Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club : Match Reports 2005

Nomads rue dropped catches
Cannock Wood outplayed the Nomads to record a 104 run victory but six dropped catches proved costly for the Nomads.

Heavy overnight rain made the decision to bat or field tricky. But the decision was made for us when Snapper lost the toss and the home side elected to bat.

Without seamers Heslington, Hemmings and Cartwright and spinners Hoddy, Coleman and Greaves, the Nomads attack was short of options. Fearon and Osborn opened and kept the batsmen in check without really troubling them. Fearon was replaced by Blackburn and Osborn completed his spell to be replaced by Forster. Osborn's final two overs were expensive. The batsmen built a big opening stand, picking off the bad balls with ease and batting more aggressively .

Forster finally made the breakthrough getting Sharp (J) caught at mid-wicket by the diving Pinfield. He then put down a sharp caught and bowled chance but managed to divert the ball onto the stumps to run out the non-striker West. Hughes trapped Cowling lbw, Blackburn pouched a caught and bowled to dismiss Griffiths (A) and Fearon's legendary slower ball removed Sharp (E) as he played on via his foot.

In general, the bowlers were guilty of bowling too short on a damp slow wicket. There were chances but these were spurned and Cannock Wood gratefully posted over 200 when 140 was probably a par score.

By now the sun was beating down and drying the wicket and the Nomads reply never really got going. Gardner was out first with the score on 12 and Hussein was bowled on the same score, Osborn was also bowled by Samuel to make it 29 for 3. Fearon began rustily but hung around in an attempt to steady the innings as Pinfield was bowled for 9. The middle order then capitulated as Fuzz Weir was bowled for 1, Ian Hughes was bowled for 5, Graeme Blackburn was stumped for 2 (a lusty blow to the covers) and Dave Pickering was also stumped for 4 dancing down the track.
The uneven bounce was not helping the Nomad's cause but shot selection could have been better. Fearon finally fell for 29 bowled round his legs. Forster and Blackburn battled on to the end of the 40 overs unbeaten but the total was over a hundred short of Cannock Wood's.