Appleby Magna v BOTWCC 2nd XI
Saturday 7th July 2007
After what felt like an eon of relentless rain and continued inclement weather, the sun finally reared its ugly and somewhat unfamiliar head on this Sunny Saturday in July. It wasn't quite factor 15 weather and some people even managed to play supporting early season-wear like the traditional singlet or a wooly pullie. Still, the sun was July's first token gesture of the day and the reminder that cricket is there to be played on such days.
Having traveled away to one of the League's better sides (there was a full 7 places between the teams in a league of only 10 teams and this Appleby XI declared on nye on 280 runs on the first day of the campaign at Towles Fields) a win might have appeared a tad ambitious or at best slightly hopeful. Yes, Burton had managed to hold out for a draw on day one and yes, some of the bowlers had faired okay in the face of some quite established batting, but still the full 24 points felt like a long way off. Not to be too negative, of course.
Anyway, the mighty task began with Rob Morley once again winning the toss and, possibly playing to our strengths, elected to field.
The match got under way with John Shipman and Grant Penton taking the cherry and it wasn't long before the action got under way. Batsmen were getting virtually no runs in the face of some very tight bowling with batsmen flailing wildly at balls whizzing past the off stump and a number of edges, particularly off Penton on this rare day, drifting agonizingly wide of slips and Adam Archer at gully. Finally the deadlock was broken when Penton rattled the off stump of one of the openers and only a couple of overs later made the schoolboy error of dropping a relatively straight forward catch off his own bowling. Embarrassment aside, Penton bowled the same fellow out a few overs later and thankfully hadn't been made to pay. Meanwhile, Shipman Senior was doggedly accurate as always and was giving precisely nothing away, frustrating the Appleby batsmen half to death. Shippo did however force a magnificent quality run out from Steve Layzell at backward point, who quickly scooped one up and hit with little more than one stump to aim at. And with that, the tone of the Burton fielding was well and truly set.
One of Burton's strongest attributes from the match has to be the quality of Burtons work around the square. All 11 were keen and focused and let very little get by, further forcing the home team to chase runs that were proving very hard to make on this variable pitch.
Steve Layzell took over from John Shipman after 7 of his overs (although the home team took some convincing that the overs bowled were correct. This is a team clearly not used to using a score book) and immediately hit the spot. Although his efforts were largely un rewarded in the way of wickets, he still bowled a very tight line and after his 7 overs has only gone for a mere 14 runs. During his spell, Steve also brought about and even more spectacular run out from Sam Shipman fielding at a fairly deep mid wicket. A single was never on the cards and as Sam attacked the ball in the most professional way he picked up and threw in in one quick movement, hitting the middle peg at the non strikers end. It was one of the most professional looking things I've seen in a while and well worthy of consideration come the annual "Champaign Moment" award nominations. Although it might be a "Tizer Moment" as he is still only 15.
Such a fine piece of cricketing excellence sadly only served to bring in a more determined and keen eyed individual to the crease who made his intentions clear from the start hitting Layzell for 14 of his next over.
Enter Skipper Rob Morley.
Sniffing the opportunity to remove a top team for very few runs, he took the ball and started with perhaps the most determined and aggressive over I've seen him bowl for the club. Such fervor was justly rewarded as he clean bowled the slugger on his second ball and the next batsmen in met the same fate on ball 4. A double wicket maiden there marking the start of his spell.
Sam Shipman had now replaced Penton at the Pavilion end and was torturing the Appleby line up with an array of looping slow and well placed deliveries and flatter quicker ones for good measure. His hard work was finally rewarded when he forced a nonchalantly taken low and fast catch by club new boy, Chris Langham, another product of the club's youth policy. Did anybody hear him speak by the way?
Another good catch came from Ian 'Pauline' Merryweather from a more tempting delivery off young Shipman Junior and barring Penton's traditional catching faux pas, catches were being held. Rob Morley's third wicket went the same way as a thick edge popped up to the slip area was was taken easily by Shipman Senior. The innings finally came to an end when a hugely improved Ed Everitt Stewart stumped the number 11 in expert style, showing that he has really begun to blossom behind the pins.
