Match Report – City Secretary’s v Notts Libraries, Wednesday 16 June 2010.
Libraries arrived at Regatta Way for the return clash with City Secretary’s without 3 of their leading all-rounders. Mike Hayward had work commitments in Milton Keynes, Phil Wise was seeing a chiropractor about his sore back and Mike Berry was seeking assistance with his groin strain … from whoever assists with groin strains! City Secs bowler Martin Ingham was particularly disappointed to hear of Mike’s unavailability.
In their place, skipper Shaw drafted in the Sissons – dad Graham, along with teenage sons Tom and Jack. City Secs fielded the usual suspects – Miller, Dyson, Townroe, Newton – but also included Rob McCutcheon and Martin Foulds, 2 players who have featured for Libraries this season.
City Secs won the toss and elected to bat. Steve Baker kept things tight at the start of the innings, conceding just 16 off his 4 overs and taking the first wicket with a very well-judged catch by Jack Sisson. Chris Lumb and Graham Sisson bowled economically in the middle overs picking up 5 wickets between them. Sisson seemed to particularly relish uprooting Rob McCutcheon’s middle stump first ball … is there history between these 2 combatants ? Tom Sisson then joined his brother and father in the scorebook with a fine one-handed catch at mid wicket.
But it was Lumb who removed 3 of City Secs most dangerous batsmen – Malcolm Townroe, Brian Thomas and Richard Allen – and took the Man of the Match Award for his 3-20. City Secs ended on 115-7, but not before Tom Sisson took a wicket assisted by his father who took the catch at mid off. Overall Libraries bowled and fielded well to restrict the home side on a high scoring ground.
With a weakened batting line-up, Libraries hoped for big things from their openers. Tom Price was promoted to opener to face the quicker bowling but complained that Miller wasn’t speedy enough after he was bowled second ball! Chris Walker and Graham Sisson looked as though they might put on a useful partnership but Walker swiftly fell to Dyson’s nagging bowling.
Sisson continued on to score 29, including two 6s. With son Tom making a hard hitting 16 down the order and a contribution from Jack, it meant that the Sisson family contributed 72% of the side’s total runs. A call was immediately placed to club statistician Tony Cook to check if this was a record …
Libraries’ innings ended on 64-8 and included 11 not out from Shaw in his Tavare-esque style (younger readers should check Cricinfo for the Test career of C.J.Tavare of Kent & England). This was perhaps not what Steve Baker had in mind when he suggested to the skipper that it was time to ‘roll back the years’!
Two Libraries players currently sidelined made welcome appearances at Regatta Way. John Turner umpired the game and also distributed very professional laminated fixture cards. Dave Green joined us with his retired greyhound ‘Breeze’ … who could make a useful contribution to the side by being re-trained to sweep around the boundary and provide cover for the in-field. (Breeze not Dave, you understand …)
Martyn Shaw
Sunday 20 June 2010
Friday 11 June 2010
Notts Libraries v Gedling 27.5.10
Libraries vs Gedling Sports, King George V Ground, Arnold, Thursday, 27th May, 2010
A 43 run defeat for Libraries does not tell the whole story of this match after Gedling batted first and made 129 for 3 off 16 overs.
Libraries were keeping up with the run rate in reply and were 65 for 1 off 8 overs before a collapse of epic proportions brought a swift end to the match. 83 for 3 somehow became 86 all out in the space of three overs and that, as they say, was that!
Mike Berry made a welcome first appearance of the season and Phil Wise managed to keep his place in the side after making 78 not out the previous week. With Mike Hayward also playing Libraries looked to have a useful batting line up on a ground which traditionally favours the batsmen.
Indeed it was business as usual as Gedling chose to bat after winning the toss and rattled up 129 for 3 at eight an over. An early breakthrough was made when Geoff Spurr played around a ball from Steve Baker and was bowled for 0 but his opening partner, Redfern, went on to make an unbeaten 45. Evans also made 44 before being bowled by Tom Price, who also took a good catch to dismiss Collins off the bowling of Baker.
