Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club : Match Reports 2006

Beau avenge June defeat
Lichfield Nomads lost to Beaudesert by 4 wickets. The Nomads posted 151 for 5, including 60 from Pete Gardner but Beau reached their target with four wickets and more than seven overs to spare.

Pete Blackburn won the toss and elected to bat in very warm, sunny conditions on a hard pitch with a fast outfield. John Hoddy opened with Pete Gardner who soon took a liking to the home bowlers scoring 60 of an opening stand of 89, including eleven fours, before being bowled off stump by Lee Elson, the pick of Beau’s bowlers. The scoring rate dropped from 4.5 an over to 3 before Ian Hughes was dismissed by the same bowler for six. Runs were hard to come by as the reliable Steve Elson bowled from the lake end having Mark Heslington caught behind and Dan Brannigan out for just two in the 34^th over when the score was 125. Nomads managed to score 25 in the last five overs thanks to a sparkling ten from Graeme Blackburn and a few ones and twos from John scuttling between the wickets to finish with 36 not out.

Nomads started well dismissing Steve Gallier as he took a swipe and missed a short ball from Dave Forster. Soon afterwards Mark bowled Matthews before Lee Elson joined the obdurate Cowley contributing 28 in a stand of 39 before being caught by Graeme for Dave’s second victim. Pritchard joined Cowley to push the over rate to five before the latter was taken well by Keith greaves at deep mid on off Brannigan for 17, when the score was 66 off 15 overs. Pritchard scored a quick 20 before being caught well on the mid off boundary by Graeme off one of Keith’s teasing lobs. Williamson joined Bentley and batted well until Hoddy came on in the 24^th over to have him caught by Mark. Steve Elson then knocked off the runs in a stand of 40 with  Bentley, 25 not out, despite the return of Mark, John’s stint of 40 overs batting taking the  sting out of his bowling. Wides contributed 17 to Beau’s score and a few catches were missed.