BOTWCC 2nd XI v Thornton St Peters
Saturday 12th August 2006 - Towles Fields
After last weekend's thrashing of Hinckley CC, Burton's Second XI were buoyant and eager to have a crack at a team this week from the other end of the table, Thornton.
Of course, no-one can take for granted that the bottom team will always lose, especially since they won their first match of the season (the first in three years as it happens) against Sapcote at Bagworth only last weekend. But for Burton, if a sniff of promotion was still in the air a 24 point victory was a must.
Having lost the toss YET AGAIN, Steve Neal was asked to bat by the Thornton Skipper Alan Kelb and this week opened with one regular opener in Mark Russell and the current form bat, Rob Morley.
Both batted well from the start, although Rob's more composed start led to a longer innings. Russell (15) being bowled after playing on in only the 3rd over. Mike Tagg joined the frey and seemed at ease with the bat and played a fine selection shots to all parts against a slightly wayward bowling attack. Things continued in this vein for some time and in this superb 29 over partnership of 118 runs, Rob Morley was the first to go two balls after reaching his maiden 50 of the season, gifting a high catch to the long on fielder (P Beasley). Well done that lad though, although I won't say much as too much praise for a good performance results in jealousy in the ranks and accusations of in-club bumming between certain players and the webmaster.
Richard Stenning came out and looked at his most comfortable this season, timing a few very well played shots through the off side and hit a quick and firey 25 before he fell in a similar fashion to Rob. A couple of overs later, the day's star performer, Mike Tagg (who had enjoyed a 48 run partnership with Stenning) finally had himself caught out on 64. It was a great knock as always from the club's most seasoned bat and one that gave the next two in a chance to do what they do best.
The club's two pinch hitters (only kidding) Andy Simkins and John Shipman were now at the crease to help steer the club past the target of 175 for maximum batting points and hold the fort until the 40 over mark where the skipper planned to declare, giving his own bowlers an extra 5 overs to get the 10 required wickets.
Sicknote Simkins went after everything swinging the bat wildly (not his words obviously) and hit one of the longest cow-corner sixes seen at Towles Fields in many a year. All the way from the field end and over the playground in the corner, nearly taking a out a young woman and her two toddlers near the see-saw. Still, casualties of war and all that. Sicknote made a very useful 31 not out. Shippo played the cameo role for a change and only managed a meager 2 not out at the 40 over mark. He'd play his part later on, of course.
At the declaration, Burton were 221 for 4 after 40 overs. Thornton now had 50 overs to reach the target and not lose their 10 wickets.
After a delightful Tea, thanks to the skilled hands of Mr and Mrs Russell (for future reference, I really do like flapjacks, not the silly ones with dead flies in though, just the plain ones) the Burton bowlers had their orders.
GET 10 WICKETS AND WIN THE GAME.
Thornton had other ideas however and from the first ball made intentions clear and it looked like they were having a go at the target. After all it was achievable in the 50 overs they had.
Openers Shane Marshall and Grant Penton got started and Penton got the first break-through of the day, clean bowling Beasley who seemed quite uncomfortable at the crease, backing away from everything and finally letting a straight one through the gate.
Marshall bowled short and fast and pelted the other opening bat, the left handed S Clarke, several times at pace. He seemed to wear it well though, although we didn't get to see the bruises under his shirt. He finally left the pitch in a huff when he was run out by Beasley's replacement, P Dyer.
Thornton had still not given up the ghost and were 41 for 2 after 14 overs and now some young hot-headed bats were entering stage right and they too wanted a piece of the action. At least Thornton weren't batting down for a draw, even though they were chasing a target far bigger than one they had achieved all this season. These young lads played some nice shots and the runs rate started to creep up. Not very quickly, but at least nobody was lying down in the face of adversity.
Jack Child and Rob Morley had a bowl, with Jack bowling his usually tight line and length and should have walked away with one wicket but for the clumsy hands of Penton at 2nd slip, who parried it straight to ground. Rob was at this stage wicketless, but not giving too much away.
More changes of bowlers ensued and Andy Simkins started his 9 over spell and it didn't take him too long before inroads were being made. His first wicket bowled out D Clarke, his second was the caught-and-bowled of the big-hitting C Saunt and the third was another clean bowled of M (Buzz) Burrell. A nice chap, although I'm not sure if I've ever seen a man make and smoke so many roll-ups on the pitch during a game. Each to his own though.
Sam Shipman got in to the action here too and although he only bowled the 2 overs (the second being a bit too short or wayward for the Skippers liking) he still bagged himself a wicket when Thornton's P Dyer pulled a short one and forced a world class running catch on the square leg boundary by Richard Stenning. If only we had video replays, it was a corker.
Enter the season's star bowler: John "I'm the Daddy" Shipman. Even at his ripe old age and with the plethora of injuries blighting his ailing frame, Shippo knew his task. He did all that could be asked of him and bowled at the stumps. It works too, you know. Especially to tail-enders (or lower order batsmen, to be more PC about it).
Shippo had a go at ending the match single handedly, with a fine 4 over spell, taking 3 wickets (including 2 LBWs) for just 1 run. He might have done it too had it not been for Rob Morley who was brought back on at the other end and then took the final wicket with his first ball.
And that was that. Chasing 221, Thornton could only reach 134 all out with 11 overs still to bowl for their 4 points, and Burtons maximum 24 were well deserved.