Tom Price was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with excellent figures on this ground of 4-0-16-1, but nobody else went for less than 7 an over. Libraries had still put in a decent effort in the field, and we felt it was still game on when Mike Hayward came to open the batting with Mike Berry.
Hayward was in a hurry and hit 4 fours in his 17, and the good work was continued by Berry and Phil Wise who put on 54 for the second wicket. They were up with the rate at the half way point of the innings, although several good shots were finding fielders and yielding only singles rather than boundaries.
Everything changed with the introduction of Roylance, and the Gedling bowler struck two vital blows to have Phil Wise stumped for 24 and in his next over to bowl Mike Berry for 32. A probable winning situation had now become only a ‘possible’, but what happened next defied belief even after many years of witnessing Library batting collapses.
Mike Berry had been raffling off an unconventional looking bat called a ‘Mongoose’ before the game, but the only animal on most people’s minds was our old friend the duck as Messrs Gordon, Price, Stannard, Shaw, Brindle, Baker and Lumb mustered only 4 runs between them for the loss of 7, yes SEVEN, wickets! Five of the ‘batsmen’ failed to trouble the scorers, although Mr Baker was undefeated on 0 not out. Libraries had contrived to go from 79 for 2, to 83 for 3, to 86 all out.
Mr Baker had even predicted the fall of a wicket, commenting when Tom Price faced up to Roylance that he was the kind of bowler that Tom hated, ie the ball not coming on with any great pace. As if on cue the batsman duly took a huge swing at a straight ball and was comprehensively bowled.
Gedling bowler Roylance finished with the incredible figures of 6 wickets for 9 runs off 3.2 overs, and Libraries ended up with another defeat at the King George V ground. The Man of the Match award was given to Tom Price for his bowling and fine catch, but he was also awarded the Vimto Moment for trying to hit the first ball from a new bowler out of the ground and being bowled for 0!
Chris Lumb
A 43 run defeat for Libraries does not tell the whole story of this match after Gedling batted first and made 129 for 3 off 16 overs.
Libraries were keeping up with the run rate in reply and were 65 for 1 off 8 overs before a collapse of epic proportions brought a swift end to the match. 83 for 3 somehow became 86 all out in the space of three overs and that, as they say, was that!
Mike Berry made a welcome first appearance of the season and Phil Wise managed to keep his place in the side after making 78 not out the previous week. With Mike Hayward also playing Libraries looked to have a useful batting line up on a ground which traditionally favours the batsmen.
Indeed it was business as usual as Gedling chose to bat after winning the toss and rattled up 129 for 3 at eight an over. An early breakthrough was made when Geoff Spurr played around a ball from Steve Baker and was bowled for 0 but his opening partner, Redfern, went on to make an unbeaten 45. Evans also made 44 before being bowled by Tom Price, who also took a good catch to dismiss Collins off the bowling of Baker.
Tom Price was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with excellent figures on this ground of 4-0-16-1, but nobody else went for less than 7 an over. Libraries had still put in a decent effort in the field, and we felt it was still game on when Mike Hayward came to open the batting with Mike Berry.
Hayward was in a hurry and hit 4 fours in his 17, and the good work was continued by Berry and Phil Wise who put on 54 for the second wicket. They were up with the rate at the half way point of the innings, although several good shots were finding fielders and yielding only singles rather than boundaries.
Everything changed with the introduction of Roylance, and the Gedling bowler struck two vital blows to have Phil Wise stumped for 24 and in his next over to bowl Mike Berry for 32. A probable winning situation had now become only a ‘possible’, but what happened next defied belief even after many years of witnessing Library batting collapses.
Mike Berry had been raffling off an unconventional looking bat called a ‘Mongoose’ before the game, but the only animal on most people’s minds was our old friend the duck as Messrs Gordon, Price, Stannard, Shaw, Brindle, Baker and Lumb mustered only 4 runs between them for the loss of 7, yes SEVEN, wickets! Five of the ‘batsmen’ failed to trouble the scorers, although Mr Baker was undefeated on 0 not out. Libraries had contrived to go from 79 for 2, to 83 for 3, to 86 all out.
