Kings of Spin

The 13s, and friends, set off to Flintham, on Tuesday, for a midweek friendly. Stolworthy and Coulthard had returned from a camping trip to join Hennessy, Mills and Brown as the recognised 13s. Kitching and Cairns joined the district pair of Newell and Nice to form the 12s contigent, while the 11s of Blacklock and Burns made the 11.

Back row - C. Legge, T. Kitching, J. Cairns, J. Coulthard, I. Brown, P. Hennessy, S. Tuckwell

Front Row - O. Burns, J. Nice, T. Blacklock, H. Stolworthy, T. Newell, G. Mills

Mills won the toss as the batting line up was shuffled. Coulthard and Stolworthy opened up with licence to stay there all game. In one ear out the other for Coulthard, who tried to bludgeon the 2nd ball of the innings into Newark with a 'Jon Dalyesque' golf swing. With 8 on the board Josh fell to a slow straight one in the 3rd over.

Brown was looking to surpass his top score of 9, rarely having the chance to bat freely, but showing on Sunday plenty of promise with fine footwork and shot making.

A superb 54 run partnership was amassed before Stolworthy (24), with his highest score to date, was bowled, but left the field beaming with his performance.

Brown was joined at 4 with his fellow tail ender, Mills. Mills crashed a lovely 4 through the covers to double his highest score, and receive more cash - £2 for boundaries - can't be bad! With 28 scored in 6 overs Mills (6) was undone by a slower delivery, leaving the whippet of Hennessy to try and get Brown to the holy grail of the 35 not out mark.

Some great running was not quite enough as a leg bye proved decisive, leaving Brown (34*) one short, but comfortably his highest score and a very, very impressive innings, from the usual number 10 - not any more!

The Keyworth innings concluded on 93-3 as the platter of cookies were devoured.

Tom Newell - with the Legge School of consumption

Jack Cairns - There's nothing behind my back honest, I'm an athlete...

Blacklock took the gloves as the overs were to be shared round. The current King of Spin, Kitching (2-1-2-0), carried on where he left off on Sunday - The batsman looking to launch it off his legs before quickly being straightened up. Usual gloveman, Hennessy (2-0-8-0) showed his versatility with a tidy spell.

Second change saw more spin from Burns and Nice. Burns (2-2-0-1) bowled superbly with a proud Mum looking on, and removing the off stump of the opener for his first Keyworth wicket. Nice (2-1-2-0) mixed up some flight as the squeeze was firmly applied 12-1 off 8.

Ellerton, on district duty with Nice and Newell, swung the bat at number 3, with Cairns (2-0-16-0) and Coulthard (2-0-11-0) on the recieving end in otherwise tidy spells. 34-1 off 12.

Similar to Sunday, Newell made it happen in his second over (. w . ro w .) The first removed the dangerman's, Ellerton's, leg stump who petulantly returned to the pavilion. Then, an outstanding piece of fielding from Brown at midwicket. The ball was picked up with back to the non strikers wicket, turn, spin, settle then fired flat and hard. The little number 4's legs were going as fast as they could but the stumps were destroyed before the bat was grounded. Just a wicket, a catch and a maiden for the full house then Isaac...

The delivery after, found Hennessy in the covers who had the unfamiliar task of catching without gloves on, but made no mistake, leaving Newell with excellent figures of 2-1-3-2.

Brown had the task of finishing up and kept in the spin theme, putting into practice the hours of flippy leg breakers spent in the garden with dad, Richard, and brother, Oscar. An unplayable maiden (one off the list) was served up first. Over 20 had 4 dots and a single, before a top edge saw Nice scampering behind at slip to take an excellent over the head catch to cap a memorable day for himself and definitely the man of the moment, Brown. Flintham 69-4

A special mention for Tom Blacklock behind, the stumps, who took everything that was bowled at him, showing excellent technique.

Another terrific. The game played in a super spirit and the boys doing themselves and the club proud - again!