Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club : Match Reports 2003

Lichfield Nomads v Sunseekers
Date: Sunday 24th August 2003.  Time: 2:30pm
Venue: Home. Plastic.   Competition: Friendly - 40 Overs.
Result: Lost by 21 runs
Conditions: Fine, Warm.
Toss: Lost
Match Report by: John Hoddy

Sunseekers put Nomads in the Shade

After a fine effort by an under-strength bowling attack, Nomads fail to gain victory due to tight Sunseekers bowling and indecisive Nomads batting.

Captain Pinfield lost the toss on a fine, warm day at Barton. The unusual opening attack of Higginson and Greaves bowled well but without success and the introduction of Hoddy for Higginson saw an acceleration of the run-rate with some lusty blows by Taylor; the fast outfield helped by converting twos to fours as the ball sped past the ageing Nomads fielders. Coleman  replaced Greaves, who had bowled a tight 6-over spell, and gained the breakthrough by bowling Duffill. At 70 off 17 overs Sunseekers looked set for a big total. Heslington replaced Hoddy which helped to slow down the scoring rate to nearer 4 per over but Sunseekers still looked comfortable. Then Pickering (who bowled a tight spell even with 6 wides to his credit) replaced Coleman and Hoddy replaced Heslington. Hoddy was bowling much more tightly now and had the batsmen in trouble. A regulation catch from Taylor was dropped by one of our quick bowlers, but fortunately the very next ball a thin edge was well held by Gardner behind the stumps. The new batsman then fell next ball to a fine delivery which pitched somewhere between leg stump and middle & off (depending upon the source of information) and clipped the top of the off stump. Hoddy brought in the field for his hat-trick ball but saw an optimistic lbw appeal turned down. Nomads were back in the game and a fine throw from Hussein on the boundary ran out Nichols - a tight decision. Higginson completed his 8-overs with accurate, wicket-to-wicket bowling which saw the stumps flattened on 3 occasions. The final score of 164-7 seemed an achievable total as Nomads went in for a Ray Jennett tea.

Gardner & Hussein opened but Hussein went in the 3rd over playing all around a ball from Walters. Heslington strode out and started to attack the bowling with some well struck blows and quickly taken singles, capitalising on the 10 man Sunseekers team. Heslington looked about to win the game on his own but drove a ball uppishly through gulley and was well caught for 18. At this time Nomads were on par with Sunseekers start but the loss of Gardner brought Pinfield and Hurcombe together. Hurcombe batted well but was unable to run the quick singles and tight bowling by Downes & Ashford saw Nomads falling behind the run-rate with only 53 off 20 overs. With the run-rate mounting Grewer (given out lbw by Greaves), Higginson (his run of unfortunate dismissals continuing as he played the ball onto his foot and back onto the wicket)  and Hoddy tried to help Hurcombe push things along , but Sunseekers spread the field  preventing the much-needed boundaries and Nomads fell short at 143-6.

 Sunseekers

Duffil                bowled             Coleman          24       
Taylor              ct Gardner        Hoddy              65       
Downes            not out                                      34       
Bennett              bowled             Hoddy              0        
Nichols            run out              (Hussein)         10       
Hastings           bowled             Higginson         2        
Mason              bowled             Higginson         1        
Woodward       bowled             Higginson         0        
Walters            not out                                         5         

Extras                                                               23       

                                                                        164-7

 Nomads

Gardner            bowled             Ashford          18
Hussein            bowled             Walters            3
Heslington        caught              Downes          18
Pinfield             bowled             Ashford            8
D Hurcombe    not out                                      52
R Grewer         lbw                   Bennett           10
Higginson         bowled             Bennett            7
Hoddy              not out                                        8
Coleman           dnb
Pickering          dnb
Greaves            dnb

Extras                                                               19

 Total                                                                143-6

Higginson 8-1-29-3, Greaves 6-0-21-0
Hoddy 8-0-41-2, Coleman 6-1-26-1
Heslington 8-1-20-0, Pickering 4-0-16-0                    

Fall of wickets:
5(2), 35(3), 47(1), 57(4), 103(6), 119(7)