Mr Baker had even predicted the fall of a wicket, commenting when Tom Price faced up to Roylance that he was the kind of bowler that Tom hated, ie the ball not coming on with any great pace. As if on cue the batsman duly took a huge swing at a straight ball and was comprehensively bowled.
Gedling bowler Roylance finished with the incredible figures of 6 wickets for 9 runs off 3.2 overs, and Libraries ended up with another defeat at the King George V ground. The Man of the Match award was given to Tom Price for his bowling and fine catch, but he was also awarded the Vimto Moment for trying to hit the first ball from a new bowler out of the ground and being bowled for 0!
Chris Lumb
Sunday 6 June 2010
Nottinghamshire Libraries Cricket Team V Ernehale, 2.6.10
Nottinghamshire Libraries V Ernhale
2nd June 2010 at The Rectory Ground, Colwick
On a beautiful night for cricket NLCC found themselves playing on The rectory in Colwick for the first time in many years. The match should have been played at King George V playing field in Arnold but botulism has closed the pavilion (what do Gedling District Council expect when they neglect the ground?).
The change of venue delighted all our bowlers who find King George a nightmare to bowl on but little did they know! The night didn’t start well as we were only had 9 players available (it was to get worse with one player arriving late and one not making it at all). Stand in Captain Mike Hayward won the toss and decided to bowl. Ernehale, the opposition, very generously leant us 4 players to field. Well it seemed generous but after a couple of overs it became obvious that they were more for decoration than any practical use, making some very poor fielding attempts. These included a farcical dive that saw a slow moving ball kicked over the boundary rope.
The match started well enough with Baker bowling Johnson with his second ball but after that it was very hard work with Newham scoring 79 before being stumped by Bray of Stannard’s bowling and Taj retiring not out on 65. Ernehale scored freely through out their innings ending up on 183 for 2 off their 20 overs.
While Ernehale found it easy Libraries found it anything but with only Hayward (17) and Stannard (10) getting to double figures. When we were all out for 68 in the 14th over it actually felt a bit of a relief.
We were out batted, bowled and fielded but still had a good time and there were some highlights. Tony Gordon and Dave Stannard got a rare opportunity to bowl. Dave doing very well, beating the bat several times and getting a well earned stumping (his bowling added to his batting got him the man of the match award). Lumb getting an equally rare opportunity to bat scored a fluent 7 not out including a boundary.
The Vimto moment, the opposite of a champagne moment, went to our guest fielders for the most incompetent display of fielding seen for many a year.
Steve Baker
2nd June 2010 at The Rectory Ground, Colwick
On a beautiful night for cricket NLCC found themselves playing on The rectory in Colwick for the first time in many years. The match should have been played at King George V playing field in Arnold but botulism has closed the pavilion (what do Gedling District Council expect when they neglect the ground?).
The change of venue delighted all our bowlers who find King George a nightmare to bowl on but little did they know! The night didn’t start well as we were only had 9 players available (it was to get worse with one player arriving late and one not making it at all). Stand in Captain Mike Hayward won the toss and decided to bowl. Ernehale, the opposition, very generously leant us 4 players to field. Well it seemed generous but after a couple of overs it became obvious that they were more for decoration than any practical use, making some very poor fielding attempts. These included a farcical dive that saw a slow moving ball kicked over the boundary rope.
The match started well enough with Baker bowling Johnson with his second ball but after that it was very hard work with Newham scoring 79 before being stumped by Bray of Stannard’s bowling and Taj retiring not out on 65. Ernehale scored freely through out their innings ending up on 183 for 2 off their 20 overs.
While Ernehale found it easy Libraries found it anything but with only Hayward (17) and Stannard (10) getting to double figures. When we were all out for 68 in the 14th over it actually felt a bit of a relief.
We were out batted, bowled and fielded but still had a good time and there were some highlights. Tony Gordon and Dave Stannard got a rare opportunity to bowl. Dave doing very well, beating the bat several times and getting a well earned stumping (his bowling added to his batting got him the man of the match award). Lumb getting an equally rare opportunity to bat scored a fluent 7 not out including a boundary.
