Having failed to start at Friarmere last week due to meadow lakes; and losing to Royton the previous week, the ‘side had slipped to 5th in the table. Hollinwood away completed the three played League matches in August today. We then play five matches finishing on just the 17th September. Fab fixture planning rules again.
Swampy won the toss and chose to take the field. He opened the bowling with Drew and they soon had the two openers back in the shed for 21. Then keeper Ghouri and overseas player Krukit Patel (Krukit being Guajarati for Cricket BTW) added 90 before Ghouri was bowled by Drew returning for a much better second spell. Meanwhile Immy replaced Swampy who was keeping an eye on his bowling average and Jordan Whyatt came on for Drew. Jordan bowled a tidy 5 overs with little luck and was replaced by Ron Avenger. Ron had been playing his Egg-Box until the early hours having guested in a charity pop & crisps match at Saddleworth in a fund-raiser for some football side or other.
One or t’other clearly had a detrimental effect on his bowling; having bowled 3 overs for 22 with 5 wides he was taken off and Drew returned. Mr Krukit was eventually caught by Mr Cricket on the long-on boundary for 72. He looked a class act to be honest at just 19 years of age.
After that, the wickets started to drop and Hollinwood finished on 175 all out with Drew pocketing a 4 for and Immy a 3 for. Skipper Abid had said 160 was a good score on “that wicket” so 175 was even better. To be honest, the Moorside spectators did struggle to keep awake in the pleasant sunshine as 175 from 49.1 overs is just 3.5 an over and of the 49.1, 8 were maidens and due to Ta Drew, Ron Ron’s radar, only 147 runs were scored off the bat (2.99 runs p/o).
Ron and Jack opened and closed with just 14 on the board. Ron played to soon on a slow wicket and top edged a dolly to mid off, Jack played three shots at a ball, left it then managed a fine edge to the ‘keeper.
Swampy and Immy to the rescue thank God. Harry Mouse played himself in but then was given run out off a direct hit from Abid. It was all a bit of blur, wasn’t it Nigel? Anyway enter Immy to join Swampy and that as they say, was that. A partnership of 124 before Immy decided to have a swing and was bowled neck and crop for 51. Swampy carried his bat for 72 and finished the innings off with Mr Cricket. BTW did I also mention an almost identical diving ginger catch to the Patel one? No? Danny will! Five points in the bag and T-20 finals on Monday.