Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club : Match Reports 2004

Nomads slip to defeat against Friary.
Nomads slipped to a disappointing defeat in the annual Stuart Ellison cup match, leaving them ahead by just one match in the competition. “Out of the cup, but still in Europe” as one wag quoted!

Despite this being a Friary home match, they absolved all responsibility when they were unable to prepare a suitable pitch after the rains earlier in the week. This left Nomads organising their own tea, the pitch and the match ball, with Friary offering to “do the drinks”. Unfortunately Nomads would have been left dry at tea, had it not been for the forethought of Chairman Ray who had collected some pop on his way!

Nomads won the toss, but with a freshly laid pitch with unknown characteristics, they elected to bowl. Friary started confidently against Heslington and Higginson until a sharp piece of fielding by Gardner ran out Haynes with the score on 19. Heslington then bowled Skermer with his final ball at 34 from the first nine overs. Hoddy was unlucky when an audible edge to the keeper went unrewarded either by the umpire or the batsman’s readiness to “walk”, but Nomads were bowling and fielding well despite a complete dearth of luck as lofted balls went between, over and short of the fielders. A couple of very confident lbw appeals were also turned down. Hemmings was unfortunate to drop one catch that he had done well to get into position for, but the more experienced Friary batsmen were able to force any ball which was even slightly short of perfect, to the boundary and the score mounted. No bowlers were dominated and the fielders never gave up, with Hussein typifying the effort in the field by diving to stop a shot and throwing down the wicket from a prone position. Eventually tea arrived with Friary on 185 for 8. A score that Nomads thought was “gettable”.

Friary’s opening bowlers were sharp and accurate and the Nomads openers struggled to score. With the need to push the score on Gardner called Heslington for a quick single and was run out by a few inches when he was sent back. This again appeared to rattle Heslington who soon nicked a catch behind, typically about the only thing the keeper caught all match. Osborn and Hussein threatened briefly with a stand of 25, Osborn riding his luck with a series of lofted shots. But when both these and Hemmings, for a gonad, were bowled it seemed only a matter of time. Hoddy, like Pinfield last week, was run out without facing as Nomads fell on their own sword. Hughes also tried a suicidal single and was easily run out before Fearon tried his best to rally the tail, to no avail.

A good keeping performance by Gardner saw him win most votes in the MVP.