see it become a distant dream.

The recent policy of an over each, and if it’s a good one then you’ll have another one was employed, with Captain Normington opening up steadily down the hill. Neece followed this up with 5 dots and Steiner wobbled it about. 3 runs an over was a steady start before Stolworthy spun the match on its head. First a beautiful flighted clean bowled followed by a rank wide full delivery that got a thick edge and picked out your dream fielder, buckets Newell, who pouched it with glee at mid-off. 212-2 off 4

Healey (twice), Brown and Newell were miserly with only 4 runs coming off the bat for the second pair and the screw tightening. 220-2 off 8.

Man of the match Mills, was then to produce his best spell to date and testament to his growing confidence and abilities, with only 1 run coming from the bat and a proud Grandpa Copson entering the fray. The big hitting 5 got hold of Tudor, Normington and Steiner to leave it delicately balanced at 239-2 off 12, with Tuckwell’s heart rate going up a notch.

Mills then reduced it back to simmer with Neece the grateful recipient of another top edge. The number 7 then set about elevating the blood pressure to code yellow with a series of lusty blows off Stolworthy, before Mills once again allowed the crowd to breath easily once again with perfect flight for a clean bowled and tremendous figures of 3-0-8-2. 264-4 off 16.

Such was the excellence of Mills that Legge tried to bowl him straight through forgetting that there was a 3 over maximum.

28 required for Ellerslie off the final 4 overs, wickets required for breathing space as Tuckwell was slumped in his scorers chair peering out between hat and scorebook. 5 dot balls was just the ticket from Healey, with Brown following suit with only 5 conceded.

21 off 2 required. Stolworthy kept it tight before a full bung no ball was dispatched to the boundary for a cumulative 6 runs and 12 needed off 8 delivers. Tuckwell was under close surveillance, but needn’t have worried as Stolworthy followed up with a majestic clean bowled leaving 18 off 6. Brown took all the pace off the ball for a splendid last over: 4 dots followed by a clean bowled and bar some ‘Carry on Keyworth’ could have finished with a double wicket maiden amid joyous, yet respectful, scenes leaving the field to a well deserved and rousing reception by all the parents and supporters.

A beaming Legge was embraced by Tuckwell as mission accomplished and the thoroughly well deserved first win under the belts.

Tuckwell was presented with some champagne but just resisted the Formula 1 celebration amid 3 cheers from the boys; very much appreciated and unexpected thank you very much. The victory was best wedding day present.

Still 4 games to go as we enter the tricky holiday period.

Thank you to every one involved and well done boys the first of many! Cheers!

Still to come an over view of June. Tuckwell dishing out a fiver to Healey, a shattered off stump, a couple of near hat tricks, bloodshed and a broken nose and some nearly but not quites and some fantastic displays in the Sunday side from Healey, Brown and Hennessy.

But unfortunately they might have to wait…

See you in August. Tuckers