Gardner's blast from the past

Trentside has always been a favourite venue, providing a warm welcome, a great tea and a tough game. After not playing them for a couple of years , Sunday gave us an ideal day for cricket. Pre-match arrangements saw both teams fielding 12 players. Nomads won the toss and elected to bat with Ghosal and Gardner opening.. Ghosal soon succumbed to a lbw and the captain Mahmood went up the order to bat at number 3. Both batsmen scored freely and moved the score along to 86 in the 13th over before Mahmood was caught by the keeper taking a catch over his head. Bastable soon followed demonstrating the vagaries of cricket; a personal best one week and a duck the next. Loxley came in next and batted splendidly with Gardner. Loxley achieved his personal best, of 82no for Nomads, on the way to achieving a record 4th wicket stand of 181 with Gardner, who was finally bowled for 101. A brief cameo by Turnbull saw him run-out on the final ball with both batsmen at the same end.

An excellent knock by Nomads followed by an excellent tea saw Nomads take to the field with a spring in their steps.

Mahmood and Cogzell opened and both soon got wickets. Having a plethora of bowlers at his disposal Mahmood soon brought on newcomer Rashid and Turnbull – the Allestree contingent. Rashid bowling quick leg-spin caused problems, quickly claiming 2 wickets and Turnbull bowled the dangerous-looking Speed with a lovely slow yorker – my champagne moment. At drinks break Trentside were only 72 with 5 wickets gone but Bailey aided by Kirkland and then Lester, kept fighting and finally with a good knock by the youngster Alistair How (one for the future), who also bowled a good 3 overs at the end of Nomads innings saw Trentside achieve a respectable 191-7.

A good day for Nomads with some excellent performances, Loxley pb only being overshadowed by yet another Gardner century.

[Disclaimer: Any offence caused by this article is unintentional, any praise is well deserved]

Date: 4th June 2023
Start time: 2:00pm
Venue: Trentside C.C.
Competition: 40 overs Friendly
Scores: Lichfield Nomads 280 for 4 v Trentside 191 for 7
Result: Lichfield Nomads beat Trentside by 89 runs
Toss: Lichfield Nomads won the toss and elected to bat.
Scorer: Hoddy
Umpires: Rolfe, Stanley etc
Report: J. Hoddy
Weather: Sunny, hot

5 June 2023