Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club : Match Reports 2010 |
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Shipston-on-Stour v Lichfield Nomads
Shipston hoodoo
laid to rest Nomads arrived at Shipston more in hope than expectation. It had been bucketing down in Lichfield as the players gathered and skipper Hughes had encountered severe difficulties in raising an eleven…. With both King and Prince George reluctant to travel back from France for the afternoon (and the treasurer unlikely to push travel expenses quite that far) and various players being in, then out, Hughes (with the team at only eight as late as Thursday) was forced to call on three friends (which is a surprise as the rest of the team didn’t think he had any!). Despite covers, the run up at one end was soggy, but the strip itself was more or less dry. With the three musketeers still “20 minutes away” Hughes elected to bat and Gardner and Moss began steadily against some good, accurate bowling. Only the occasional wide (at pre-agreed points to ensure a good return from spot-betting) kept the score moving at around 2 an over. Eventually Gardner, feeling the need to raise the tempo, holed out to Wickson at mid off in the ninth over. First Weir, then Pinfield, joined Moss who was coping with the bowling and developing a good innings as the run rate slowly climbed, however Wickson bowled an immaculate line and length to keep any hopes of the rate exceeding three. Billing briefly offered some respite in an extended 11-ball over, including a range of distant wides and multiply-bouncing no-balls but with only one scoring stroke by the nonplussed batsman. Feeling the need to push on, Stanley and Hughes struck out before they had settled, with both falling for gonads, the latter, golden (to push him to the top of the gonads list, allegedly). Westwood tried his lusty best, but fell to a straight one, that was ‘knocking all three over’, as Gibson entered the fray, just as Moss finally fell for a fighting 62. Worgan and Gibson then plundered the bowling as they smashed it around, lifting the rate to a respectable 4 an over, as they scored 40 between them off only 21 balls. Finally Gibson was run out, leaving Worgan to ‘mishit’ a straight six and add a couple more boundaries as the innings closed at 163 (though the numbers add to 165).
The
distinctly rapid Worgan (from my angle he made Brannigan look like a spinner)
and the speedy Broadhurst opened the Nomads bowling (the latter into a very
stiff wind which was occasionally blowing off the heavy bails). Batsmen were
left groping as the ball zipped past them, although any contact usually resulted
in runs. Worgan finally got Murphy well caught behind by the athletic Gardner.
Forster replaced Broadhurst and for once fell into a decent rhythm straight away
(it must have been the wind!) and despite a very difficult chance being spilled
by Moss, diving to his right and a couple of more regulation chances being
dropped, the run rate never really got going. A sharp(ish) stumping by Gardner
(in the words of Stanley, from slip, ‘showing his generous nature by giving the
batsman chance to get back’), and a further catch behind from a strange looping
shot by Billing brought the dangerous Wickson to the crease. As luck would have
it, he struck a little early as the ball must have held up in the wind, and
holed out to a good catch by Worgan at mid-off. In the meantime Westwood had
replaced Worgan and although Hughes (inevitably) dropped one at mid-off Moss
took a stunning catch diving backwards, as the ball looped over his head, taking
the ball one-handed, to remove Strong. A further wicket by Westwood, bowling
Hirst began to give Nomads hope. Hughes replaced Forster, and bowled a mixture
of good balls and occasional wides, although took the wicket of Robins, flashing
at a widish delivery as it passed through to Gardner. Murphy now began to look
dangerous, evidenced by Nomads becoming quieter in the field, as he struck
repeatedly straight and over wide mid-on to bring Shipston up to the required
rate. With glover blocking out at one end the ninth wicket stand exceeded 40
before Broadhurst was brought back to replace Westwood, this time downwind.
Immediately Broadhurst bowled the disappointed Murphy off his toe with a fast
swinging ball and two balls later bowled Gregg behind his legs with more late
swing. So, despite the difficulties and feelings of impending doom nomads, with a little help from their friends, secured a first win at Shipston. No doubt we’ll be facing their firsts, next year. |
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Lichfield
Nomads |
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Shipston-on-Stour
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How Out |
Bowler |
Total |
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How Out |
Bowler |
Total |
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Gardner
|
c
Wickson |
Phillips |
2 |
|
Murphy |
c
Gardner |
Worgan |
12 |
|
Moss |
c Gregg |
Murphy |
62 |
|
Hodge |
st
Gardner |
Forster |
15 |
|
Weir |
b |
Wickson |
5 |
|
Strong |
c Moss |
Westwood |
10 |
|
Pinfield |
c
Glover |
Robins |
9 |
|
Hirst |
b |
Westwood |
8 |
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Stanley |
c
Robins |
Gregg |
0 |
|
Billing |
c
Gardner |
Forster |
4 |
|
Hughes |
c
Murphy |
Gregg |
0 |
|
Murphy |
b |
Broadhurst |
62 |
|
Westwood |
lbw |
Murphy |
2 |
|
Wickson |
c
Worgan |
Forster |
0 |
|
Gibson |
run out |
|
23 |
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Phillips |
b |
Gibson |
1 |
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Worgan |
c
Strong |
Murphy |
19 |
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Robins |
c
Gardner |
Hughes |
0 |
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Forster |
not out |
|
0 |
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Glover |
not out |
|
2 |
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Broadhurst |
not out |
|
1 |
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Gregg |
b |
Broadhurst |
0 |
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Extras w27, nb4,
b5, lb6 |
42 |
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Extras w16, nb1 |
17 |
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Total for 9 wickets |
163 |
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Total for 10 wkts |
132 |
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Fall of
wickets: 22, 38, 91, 108, 108, 118, 119, 145, 162 |
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Fall of wickets: 26, 36, 45, 53, 54, 76, 84, 88, 131, 132 |
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Phillips 5-2-5-1; Glover 8-1-22-0; Wickson 6-3-8-1;
Robins 8-0-28-1; Billing 1-0-9-0; Greg 8-0-50-2;
Murphy 4-0-30-3 |
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Worgan
8-1-21-1; Broadhurst 4.3-0-14-2;
Forster
8-0-29-3; Westwood 3-1-20-2;
Gibson
6-3-15-1; Hughes 4-0-25-1; Moss 1-0-8-0 |
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Web page prepared by Paul Fearon (c) Lichfield Nomads Cricket Club 2010