NLCC v City Secretary's 16.6.10

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