Dramatic Last Over Sees Middleham Lose First Game This Season

Bishop Middleham played their first 'home ' game this season at Trimdon Community College against the Midland Bank team and despite having a depleted side were involved in a dramatic game with many twists and turns. 

Before the game started two Middleham players were left on the sidelines. David Hutton who turned up with a swollen foot and complaining of possible injury/infection to his big toe. Comments were made relating to alcohol and gout however I feel that he is wants to be compared with Gary Linekar. The other casualty was Mike Connelley who having cycled to the game then came down with an acute episode of hay fever and this left him with very swollen eyes. This would have had a great effect on his bowling and fielding but not so much on his batting, as he rarely uses his eyes when batting,

This depletion meant that Middleham had to call on the services of David Shaw Jnr who had come along with father Derek, and when fielding, called on the services of Hockaday a spectator at the game.

Ron Woods maintained his 100% record in that for the fourth game running he lost the toss and Middleham were put into bat. Ron opened with Michael Boorman and went one better than when playing against the Godivas and was out first ball. He played at a 'loosener' drifting down the leg side and edged it behind to the Keeper (Woods Is in great danger of taking over the title of binary man if he keeps up this sort of form). Hugh Boorman joined Michael and they had made a total of six for the fall of the second wicket in the third over.

This poor start left the stage open for the entry of Dave Minns who with Michael Boorman steadied the ship and Minns sterling batting performance, including 3 fours, saw him retire with a score of 28. David Shaw, who scored 7 before using his bat as a pitchng wedge and being caught in the covers, then joined Boorman. With Mike Connelley not being able to bat Harry Davison joined Michael Boorman at the crease only to see Michael being bowled for 21. Michael played a sound innings in the anchor role. Next to enter the fray was Derek Shaw and he and Davison decided that it was time to try and push the score along. Derek scored four before being bowled and then Davison was joined by Stephen Ball who made one run before being bowled by playing one on to the wicket. Wetheridge joined Davison and having scored fifteen Davison tried to hit out but was well caught at extra cover. David Shaw junior came in for the last two overs and Wetheridge and Shaw added twelve runs to take the final score to 110 of the twenty overs.

The final total gave Middleham something to defend which at one stage looked as though it was going to be in the low eighties.

Midland Bank started their innings in a much more determined fashion than the Middleham team and although a couple of wickets fell, one a glorious run out by Hugh Boorman and then a wicket off the bowling of Minns, the Midland opener Whitecross retired not out 25. The early bowling saw the run rate being kept down especially that of Derek Shaw and Stephen Ball. Also young Hockaday bowled well taking one wicket for four runs. A disappointing bowling spell from Harry Davison saw his first over go for twelve runs, including one six and a four, but he did try a redeem himself in his second over in which he took one wicket and conceded three runs. Hugh Booorman again showed the usefulness of his variation of spin, taking one wicket for five and David Shaw claimed a caught and bowled of his two overs for twenty one runs. Another major disappointment in the field was some shoddy work with mis-fields and at least three dropped catches (Davison, Ball (x2) and Hockaday) and this was ultimately costly at the end of the game. David Shaw Jnr was given the task of bowling the last over with the Midland bank needing nine to win. In this situation the batsmen go for death or glory and this time the outcome was glory. David bowled well and having been in this situation myself I could completely empathise with his feelings immediately after the game.

In the end the side who avoided the most unforced errors won the game, but it was good game to watch and it is always exiting to be part of a game that has a close finish. Middleham now have to pick themselves up and look forward to the next game against the Black Horse, Coxhoe on the 9^th July.

Bishop Middleham

R.Woods	caught wkt	b Skelton	0
M.Boorman	bowled	Lane	21
H.Boorman	bowled	Skelton	6
D.Minns	not out		28
Da Shaw	caught Henry	b Lane	7
M.Connelley	did not bat
H.Davison	caught ?	Alderton	15
De.Shaw	bowled	Ranson	4
S.Ball	bowled	Alderton	1
P.Wetheridge	Not out		7
D.Shaw jnr	Not out		7

Extras 13

Total 110off 20 Overs

Midland Bank bowling

Skelton 2-0-2-2, Dobson 2-0-16-0, Young 2-0-14-0, Henry 2-1-3-0, Whitecross 2-0-9-0,

Waite 2-0-10-0, Blaine 2-0-10-2, Mountain 2-0-10-0, Ransom 2-0-10-2, Alderton 2-0-21-1

Midland Bank

Whitecross	not out		25
Skelton	run out		15
Waite	bowled	Minns	2
Ransome	bowled	Davison	4
Dobson	bowled	Hockaday	2
Alderton	c&b	Da. Shaw	21
Young	bowled	H.Boorman	0
Mountain	not out		16
Henry	not out		17
Carlile	did not bat
Henry	did not bat

Extras 110

Total 112 off 19.5 Overs

Bishop Middleham bowling

De.Shaw, 2-0-3-0, S.Ball 2-0-8-0, P.Wetheridge 2-0-9-0, D.Minns 2-0-9-1, H.Davison 2-0-15-1

Hockaday 2-0-4-1, H.Boorman 2-0-5-1, Da Shaw 2-0-21-1, M.Boorman 2-0-13-0,

D.Shaw JNr 1.5-0-14-0