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