Shockingly, Appleby Magna were all out for a mere 94.
After another delightful tea the Burton bats began the reply knowing that the target was achievable, needing only a fraction over 2 runs per over, but also fully aware that the pitch was unpredictable and uneven. Wickets could just as easily fall for Burton as it did for the home team.
And fall they did.
One of the most bizarre events I have ever witnessed on a cricket pitch, apart from Adam's bowling action (only kidding poppet), took place in just the 3rd over. With only 2 runs on the board, the easily frustrated John Shipman managed to clip one high into the air for what was expected to be an easy catch. Cleverly though, the ball was not caught because it had gone straight up in the air above the batsman's head. Instinctively, Shippo set off for the run, Taggy sent him back and as he turned he watch in astonishment as the ball came back down to earth completely unchallenged by the home fielders. Perhaps his luck was in then? Not so. Quite uniquely, however, the ball then hit the ground on the edge of the popping crease and span back onto the wicket, dislodging the bails before Shippo grounded his bat. OUT.
Technically he was out hit wicket, but was perhaps one of a very rare group of people who could have taken a run before being bowled out. World class.
Pauline Merryweather came next and after actually getting off the mark got himself clean bowled. The fun continued when Chris Langham came out to face his first ball at senior level only to not have to face his second, chipping a comfortable catch to point for a golden blob.
By now Burton are 6 for 3. Chance of a win? Sod all. Chance of another draw? Small. Bets taken on a loss? Lots.
Mark Russell came out at this stage to join Mike Tagg who had wearily endured seeing 3 team mates depart in close succession and the out-of-form Russell wasted little time getting runs. He batted for a full 23 overs with Taggy and the pair put on 47 runs before the senior campaigner was bowled out for a hard earned 13.
Russell continued his merry plight and showed little fear in taking the game to Appleby. Rob Morley had now also joined the party and was giving the strike to him with relative ease. This continued for another 6 overs until Russell (45) was also bowled by the slingie action of Appleby's D Lees.
Things were now starting to get a bit twitchy in the middle as the home team got more fired up as the wickets were falling and beginning to expose the Burton tail. Ed Everitt Stewart fell for just 2 runs, with Sam Shipman and Adam Archer making only half that number each. By now Burton were a sphincter winking 88 for 8 needing 7 runs to win the match. With 4 overs to spare, 7 runs shouldn't have seemed like such an unattainable target, but bearing in mind the last two batsmen were Penton and Layzell, things were not looking too peachy.
So did Burton win, or did the Burton numbers 10 and 11 roll over easily and hand the match to the home side. Hmmm.
Penton, facing only his 3rd ball of the season managed to end his first over having spares the stumps a bruising a couple of times and reducing the target by one leg-by, for a run taken off his arm from a fiery short ball. Now at the other, end he managed to turn one beyond backward square leg for a single and gave the experienced Morley the strike. Morely then in turn nudged a single to a very short mid wicket and almost ran out Penton at the non strikers end but pressure had taken its toll on the Appleby keeper, who had incidentally played a good game behind the batsmen. Another single from Morley then reduced the total to 3.
Penton was now left to face a dangerous off spinner with little in his armory but good luck and a bit of the old bulldog spirit. Morley had motivated him well and told him clearly that he had the confidence in him to give Penton the strike and was soon to be rewarded for his trust. After a couple of defendable deliveries, the bowler handed Penton a nice juicy low full toss which, surprisingly, he hit expertly, yes expertly, through mid on for 2 runs.
Great whoops of delight came from the sidelines and a few choice words from the home team. Especially the bowler.
The very next ball Penton casually nicked a nice juicy thick edge to first slip.
But wasn't out. It hit the floor just in front of the fielder and rolled hastily pasted him. Rob Morley called for the single and the the final run was on the board.
A chorus of cheers erupted from beyond the outfield as Penton (4) and Morley (10) completed the run to win the match.
And there it was. Win number two of the season and perhaps the best scalp the Burton Two's could expect to have taken this season. How much better could it get?
Watch and see. Starting next week at home to Burbage. After right royally blowing the away fixture, a win is the only way to make amends for it.