The Vimto moment, the opposite of a champagne moment, went to our guest fielders for the most incompetent display of fielding seen for many a year.
Steve Baker
Tuesday 1 June 2010
First 3 matches of Notts Libraries cricket season 2010
Libraries vs. County Casuals, West Park, Thursday, 13th May, 2010
A typically eventful match against County Casuals ended with a five wicket victory for Libraries at West Park. It was a reversal of the result of last year’s opening fixture, but was achieved with one or two bizarre incidents, a touch of controversy, and a dramatic batting collapse which had us limping over the finishing line when the match should have been done and dusted.
A superb bowling and fielding performance had left Libraries needing only 51 to win off 18 overs, having dismissed Casuals for 50. Mike Hayward and Tony Gordon had put on 40 for the first wicket and we were seemingly cruising to victory with only one wicket down and one run needed. However, in the finest Libraries’ tradition there followed a collapse of epic proportions which saw FOUR wickets fall with the score on 50.
Tony Gordon was caught for 10, having narrowly failed to carry his bat through the innings, but the further dismissals of Steve Hayward, Tom Price and Thomas Brindle, all for nought, left the nerves jangling. However, with Saed Anwar and Colin Morley at the crease, a wide was bowled to give us the one run needed for victory! It was a fitting end to a bizarre sequence of events.
The Libraries line up was a mixture of the old guard and the new, with Mike Hayward keeping wicket for the first time, twin brother Steve making his debut, Thomas Brindle coming in for an occasional game, and Ken Bray taking the field after a pre-season operation on his foot. The plaster had only been fully removed a week beforehand, proving that his time spent in the oxygen tent had clearly worked.
There was still a familiar look about the side with Martyn Shaw skippering, and it was an established partnership of Baker and Lumb which produced the first wicket of the season, Lumb catching Ebbage at backward point off the bowling of Steve Baker. It was Chris Lumb’s 50th catch for Libraries. The same combination struck again a few overs later with an almost identical dismissal, this time Arnold cutting a ball from Baker straight to Lumb in the same position.
In between Tom Price, carrying on his superb indoor nets’ form, struck twice. His wickets included a rare stumping, the first of two by Mike Hayward in the innings. Ken Bray then pulled off a trademark catch in the covers, sticking out his left hand to hold a stinging drive from Hallam and giving Steve Baker his third wicket.
The wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with that of Bob Wallace the most bizarre and, in the mind of Mr Wallace, the most controversial. A ball from left-armer Lumb hit him on the back leg and appeared to be plumb. Wicket-keeper Hayward let out a stifled appeal, followed by what can best be described as a polite enquiry from Lumb. The umpire’s finger shot up and he later said he had no doubt that the ball had pitched on rather than outside leg stump, the reason for both ‘keeper and bowler’s hesitation. Mr Wallace was initially reluctant to depart, like the former prime minister, and there followed a period of negotiation which would not have disgraced our new political leaders before he did the decent thing and returned to the pavilion. Presumably Bob was trying to work out whether two half appeals constituted a full appeal!
All the Libraries’ bowlers put in good performances; Colin Morley had excellent figures of 1 for 11 off four overs, Baker an impressive 3 for 8 off four, Price 2 for 8 off four, and Lumb took 3 for 20. Steve Hayward also bowled with frightening pace on the West Park matted strip and took his first wicket for the team. Meats was struck a beefy blow on the arm before being bowled the very next delivery by one pitched up.
Needing 51 to win, Mike Hayward carried the fight with an excellent 32 in the opening partnership of 40 with Tony Gordon. His dismissal brought Saed to the crease, and they brought the scores level when Tony Gordon was out caught for 10. At this stage Libraries were possibly guilty of complacency – not a phrase often associated with the Libraries cricket team – with Steve Hayward bowled for 0 when trying to end the match with a lusty blow. Tom Price then became Saed’s first victim of the season, run out by almost the length of the pitch when called for a quick single, and Thomas Brindle was caught behind by a diving Andy Peacock with the scores still remaining level. It was all over when a wide finally brought us victory.
