Middleham Nearly Make It
(Middleham v Sedgefield
Winkers 23rd May 2004)
Bishop Middleham lost to Sedgefield Winkers by 15 runs in a game that at one stage looked well beyond them but thanks to some splendid middle order batting nearly produced an unexpected victory.
The Winkers were first to bat and as usual in this fixture their batting was held up by P.Bates who made 31 not out. Others worthy of mention were M.Smyth,29, and M.Dickerson ,19,. One for the future for the Winkers was D.Bates with 16.
In the early stages of the innings Middleham bowled consistently and the fielders held onto some fine catches, J.Davison, Wetheridge of his own bowling, Connolly stooping low to his left, and Proctor who did a little juggling routine before holding on to the ball. However the best catch of the day, even though it was the simplest was from Boorman. He noted the new batsmans style and Boorman placed himself just in front on the off side to take the catch with the next delivery. A marvellous piece of captaincy. Boorman also took a good catch 4 yards behind the boundary. Despite all these heroics mention has to made of the ‘sack of potatoes’ dive Boorman made to try and prevent a boundary. Manfully sprinting round he dropped on to the ball and forced it over the ropes with his knee. ( I think that’s enough about Hugh.)
The fielding later on in the innings proved to be not as successful, with H.Davison, dropping a high looping shot, and D.Minns also dropping a high ball in the last over. Now its not that I’m bitter and twisted but Minns not only dropped it but he let it go through his body for four runs. Now this was in the last over of the innings, an over I always love to bowl (sic), and it wasn’t good for my bowling figures. Conspiracy theorists have claimed on other Internet sites that Minns did this deliberately because it was H. Davison who dropped a catch off his bowling the over before.
D.Shaw returned to the Middleham side, and with his usual luck and average bowling technique managed to take a wicket with his first ball. A leading edge hit high for Hutton easily to claim. Shaw who finished with I for 7 off 2 overs stills lives is this delusional world of actually being able to bowl, yet his figures seem to support his delusional beliefs. Indeed he remains (unbelievable but true) the only Middleham player to take a hat-trick, however, Wetheridge took two in succession and also most made it three.
Best bowling figures came from Green who took three for 13 off 4 overs. A fine spell of pace and accuracy.
At the end of the innings Middleham were left chasing 166 to win.
Middleham innings started slowly with the first eight overs averaging only 2 per over. The initial breakthrough was made by Tierney, who ended up with 3 wickets and would have been the best bowler by far if not for the exploits of Mattie who , in the later stages, took a hat-trick which basically killed off the game. Boorman went 11, J.Davison for 16 and H.Davison a very poor 3. The partnerships of Minns and Johnson and Green almost brought the game back to Middleham but when Johnson holed out for 26 the game became “a run too far”. Hutton made a quick 7, Proctor was out first ball (two games played one ball faced), and Wetheridge was also bowled for a duck.
Connolly , sporting the “Ronnie o ’sullivan” haircut made 6 and his wicket ended the Middleham innings. A total of 151 , 15 runs short.
A game played in good spirit, with the winkers deserving of the victory.
Winkers
|
G.HODGSON |
CT J.DAVISON |
WETHERIDGE |
13 |
|
N.FREEMAN |
CT & BD |
WETHERIDGE |
8 |
|
P.BATES |
NOT OUT |
|
31 |
|
P.TIERNEY |
CT PROCTOR |
MIINNS |
12 |
|
M.DICKERSON |
CT CONNOLLY |
GREEN |
19 |
|
C.GREGORY |
CT BOORMAN |
GREEN |
0 |
|
M.COLLINS |
BD |
GREEN |
5 |
|
M.SMYTH |
CT HUTTON |
SHAW |
29 |
|
D.BATES |
BD |
H.DAVISON |
16 |
|
J.SPENCER |
NOT OUT |
|
11 |
|
|
EXTRAS |
|
21 |
TOTAL 165 OFF 35 OVERS
BISHOP MIDDLEHAM BOWLING
H.DAVISON 4-1-16-1, P.WETHERIDGE 5-0-16-2, D.MINNS 4-0-16-1,
J.DAVISON 5-0-25-0, P.JOHNSON 5-0-20-0, I.GREEN, 4-0-13-3,
M.CONNOLLY 2-0-5-0, H.BOORMAN 2-0-15-0, D.SHAW 2-0-7-1,
S.PROCTOR 2-0-15-0
Bishop Middleham
|
H.BOORMAN |
BD |
TIERNEY |
11 |
|
J.DAVISON |
CT |
SMYTH |
16 |
|
D.MINNS |
NOT OUT |
|
31 |
|
H.DAVISON |
BD |
TIERNEY |
3 |
|
D.SHAW |
CT |
HODGSON |
13 |
|
P.JOHNSON |
CT |
TIERNEY |
26 |
|
I.GREEN |
BD |
MATTIE |
21 |
|
D.HUTTON |
BD |
SMYTH |
7 |
|
S.PROCTOR |
BD |
MATTIE |
0 |
|
P.WETHERIDGE |
CT BATES |
MATTIE |
0 |
|
CONNOLLY |
BD |
MATTIE |
6 |
EXTRAS 17
TOTAL 151 ALL OUT