Once again, it was a good team performance. All those who batted got runs, all bowlers got wickets (except Jack Child, but that wasn't his fault) and the fielding was quick, enthusiastic and high pressure stuff.
Well done lads and stage one of the road to promotion complete. 4 more to go!
Next week a double header starting with Broughton Astley away on Saturday and The Waltons at home on Sunday. BOTH OF THESE ARE 1.30PM STARTS
Match report by Grant Penton 13-8-06
League Match
Burton on the Wolds 2nd Eleven v Thornton St
Peters 2nd Eleven
|
|
|
Thornton St Peters 2nd Eleven
won toss and decided to field
|
|
|
221
for 4 dec (40.0 overs)
|
134
for 10 (38.1 overs)
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Batsman
|
|
|
Runs
|
Balls
|
Mins
|
4s
|
6s
|
S/r
|
M
Russell
|
|
b D
Clarke
|
15
|
16
|
15
|
3
|
0
|
93.75
|
R
Morley
|
c P
Beasley
|
b P
Dyer
|
50
|
66
|
108
|
8
|
0
|
75.76
|
M Tagg
|
c S
Clarke
|
b M
Burrell
|
64
|
113
|
127
|
7
|
0
|
56.64
|
R Stenning
|
c R
Hatfield
|
b P
Dyer
|
25
|
27
|
26
|
4
|
0
|
92.59
|
A Simpkin
|
not
out
|
|
31
|
15
|
19
|
3
|
2
|
206.67
|
J
Shipman
|
not
out
|
|
2
|
5
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
40.00
|
Extras
|
3nb
18w 5lb 8b
|
34
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
221
|
for
4
|
|
|
|
|
||
Bowler
|
O
|
M
|
R
|
W
|
Wd
|
Nb
|
S/r
|
Econ
|
D
Clarke
|
9.0
|
0
|
41
|
1
|
5 (6)
|
0 (0)
|
59.00
|
4.56
|
C Saunt
|
12.0
|
0
|
65
|
0
|
7 (8)
|
1 (2)
|
0.00
|
5.42
|
A Kelb
|
11.0
|
1
|
41
|
0
|
0 (0)
|
0 (0)
|
0.00
|
3.73
|
P
Dyer
|
6.0
|
0
|
43
|
2
|
2 (3)
|
1 (1)
|
19.50
|
7.17
|
M
Burrell
|
2.0
|
0
|
18
|
1
|
1 (1)
|
0 (0)
|
13.00
|
9.00
|
Batsman
|
Fall
of Wicket
|
Partnership
|
Batsmen
|
Over
|
M
Russell
|
17-1
|
17
|
M
Russell (15) R Morley (1)
|
2.5
|
R
Morley
|
135-2
|
118
|
R
Morley (49) M Tagg (46)
|
29.1
|
R Stenning
|
183-3
|
48
|
R Stenning (25) M Tagg (16)
|
35.4
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M Tagg
|
192-4
|
9
|
M Tagg (2) A Simpkin (6)
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37.2
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||||||||
Batsman
|
|
|
Runs
|
Balls
|
Mins
|
4s
|
6s
|
S/r
|
P
Beasley
|
|
b G Penton
|
4
|
12
|
25
|
0
|
0
|
33.33
|
S
Clarke
|
run
out (J Shipman)
|
|
16
|
50
|
53
|
3
|
0
|
32.00
|
P
Dyer
|
c R Stenning
|
b S
Shipman
|
23
|
48
|
68
|
3
|
0
|
47.92
|
D
Clarke*+
|
|
b A Simpkin
|
22
|
19
|
22
|
5
|
0
|
115.79
|
C Saunt
|
c and
b
|
A Simpkin
|
33
|
31
|
44
|
6
|
0
|
106.45
|
M
Burrell
|
|
b A Simpkin
|
4
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
66.67
|
A Kelb
|
lbw
|
b J
Shipman
|
6
|
42
|
47
|
1
|
0
|
14.29
|
T
Clarke
|
lbw
|
b J
Shipman
|
0
|
4
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0.00
|
D
Lee
|
c
|
b J
Shipman
|
0
|
5
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
0.00
|
D Wragg
|
|
b R
Morley
|
3
|
11
|
16
|
0
|
0
|
27.27
|
R
Hatfield
|
not
out
|
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0.00
|
Extras
|
0nb
14w 1lb 8b
|
23
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
134
|
for
10
|
|
|
|
|
||
Bowler
|
O
|
M
|
R
|
W
|
Wd
|
Nb
|
S/r
|
Econ
|
|
7.0
|
1
|
31
|
0
|
6 (12)
|
0 (0)
|
0.00
|
4.43
|
G Penton
|
5.0
|
1
|
16
|
1
|
0 (0)
|
0 (0)
|
30.00
|
3.20
|
J
Child
|
5.0
|
2
|
17
|
0
|
0 (0)
|
0 (0)
|
0.00
|
3.40
|
R
Morley
|
6.1
|
1
|
22
|
1
|
1 (1)
|
0 (0)
|
38.00
|
3.57
|
A Simpkin
|
9.0
|
2
|
20
|
3
|
1 (1)
|
0 (0)
|
18.33
|
2.22
|
S
Shipman
|
2.0
|
0
|
18
|
1
|
0 (0)
|
0 (0)
|
12.00
|
9.00
|
J
Shipman
|
4.0
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
0 (0)
|
0 (0)
|
8.00
|
0.25
|
Batsman
|
Fall
of Wicket
|
Partnership
|
Batsmen
|
Over
|