The Vimto Moment went to Saed Anwar for running out Tom Price in pursuit of victory, and the Man of the Match award was given to Ken Bray in recognition of his efforts in taking the field –and taking a stunning catch - only a week after having a post op plaster removed from his foot.
Chris Lumb
Hardwick v Notts Libraries, Sunday 16 May.
With the Hardwick fixture washed out in the past 2 seasons, Notts Libraries arrived at the picturesque Derbyshire venue seeking to avenge their heavy defeat in 2007. On that occasion, Libraries amassed just 78 runs – despite the presence in the side of a Bangladeshi international!
Libraries’ batsmen faired much better on this visit, totalling a competitive 191-5, after skipper Shaw won the toss and elected to bat. The innings was given a solid start by openers Martin Foulds and Mike Hayward, who put on 90 for the first wicket. Foulds was first out for 28 but Hayward went on to reach 50, hitting four 6s in an otherwise patient knock. Phil Gilman and Chris Walker maintained the momentum – both hitting 30s. Some lusty late order hitting from Tom Price – finally re-producing some of his form from the indoor nets – took Libraries to a very respectable total and their highest at Hardwick for many seasons. The Libraries performance was much appreciated by a small, but knowledgeable crowd of family members and former players, including Brian Spencer and his wife Dee.
The tea interval did not pass without incident. Safety advisor Rob McCutcheon failed to undertake an adequate risk assessment when sugaring his tea and threatened to put opening bowler Baker out of the match with a scalding injury. Back safely on the outfield before the start of Hardwick’s innings, Tom Price was presented with a signed mini-bat to mark his 50th appearance for the Libraries XI.
Libraries’ opening bowlers ensured that Hardwick started their reply steadily, scoring at under the asking-rate for the first 10 overs. Steve Baker was particularly economical, conceding just 20 runs in 8 overs which included 3 maidens and the valuable wicket of Andy Wheatcroft, Hardwick’s opening bat and captain and a regular thorn in Libraries’ side. This wicket fell to an excellently judged tumbling catch at mid-on by Tony Gordon.
As the innings progressed, Hardwick utilised their local knowledge and especially the very short boundary on the Hall side of the wicket. Several balls were deposited over the wall into the garden, endangering visitors enjoying an afternoon stroll! Chris Lumb responded to some savage hitting from the Hardwick batsmen by taking the second wicket with the score on Nelson. Despite trying 6 bowlers (and 2 wicket keepers), Libraries could take no more wickets as opener Matt Pearson proved impossible to dislodge, finally finishing the match in the 32nd over with 91 not out.
Libraries’ Man of the Match was awarded to Mike Hayward for his 50 runs and a return to bowling action. David Stannard was awarded the Vimto moment for no other reason than turning up with a spectacular bruise which was the colour of Vimto!
So a competitive match with a very good batting performance from Libraries. With England overcoming Australia in the World T20 in Barbados, all present will remember where they were when an England cricket team finally won a World tournament … (Oh … and hopefully Morecambe FC fan, Chris Lumb, will remember the cricket … rather than the play-off score from Dag & Red!...)
Martyn Shaw
Libraries vs. City Secretary’s Dept, Regatta Way, 19th May, 2010
Libraries made it two midweek victories in a row with a 7 wicket win over City Sec’s in a high scoring match at Regatta Way. A belligerent 78 not out from Phil Wise and 38 from Chris Walker, who together put on 81 for the second wicket, saw us home with three balls to spare.
It was all the more galling for City Sec’s as Phil was a last minute inclusion in the Libraries’ side, having turned down an offer earlier in the week to play for City Sec’s against us. We can only speculate on the inducements made by skipper Martyn Shaw to Mr Wise to turn out for Libraries after Steve Hayward withdrew on the morning of the match, but the phrase ‘cricket whore’ was mentioned by the opposition!
The 16 over evening match also marked our first played with a pink ball; not so much a cherry as a pink blancmange! However, the ball stayed hard as did the Regatta Way outfield, making it a tough ground on which to defend boundaries.
