Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club : Match Reports 2009

Nearly men fall short

Nomads were surprised to find it wasn’t raining when they arrived in the Peaks, but the weather forecast along with local knowledge suggested rain by 4, so Hughes agreed to restrict the match to 30 overs. This proved to be just a few short for Nomads who could have done with another four or five. The outfield was well grassed apart from patches where the grass was dying from excess water.

Heslington and George S opened up the bowling and were clearly on top, with the latter bowling three successive maidens. Both openers were successful with Heslington taking two good wickets and George inducing a snick to the keeper from the struggling Wilkie. Hughes was keen to rotate his bowlers and brought Greaves and himself on after the opening burst. Again, economy was the word although the batsmen began to establish themselves with less threat, although variation in bounce from the drying wicket proving particularly difficult for the batsmen. However Hughes tempted Baker-Brian into lifting one into the covers where Nick George took a good catch. A spectacular diving boundary catch from Hill finally removed Matheson after he had plundered far too many runs for Nomads’ liking, being particularly severe on Hill’s own bowling. Greaves also found a way to remove Farmer. As the striker thrashed the ball straight, Greaves got a hand, then a foot to the ball, deflecting it onto the stumps to run out the non-striker who appeared none too happy, despite the clear yard between him and the crease. Jackson fell to another good catch from George minor off Forster, who was granted an extended spell by the benevolent Hughes (perhaps too extended, with George senior looking a better bet). Heslington and Collins finished off the innings, taking a wicket apiece, with Jackson running himself out off the final ball, going for a third, failing to beat Forster’s throw from the long off boundary, clearly confused by the fielder’s pace!

Nomads’ innings started in strange fashion. The pacy bowlers were accurate and the unpredictable bounce caused difficulties. Gardner got off the mark, lifting one over gully as Matheson running back collapsed in a heap with, apparently, multiple fractures of both legs. Next over, the same fielder ran back at least sixty metres (?) to a Hughes edge and took a superb diving catch at ground level as the ball appeared over his shoulder. Gardner followed shortly managing to deflect a ball that was missing off for width and height, onto his stumps. Nomads were falling well behind the asking rate at a mere 2 per over, however Moss, ably assisted by George II began to bring things back to par. After struggling with the vagaries of the pitch George finally fell for a respectable 7, seeing off 40 balls. The threat of rain finally came to fruition, slowing the ball across the field, but Nomads continued to keep more or less up with the rate. Stanley gloved a catch to the keeper and hill looked a little out of touch as he tried to force the ball away. Moss finally fell for an excellent 49, advancing down the wicket and seeing the ball just touch the bails as it sped through. Heslington and Collins tried to keep things moving, However Heslington slipped on the wet ground and damaged his knee/thigh reducing his stroke-play, just when he was threatening to win it. The Shrigley fielders sportingly refusing to run him out, despite the closeness of the match. With a mere 6 needed from the final ball, Nomads found the task just beyond them.

Three catches going down had perhaps proved just too much for Nomads to overcome (a fairly straight-forward one by Gardner off Greaves as the square-leg umpire may have caused some distraction, then Heslington and Hill both dropping hard chances off Forster, at point). Match this with excellent catching, chasing and throwing from the younger Pott Shrigley team and it was clear that Nomads’ skills probably let them down at vital moments, although extras very nearly did it again!