It’s Not Over ‘Til It’s Over

Tuckwell returned from honeymoon duties for potentially the last game of the season and a chance to exceed this seasons expectations with a second win. Due to holidays both teams fielded a mixture of experience and youth - Pavier, Kitching and Hefter all stepping up.

A beautiful night at Ellerslie saw Normington lose the final toss as Ellerslie opted to bat. Shepherd and Healey opened up. 11 off 2 was a steady start for the home side before the deadly duo swung the match on its head. Shepherd with a triple wicket maiden: A first ball cleaned bowled followed by an LBW, which Mackenzie was the only one to appeal for, and another clean bowled in his last 2 deliveries. Very pleasing to see that the celebrations were still best in the league.

Healey, not to be overshadowed, opened with a clean bowled and a straight forward caught and bowled, with Tuckwell wondering if he would accept $5 as the hat trick prize. 4 dot balls and a double wicket maiden left the home side reeling at 11 for 5 off 4, and surely job done…

Shepherd returned for his hat-trick ball but was dispatched to the boundary as the dangerous number 5 set about rebuilding the innings. His final over left him with season best figures of 4-1-24-3 and thoroughly deserved.

Mills was brought in to the attack and immediately removed the danger man with smiles all round on the boundary -28 for 6 off 6. Although from this point it was a feeling of job done as the ground fielding was a little lethargic at best, with the ball rolling agonizingly under finger tips and through legs, with the exception of Captain Normington leading by example.

Hennessy was doing a tremendous job behind the stumps with the wide count esculating and the scorecard accelerating. Healey returned to finish with another wicket and his best figures for the season. 4-1-12-3 with the score on 71 for 6 off 16.

Normington removed the chief tormentor for 18, after a smart dive, roll and throw into the keepers gloves to claim an excellent run out.

Young plum Cameron Hefter, 9, had another tidy spell pitching it up well in only his second hard ball experience. Cairns delivered a much needed wicket and great line in the final over to restrict Ellerslie to 88 for 9.

With 51 extras, mostly wides, the changing room door firmly closed Legge and Tuckwell took on bad cop – bad cop role, but still instilled the belief that it could be done.

Cairns and Healey opened up posting 22 for the first wicket, Cairns possibly hitting the shot of the season, a square cut that raced to the boudary, before being bowled round his legs.

Coulthard kept the scoreboard ticking with Healey before a superb caught and bowled removed him. Normington (3) fell soon after followed by Shepherd (0) then Healey who was unfortunately bowled off his pads. At 42 for 5 off 12 and the time at 8pm, the outlook was decidedly gloomy, especially as Stolworthy followed in the next over.

Arise Sir Hennessy (24*) and a magnificent swash buckling innings of cuts dabs and express running between the wickets accompanied by the light of the moon and Hefter. With 22 required off the last over the ball was tossed to an unbowled member of the opposition.

wide-5wides-wide-2-dot-wide – suddenly had Tuckwell hauling the rest of the Keyworth team out of the nets to come and watch the improbable. 12 off 4 – A choice cut, from Hennesy was sucked all the way to the boundary with 8 off 3 required.

Wide-wide – 6 off 3 – dot –single- wide. With 4 needed to win off the final ball. The teary eyed bowler held his nerve as Hennessy scampered through for a bye leaving Keyworth 2 short on 86 for 8.

Legge and Tuckwell were delighted with the boys’ response as the opposition manager breathed a sigh of relief. A tremendous gutsy man-of-the-match performance from Hennessy saw Keyworth out score their opponents 56-37, unfortunately the downfall 51-30 in extras.

Some important lessons to turn the screw when you are on top and bowl at the stumps and anything can happen until the final ball is bowled.

The season finale, unless Unity pull their finger out, will be against Simon Smith’s Gedling and Sherwood side in a Junior 20/20 game leading up to the main 20/20 game on Bank Holiday Monday – August 31st.