Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club : Match Reports 2003

Lichfield Nomads 148 for 9 (Gardner 35, Hussein 28, Pinfield 25, Carter 3-31, Haywood 2-23)
WT Parker CC 150 for 5 (Martin 58, Plested 33, Bryan Snr 25, Hemmings 2-16)

The Lal Bagh is calling in the receivers to prepare for potential loss of custom in October, as Nomads went down again, to trail 4 – 2 in the curry stakes.
Forster lost the toss and Nomads were put in to bat on a drying wicket. Gardner and Hussein opened the account with a useful stand of 59, despite having to face variable bounce from the steady WTP bowling. Pinfield began to push it around as if he meant business but intelligent bowling meant it was difficult to make use of the short boundary and despite moving along at a steady 4 an over there was always the feeling that the long tail might prove the Nomad’s undoing. Gardner had made a useful 35, following his 41 last week he is beginning to get back in the sort of touch we hope, but was trapped lbw to one that kept low, 75 for 2. Cartwright, at 4, drove a nice boundary, before being caught in comical circumstances, 88 for 3. Hemmings was beginning to stroke the ball nicely before one lofted drive too many left Nomads on106 for 4. Despite his long lay off McGuinness showed some style as he moved in to double figures but now Pinfield contrived to lose his wicket for 25, 120 for 5. This was really the beginning of the end, despite some dogged resistance from Pickering who was sent back by Weir, going for a suicidal single, as Nomads succumbed to a disappointing 148 for 9.
Unfortunately tea had not been arranged and Nomads took to the field on empty stomachs. Hemmings bowled an excellent spell, earning MVP, but first Forster and then Greaves had trouble controlling the ball from the pavilion end, with a strong cross wind and the WTP openers raced away. Hemmings eventually removed both Bryan Snr and Baker who had made useful contributions, but Martin was pacing his innings well. Powerful hitting left Nomads fielders collecting the ball from the fence, all too often. There was just a glimmer of hope, when in the death throes of the match, first Cartwright and then Forster snapped up wickets, but once again Nomads were raising their game when it had already slipped from their grasp.
With some tough matches ahead Nomads will need to hold on to their catches (two more going down today, with Blackburn and Weir the culprits, in tough circumstances) and put more pressure on the opposition if they are to get back to winning ways.
A disappointing match, yet Gardner maintains his comeback, Hussein batted with authority and Pinfield looked good. Of the bowlers Hemmings showed real class and Cartwright battled away, but Nomads went to sleep all too often when they should have been pushing for runs or for wickets.