Victory at Bishop Auckland as Season Finally Gets Underway

Tonight saw the 2000 season finally get underway for Bishop Middleham cricket team. Following 3 successive postponements the team was champing on the bit to go and play a competitive game of cricket.

It was a dull overcast evening at the Rugby Club Bishop Auckland but the air was thick with anticipation for the game that was to unfold. The ground down by the River Wear with its slope down towards the river was in good condition and the green lush scenery was enhanced by a number of horses parading outside the boundary line.

At the appointed starting time of 6 p.m. not all players were present due to a tailback caused by loose sheep on the road but at least when Phil Woods did arrive he had a smile on his face!!

Bishop Middleham lost the toss and were put into bat and opened with Ron Woods and Michael Boorman who set off at a good pace and had reached 47 before the fall of the first wicket. Phil Woods then joined Ron and they maintained their scoring rate and both eventually retired not out with scores of 28 and 25 respectively. Former captain Hugh Boorman came to the crease and looking very purposeful played at a ball outside his off stump and lost his off bail. On his way back to the pavilion there was much muttering about the delivery being to quick to see. ( Hugh's hairy duck appears to be his usual start to first game of the season). The rest of the innings saw a continuation of the scoring rate so that at the end of the innings Middleham had scored 115 off the allotted 20 overs.

The very respectable score was to some extent assisted by a number of dropped catches from various members of the King James team.

King James then commenced their innings and the Middleham bowlers generally produced a sound display of bowling. The Boormans kept a good length, and the perhaps the biggest surprise was the effect of David Shaws bowling. To be quite honest the first over he bowled was very poor and in the second over he maintained that high standard and still managed to claim a couple of wickets. Wetheridge and Connelly also maintained good line and length to limit runs scored. The only down side was the bowling of Phil Woods who appeared to think that the pitch was only 11 yards long and not 22 when trying to pitch the ball. However having said that he made good use of field positioning and caught a cracking catch in the infield.

Harry Davison bowled well with limited runs being scored off his two overs during the middle of the innings. Derek Shaw showed some of his old form with some very quick yet accurate deliveries. The game was won when John Alderson and Mike Smith put in the final four overs. John who has developed into a very quick bowler also put in an accurate throw from the long on boundary to produce the only run out of the game.

It has to be said that the bowling was a plus point and the fact that there were no wides or no balls bowled showed how the standards were maintained. Watch out Stephen Ball (currently injured with a back strain). Also missing from the game was regular wicket keeper David Hutton and Ron Woods deputising in his place played well behind the stumps. Making a number of good stops despite the slippy ground and the deteriorating light towards the end of the game. At the end King James failed to reach a hundred and the game was Middlehams.

Bishop Middleham

M.Boorman	Bowled	Myhan	19
Ron Woods	Not out		25
Phil Woods	Not out		28
H.Boorman	Bowled	Pringle	0
M.Smith	Ct Harris	Bowled Rowley	6
J.Alderson	Bowled	Raw	11
De Shaw	Not out		7
H.Davison	Not out		6
Da Shaw	Did not bat
M.Connelly	Did not bat
P.Wetheridge	Did not bat

Extras 13

Total 115 off 20 Overs

King James bowling

Brown 2-0-16-0, Judge 2-0-3-0, Hill 2-0-18-0, Taylor 2-0-8-0, Myhan 2-0-13-1

Pringle 2-0-4-1, Harris 2-0-6-0, Oughton 2-0-14-0, Rowley 2-0-16-1, Raw 2-0-10-1

King James innings and Middleham bowling not received at the time of going to press