Shaw won the toss and put the opposition in, and Townroe was particularly brutal in making 67 not out. He was accompanied by some searing shots from Thomas, who finished undefeated on 24. However, the Libraries’ bowlers stuck at it, backed up by some creditable fielding which kept the score down to manageable proportions. Thomas Brindle, in particular, did some sterling work on the boundary and had one of those nights when the ball seemed to follow him no matter where he was placed.
Only two wickets fell in the City Sec’s innings, Price bowling Allen for 8 and Mike Hayward bowling Bird with his slow spin. The only other chances fell early on when a ball in Price’s first over was clipped to the fine leg boundary over the head of the onrushing Steve Baker, and Dave Stannard couldn’t hold on to a chance in the covers off Steve’s bowling.
City Sec’s made 125 for 2 off their 16 overs, meaning Libraries needed to score at almost 8 an over to overhaul them. Our reply couldn’t have got off to a worse start when Mike Hayward was bowled by Sin in the first over, but this brought together Phil Wise and Chris Walker.
Chris had picked up a leg injury when bowling at Hardwick but his batting was in good touch as he and Wise kept pace with each other in the early overs. He was dropped once, but had made 38, running 22 of them, until the injury hampered his attempts to snatch a quick single and he was run out at the non strikers end.
The partnership had put on 81 in 10 overs, but there was still plenty to do to knock off the 44 runs still needed in just over five overs. Phil Wise stepped it up though, partnered by first Tom Price and then Colin Morley, and went from 42 to 78 not out at the close to see us home to victory. His Man of the Match knock included 10 fours and a six.
The Vimto Trophy was not awarded, although Steve Baker must have been a strong candidate when he raced in from the deep fine leg boundary for an attempted catch, overshot, and then could only watch the ball sail over his head and cross the boundary at very spot he had just come from!
Heard out in the middle:
Mike Hayward had just bowled City Sec’s number 3 when the next batsman, a tall muscular fella with the physique of an American footballer, strode to the crease swishing his bat. “Now Mike, what do you think he does?” asked the skipper with a view to his field placings.
“He eats babies!” replied one of the Libraries’ fielders from close by.
Chris Lumb
A typically eventful match against County Casuals ended with a five wicket victory for Libraries at West Park. It was a reversal of the result of last year’s opening fixture, but was achieved with one or two bizarre incidents, a touch of controversy, and a dramatic batting collapse which had us limping over the finishing line when the match should have been done and dusted.
A superb bowling and fielding performance had left Libraries needing only 51 to win off 18 overs, having dismissed Casuals for 50. Mike Hayward and Tony Gordon had put on 40 for the first wicket and we were seemingly cruising to victory with only one wicket down and one run needed. However, in the finest Libraries’ tradition there followed a collapse of epic proportions which saw FOUR wickets fall with the score on 50.
Tony Gordon was caught for 10, having narrowly failed to carry his bat through the innings, but the further dismissals of Steve Hayward, Tom Price and Thomas Brindle, all for nought, left the nerves jangling. However, with Saed Anwar and Colin Morley at the crease, a wide was bowled to give us the one run needed for victory! It was a fitting end to a bizarre sequence of events.
The Libraries line up was a mixture of the old guard and the new, with Mike Hayward keeping wicket for the first time, twin brother Steve making his debut, Thomas Brindle coming in for an occasional game, and Ken Bray taking the field after a pre-season operation on his foot. The plaster had only been fully removed a week beforehand, proving that his time spent in the oxygen tent had clearly worked.
There was still a familiar look about the side with Martyn Shaw skippering, and it was an established partnership of Baker and Lumb which produced the first wicket of the season, Lumb catching Ebbage at backward point off the bowling of Steve Baker. It was Chris Lumb’s 50th catch for Libraries. The same combination struck again a few overs later with an almost identical dismissal, this time Arnold cutting a ball from Baker straight to Lumb in the same position.
