Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club : Match Reports 2007

Scores: Blythe Bridge Vikings 220 for 4;  Nomads 223 for 3 

Result: Nomads won by seven wickets

Lichfield Nomads won by 7 wickets thanks to an unbeaten century from Pete Gardner. Mark Heslington was wicketless again and is still agonisingly on 499 wickets.

Gardner plunders Vikings

In what proved to be the final match of the season, Pete Gardner equalled his top score of the season, with his third century, however he disappointingly failed to take any part in umpiring or scoring duties, having occupied the pitch for the full 75 overs of the match.

Blythe Bridge openers were keen to get on top of the Nomads bowling and Heslington, believing he was still one away from the elusive 500, was finding it difficult to make any inroads. Having not bowled for 6 weeks Forster’s first over was a little loose but he settled into a better rhythm, bowling chinamen, against the wind, to the right hander and medium pace to the leftie. Neither bowler seemed to be troubling the batsmen who were striking at around five an over. Moss replaced Heslington and had little luck, with a drop behind from a faint snick, however he got his revenge in his fifth over, removing the forceful Beech. Hoddy now came into the attack and slowed the scoring, removing the more dour Knott who was beginning to slash out to up the rate. Heathcote arrived and began to flay boundaries in all directions, particularly looking for the area over the fence, and after Bradbury had gone to a Hoddy special, James joined in the fun(!). Nomads bowlers were looking a bit dispirited as the score rose to over 200, but, taking the bull by the horns, Blackburn brought himself on and was rewarded by Edwards taking a good catch at long off. Heslington returned only to find good balls being pounded to the boundary. Once again, few extras were achieved, with only two byes counting against Gardner.

A sumptuous tea, including chilli-con-carne kept Forster, fresh from Mexico, in the right frame of mind, but the weather was turning decidedly poor as he took the field for another full innings of umpiring. Gardner and Moss opened and kept the run rate going at five an over before Moss, advancing well down the wicket to the Greaves-like Hainsworth, misjudged one in the wind and got an inside edge onto his stumps. Pinfield soon followed but this only brought the improving Edwards to the wicket. Looking rather edgy at first, taking fifteen balls before recording his second scoring stroke, Edwards then began to get used to the worsening conditions and struck a number of flourishing strokes to keep the score ticking over at his end while Gardner hammered away at the other one, like Heathcote before him, finding work for the ball hunters beyond the fence. Just when it looked like Edwards could reach a maiden 50, having survived a close run out, his luck ran out and he was caught (but I’ve forgotten how, sorry Nige!). Weir was keen to get off the mark and gladly charged down the wicket after a call from Gardner, following a thick edge. There was just time for yet another way for Nomads to score runs with five penalties as the ball struck a discarded hat behind the ‘keeper, as Nomads raced to what had seemed like an imposing target with five overs to spare. Not a minute too soon, it turned out as the rain, promised for 6 o’clock, set in at about 6.10, five minutes after the match had finished.

A fitting end to the season and at 9 – 4 hopefully we’ll get a full house at the curry night.

Finally, I’ve got a long sleeved sweater, which someone kindly put in my bag, after the match. Any claimants can ring me if they wish but I’ll probably still have it at the start of next season as it didn’t reach the reserve on eBay.

Beech

c Gardner

Moss

36

Gardner  

Not out

107

Knott

c Moss

Hoddy

21

Moss

bowled

Hainsworth

22

Bradbury

bowled

Hoddy

27

Pinfield

bowled

Maloney

  8

Heathcote

not out

84

Edwards

c

Beech

41

James

c Edwards

Blackburn

35

Weir

Not out

  7

Wigton

not out

  4

Heslington

Hughes

Blackburn

Hoddy

Forster

Greaves

Extras

  9

38

Total for 4 wkts

220

Total for 3 wickets

223

Prime 7-0-23-0,  Plant 8-0-50-0;
Maloney 5-0-27-1, Hainsworth 5-0-22-1;
James 4-0-32-0,  Knott 4-0-17-0;
Beech 2-0-16-1