Stiffs Seven Short

A narrow loss for the Stiffs at home to Newstead 2nds.

Cowlard won the toss for the first time in a decade and we fielded. After two nights of rain the official going was good to soft, soft in places, towards the Village Hall.

The Skipper had forgotten his Ladybird book of cricket so needed help getting the under 13’s into fielding positions. Fortunately the Field of Dreams had plenty of shapes with whitewash remains from football pitches and fielding circles. Mr Tuckwell took control and had the kids stationed along the angle of the hypotenuse, where the centre line crossed the 30 yard circle.

AC was unlucky to narrowly miss taking a wicket with his first ball and it was the story of his day to see the ball miss the outside edge at regular intervals.

The opposition openers reported that Leggy was bowling with deceptive pace up the hill: if anything slower than he looked. Yet The Boss made the first breakthrough, Tuckers safely bagging a lofty drive to cover.

A crowd of teenagers were littering the Field of Dreams at cow corner. Cowlard thought the easiest way to get them shifted was to introduce Drurs to the attack. The other Newstead opener didn’t need a second invitation, but played all around a rare straight ball from the Chairman and we were level pegging at 60-2 after 20 overs. Cowlard came back for a second spell and soon bowled the opposition skipper and at 75-3 we were on top.

Sadly Cowlard had been practising his fielding with the First Team the previous week. First he called for a dolly at mid off, but failed to move a muscle as the ball dropped in between three fielders space barely 10 yards apart. And then dropped a sitter the next over. Leggy chuckled in the knowledge that for at least one week he wouldn’t be class idiot in the field.

A good 5th wicket partnership took Newstead to 168-4 at tea. Cowlard was the tidiest with 1-24 off 12, Leggy was steady with 1-38 off 11, Drurs was a mixed bag with 1-25 off 7. 14 year old Sam Neece bowled splendidly on his league debut taking 1-43 in two spells of 5 overs. Tuckers took the fielding point with muddiest knees, but special mention to under 13’s Isaac and Josh for showing great concentration in the field.

Tea was a lovely spread from Lorraine who sadly wasn’t there to take the plaudits. The youth policy devoured the iced doughnuts at a rate that had Leggy purring with admiration.

In reply Drurs and Ernie set off like a train racing to 32 off 8 overs. Drurs had just hit two glorious boundaries before missing a straight one to go for 11. Tuckers was promoted to no.3 to be in his car by 6.00, and the pinch-hitting worked a treat, with a glorious 3 wood over mid off the highlight in a rapid 23. Tuckers sprinted off quicker than Iggy with the trots the week before. The Lays fell in quick succession, Ernie for 31 and Paul for 10. Cowlard inked himself in for a move down the order with a dreadful smear to be caught for 5 and we looked in big trouble at 110-6 when Leggy followed for 4.

Phil Dearden showed why he would be moving in the opposite direction to Cowlard in the batting order with a fluent innings including 4 sixes. We were always behind the run rate and needed 20 off the last over. Dimps called for oxygen after scampering a couple of two's, but we ended seven short with Phil unbeaten on 49.

Special mention to Chris See-Soar for racing up after a stint of overtime in case we were a man short, and then braving the arctic conditions after tea, scoring outside while his team mates hid in the warmth of the changing room.