In between Tom Price, carrying on his superb indoor nets’ form, struck twice. His wickets included a rare stumping, the first of two by Mike Hayward in the innings. Ken Bray then pulled off a trademark catch in the covers, sticking out his left hand to hold a stinging drive from Hallam and giving Steve Baker his third wicket.
The wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with that of Bob Wallace the most bizarre and, in the mind of Mr Wallace, the most controversial. A ball from left-armer Lumb hit him on the back leg and appeared to be plumb. Wicket-keeper Hayward let out a stifled appeal, followed by what can best be described as a polite enquiry from Lumb. The umpire’s finger shot up and he later said he had no doubt that the ball had pitched on rather than outside leg stump, the reason for both ‘keeper and bowler’s hesitation. Mr Wallace was initially reluctant to depart, like the former prime minister, and there followed a period of negotiation which would not have disgraced our new political leaders before he did the decent thing and returned to the pavilion. Presumably Bob was trying to work out whether two half appeals constituted a full appeal!
All the Libraries’ bowlers put in good performances; Colin Morley had excellent figures of 1 for 11 off four overs, Baker an impressive 3 for 8 off four, Price 2 for 8 off four, and Lumb took 3 for 20. Steve Hayward also bowled with frightening pace on the West Park matted strip and took his first wicket for the team. Meats was struck a beefy blow on the arm before being bowled the very next delivery by one pitched up.
Needing 51 to win, Mike Hayward carried the fight with an excellent 32 in the opening partnership of 40 with Tony Gordon. His dismissal brought Saed to the crease, and they brought the scores level when Tony Gordon was out caught for 10. At this stage Libraries were possibly guilty of complacency – not a phrase often associated with the Libraries cricket team – with Steve Hayward bowled for 0 when trying to end the match with a lusty blow. Tom Price then became Saed’s first victim of the season, run out by almost the length of the pitch when called for a quick single, and Thomas Brindle was caught behind by a diving Andy Peacock with the scores still remaining level. It was all over when a wide finally brought us victory.
The Vimto Moment went to Saed Anwar for running out Tom Price in pursuit of victory, and the Man of the Match award was given to Ken Bray in recognition of his efforts in taking the field –and taking a stunning catch - only a week after having a post op plaster removed from his foot.
Chris Lumb
Hardwick v Notts Libraries, Sunday 16 May.
With the Hardwick fixture washed out in the past 2 seasons, Notts Libraries arrived at the picturesque Derbyshire venue seeking to avenge their heavy defeat in 2007. On that occasion, Libraries amassed just 78 runs – despite the presence in the side of a Bangladeshi international!
Libraries’ batsmen faired much better on this visit, totalling a competitive 191-5, after skipper Shaw won the toss and elected to bat. The innings was given a solid start by openers Martin Foulds and Mike Hayward, who put on 90 for the first wicket. Foulds was first out for 28 but Hayward went on to reach 50, hitting four 6s in an otherwise patient knock. Phil Gilman and Chris Walker maintained the momentum – both hitting 30s. Some lusty late order hitting from Tom Price – finally re-producing some of his form from the indoor nets – took Libraries to a very respectable total and their highest at Hardwick for many seasons. The Libraries performance was much appreciated by a small, but knowledgeable crowd of family members and former players, including Brian Spencer and his wife Dee.
The tea interval did not pass without incident. Safety advisor Rob McCutcheon failed to undertake an adequate risk assessment when sugaring his tea and threatened to put opening bowler Baker out of the match with a scalding injury. Back safely on the outfield before the start of Hardwick’s innings, Tom Price was presented with a signed mini-bat to mark his 50th appearance for the Libraries XI.
Libraries’ opening bowlers ensured that Hardwick started their reply steadily, scoring at under the asking-rate for the first 10 overs. Steve Baker was particularly economical, conceding just 20 runs in 8 overs which included 3 maidens and the valuable wicket of Andy Wheatcroft, Hardwick’s opening bat and captain and a regular thorn in Libraries’ side. This wicket fell to an excellently judged tumbling catch at mid-on by Tony Gordon.
