Moorside CC 1st X v Stand CC - 21-07-2018

Stand CC were the only side to beat us in the first half of the League fixtures and were second, behind Moorside CC, in the Division 1B League Table at the start of the match today. Exceptionally, for Swampy, the toss was one by Moorside and Stand were invited to bat.
The track had been covered but had “greened up” a bit due to the previous day’s rain. Nonetheless it was hard and dry; but overhead it was cloudy and invited the ball to swing. Swampy and Mike Pritchard opened the attack in the absence of D Fullalove. Both bowled 10 good overs (with some considerable swing) and picked up 3 wickets for around 50 runs, including the Stand pro out for 1. Opener Thomas was hanging in there and proved to do so for most of the next 20 overs bowled by the spin twins.
The Moorside defensive strategy worked again and the ground fielding improved 100% on recent weeks, however catches were dropped and umpire’s decisions didn’t always reflect reality. VAR will come, I’m sure, at some point if club’s can afford it…….. Stand finished on 152/7 from 50 overs with Swampy the pick of the bowlers with 1 for 21 from his 10 and Mike P with 2 for 29 from 10. The spin twins did their usual frugal stuff, their 17 overs costing 79 for 3 wickets. Jordan bowled a quick 3 at the end and picked up wicket no 7. Tea at just 15:30 and still the cloud hung around with a cool breeze.
Arnie and Danny to the crease at the start of the Moorside innings. Was this going to be a repetition of the away fixture where Moorside failed to chased down a modest score? Answer “yes” but not without as KB said “one of the finest innings by an amateur cricketer ever seen on this ground”.
The innings started with a wee bit of controversy. Opening spin bowler Ateeq was seen to be wearing what appeared to be gloves! This turned out to be a set of 10 perfectly-formed finger and thumb adornments fashioned from Duck Tape. The umpires said this was fine providing he didn’t wear them to bowl with. Correct, but the Laws go further than that: fielders may protect their fingers from further injury through the use of tape, but this would be deemed excessive if all 10 fingers and thumbs were covered in the stuff! Of course, Mr Ateeq took a stunning catch in the gully with his sticky, ducky fingers and goodbye Mr Anchor for 1.
Swampy next and he played all round a straight one from “Fingers” Ateeq. Harry Mouse looked settled and played straight pushing the score with Arnie into the 30’s before he was caught behind. And so, the procession of failure (as in the away fixture) continued until at 85 for 9, Mike Pritchard (in just his fourth League innings of the season), joined Arno who was in the 30s. 67 runs were needed with the last men standing but with 20 overs remaining.
Ever so slowly, it began to dawn on people, not least the Stand side, that this run chase was not impossible. Mikey P blocked, padded up and blocked again while Arno, who by now had seen enough, started to go for it, big style. His innings of 88 from 127 included 10 boundaries, three of which were maximums. Keeping the strike and chipping for a single at the end of each over he got the score within 3 of the Stand innings. BUT with the score on 149, he pulled a short one that got too big off the splice to mid-wicket and was caught. Tears were seen including those of some spectators. After a brief celebration, the Stand players sportingly came to Arno who was on his knees and shook hands. The other hero, Mikey Pritchard looked on at 2 n/o from 49 balls, probably reflecting that this was his best “team innings” ever. Stunning cricket to watch and anyway we’re still top of the League on run-rate!