As the innings progressed, Hardwick utilised their local knowledge and especially the very short boundary on the Hall side of the wicket. Several balls were deposited over the wall into the garden, endangering visitors enjoying an afternoon stroll! Chris Lumb responded to some savage hitting from the Hardwick batsmen by taking the second wicket with the score on Nelson. Despite trying 6 bowlers (and 2 wicket keepers), Libraries could take no more wickets as opener Matt Pearson proved impossible to dislodge, finally finishing the match in the 32nd over with 91 not out.
Libraries’ Man of the Match was awarded to Mike Hayward for his 50 runs and a return to bowling action. David Stannard was awarded the Vimto moment for no other reason than turning up with a spectacular bruise which was the colour of Vimto!
So a competitive match with a very good batting performance from Libraries. With England overcoming Australia in the World T20 in Barbados, all present will remember where they were when an England cricket team finally won a World tournament … (Oh … and hopefully Morecambe FC fan, Chris Lumb, will remember the cricket … rather than the play-off score from Dag & Red!...)
Martyn Shaw
Libraries vs. City Secretary’s Dept, Regatta Way, 19th May, 2010
Libraries made it two midweek victories in a row with a 7 wicket win over City Sec’s in a high scoring match at Regatta Way. A belligerent 78 not out from Phil Wise and 38 from Chris Walker, who together put on 81 for the second wicket, saw us home with three balls to spare.
It was all the more galling for City Sec’s as Phil was a last minute inclusion in the Libraries’ side, having turned down an offer earlier in the week to play for City Sec’s against us. We can only speculate on the inducements made by skipper Martyn Shaw to Mr Wise to turn out for Libraries after Steve Hayward withdrew on the morning of the match, but the phrase ‘cricket whore’ was mentioned by the opposition!
The 16 over evening match also marked our first played with a pink ball; not so much a cherry as a pink blancmange! However, the ball stayed hard as did the Regatta Way outfield, making it a tough ground on which to defend boundaries.
Shaw won the toss and put the opposition in, and Townroe was particularly brutal in making 67 not out. He was accompanied by some searing shots from Thomas, who finished undefeated on 24. However, the Libraries’ bowlers stuck at it, backed up by some creditable fielding which kept the score down to manageable proportions. Thomas Brindle, in particular, did some sterling work on the boundary and had one of those nights when the ball seemed to follow him no matter where he was placed.
Only two wickets fell in the City Sec’s innings, Price bowling Allen for 8 and Mike Hayward bowling Bird with his slow spin. The only other chances fell early on when a ball in Price’s first over was clipped to the fine leg boundary over the head of the onrushing Steve Baker, and Dave Stannard couldn’t hold on to a chance in the covers off Steve’s bowling.
City Sec’s made 125 for 2 off their 16 overs, meaning Libraries needed to score at almost 8 an over to overhaul them. Our reply couldn’t have got off to a worse start when Mike Hayward was bowled by Sin in the first over, but this brought together Phil Wise and Chris Walker.
Chris had picked up a leg injury when bowling at Hardwick but his batting was in good touch as he and Wise kept pace with each other in the early overs. He was dropped once, but had made 38, running 22 of them, until the injury hampered his attempts to snatch a quick single and he was run out at the non strikers end.
The partnership had put on 81 in 10 overs, but there was still plenty to do to knock off the 44 runs still needed in just over five overs. Phil Wise stepped it up though, partnered by first Tom Price and then Colin Morley, and went from 42 to 78 not out at the close to see us home to victory. His Man of the Match knock included 10 fours and a six.
The Vimto Trophy was not awarded, although Steve Baker must have been a strong candidate when he raced in from the deep fine leg boundary for an attempted catch, overshot, and then could only watch the ball sail over his head and cross the boundary at very spot he had just come from!
Heard out in the middle:
Mike Hayward had just bowled City Sec’s number 3 when the next batsman, a tall muscular fella with the physique of an American footballer, strode to the crease swishing his bat. “Now Mike, what do you think he does?” asked the skipper with a view to his field placings.
“He eats babies!” replied one of the Libraries’ fielders from close by.
Chris Lumb
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