Matfen Hall v Wylam…

The clash of the top two teams in the league, Wylam unbeaten and frankly racking up runs at an alarming rate what they did to Hexham Leazes the other week was unnerving reading… Wylam 346-1 (Raffle 115*, Rowell 186*) from 42 overs and having faced Hexham’s bowlers that’s a little frightening, even given that they have one of the smallest grounds or at least the shortest boundary in the league, they beat Hexham by 165 runs, pretty much the same Hexham team that beat us a few weeks ago…

I pretty much dreaded this game all week, just didn’t know how on Earth we were going to stop them, going out to field it was very much ‘whatever happens we’re going to enjoy it’ attitude, nothing different because we’ve been enjoying all season so far together.

They were missing a few players, so were we but you can only play the team in front of you…

Aaron Tiffin has been asking for the new ball all season, and given how he has been bowling he’s deserved it, he got what he wanted and put in a great spell to remove two dangerous batsmen, the swing and bounce made him unplayable at times and it was great to see his confidence as he mixed up his pace and swing.
Jacob needs a mention for taking a top edge that just didn’t seem to want to come down, everyone holding their breath watching, all the pressure building as it finally came down, taken clean as a whistle, like there was ever a doubt.
George Green’s opening spell was tidy and he was unlucky not to have a couple.
Wylam went off hard it has to be said, they were on for 240 – 250 at one stage based mostly on the good old saying “If you’re going to swing, swing hard”, they did and because of that even clear edges were going for runs.

Mark Hogg though came up with the most unbelieveable spell of bowling, he started with a couple of tricky overs when the wind was wrecking his line, because of the swing he gets the little wind was just pushing it too far down leg and he was getting picked off, he wanted to come off but was encouraged to have another then in what was just unreal he took an insane c&b, flicking the ball off his boot and into his hand. Playing football has to have it’s upside.
He ran through the middle order, JD took a great catch at his bootlaces. He used the good old leg side trap and had M Rowell caught at square leg by George Green just after he had reached a well made 50. ‘Wally’ took a good one at backward point too.
An excellent run out by George again from square leg where he just launched it, direct hit and there was no chance for the batsman who really thought he was alright until that moment when the ball comes in and you know your struggling. He knew he wasn’t going to get there. It was really good work.
I bowled a couple of quiet overs, the batsman admitting that he would rather face a 85mph man than a slow bowling girl. Mainly because he couldn’t bare to be out to a girl. Oh well, as a slow loopy occasional finding a bit of turn spinner I’ll take all the psychological advantages I can get thanks.

We were really good in the field and everyone played their part chasing hard and the energy was great, all errors were fined as per usual. We reigned them in and they managed 174-8 from their 42 overs. Not a bad score but the pitch was good, outfield fast enough and we all felt we could chase that given how quiet we had kept them in the last 10 – 12 overs.

Pilki and Jacob certainly increased the confidence as they went off hard against Wylam’s pacey attack. I did have a moment of wondering why Wylam would bowl short at a left hander without a square leg. Left handers are 9 times out of 10 good at the pull shot and Pilki is. But I wasn’t questioning too much after all we needed the runs.

Paton came on and bowled really well, picking up Pilki and JD, off-spin v left handers the age old story…

Following this there was a slightly hilarious, slightly ridiculous, mostly nerve wrecking set of running from ‘Wally’ who now keeps that nickname (on request) and dully paid his fines. It got to the point that we on the side lines were calling the runs.
Henry had a brisk knock, with some lovely striking and looked in good touch until Wally ran him out for 18.
Max came in a took over the calling of runs and again proved that he was on form in the middle, striking the ball very cleanly. He got 20 before he was caught.
Wally after redeeming himself some what with some lovely shots was caught.

This left myself and Steve Tiffin at the crease. Steven has been hitting the ball well. Me well I haven’t had much time in the middle, although I’m hitting it ok in nets.

Wylam were a little bemused I think that I was batting at 8, it wasn’t disrespectful or anything like that but I’m still a fairly unknown quantity with the bat in this league, I don’t even really know myself, all I know is the more I face the bowling the more comfortable I am with the pace and the more I feel like I can make a score but I know I can’t go about it the same way as I do in the women’s game because I’m not going to get the easy hits, I’m not going to be allowed to give every ball the kitchen sink because the pace is so much quicker, the lines are so much tighter and the bowling is just better quality, it’s not going to stay right in my arch for an age, I have to time it instead, use the pace. It’s very different and it’s possibly why I’ve struggled so much in the women’s game this season. I’ve adapted to pace and now I can’t seem to switch back.

It was a frustrating period where the Rowell brothers were bowling quick and we just couldn’t get the ball away for the runs we needed. I had more than my fair share of luck although I did employ the “swing, swing hard” mentality and I put the ball through slips a few times, over the top of them too. It’s so much easier when there’s pace on the ball to get runs through behind.

Wylam certainly didn’t like it, but then if I’m playing through slips deliberately because I find it easier than hitting through cover and mid off I’m not going to stop doing it. I did still play through mid-off and cover because those are my shots (my pull shot is still MIA, I really want it back because I used to hit it so well) but there are these people, they are called fielders and they seem to want to get in the way instead of letting the ball go through them, it’s very annoying.

Me and Steve were really trying to go for it but it just wasn’t happening. The bounce was difficult, the Rowells were really bending their backs and it was hostile, there were a few that came through to me at chin height. Steve wore one that followed him. He dully kept his head in the game and was out going for a straight drive one of his best shots but it came up and he was c&b.

We were looking at 7 or so an over to get the runs, it was looking a little impossible since I knew I wasn’t going to be able to hit out to any effect, I was trying but nothing was sitting up for me to hit.

Welcome to the fray one George Green, number 9. He had a look at a few balls then went all Chris Gayle on Wylam, broke their hearts and their dream of being unbeaten all season…

As soon as I saw hit strike his first 4 there was no doubt in my mind that he had to have the strike and I would have to find some way of giving it to him. I indulged in some slightly dangerous running but only when I knew I was going to the danger end, but if we were going to pull this off he had to have the bowling so we put the fielders under pressure and got away with it.

Wylam were pretty much resigned to their fate when they realised that our number 9, yeah he can bat a bit, he isn’t a number 9 he just happened to open the bowling so in the everyone gets a go theme in the mid to lower order he ended up there instead of higher up. Although number 11 is very nearly always Aaron owner of 0* as a highest score. Of course this is because he hasn’t had the opportunity and has nothing to do with his habit of swiping across the line first ball to death rattle although this season he did play straight and achieved 0* so that maiden half century is getting closer.

Anyway, George hit a massive, I mean huge 6 over mid off into the wood behind the playground, it just went up so high and went so far. It was a really impressive bit of striking possibly not as good as the 6 over long mid off’s head only because the look on the blokes face as he thought he had it, thought he had it then the realisation dawned, he didn’t have it. It cleared him by about 2 foot.

1 ball of the penultimate over to go 2 to win…
“Should I go for it or should we take a single?”
“Whatever you want.” I replied.
4 through square leg.

It was a fabulous team performance with everyone contributing and that’s been the thing for us this season, everyone pulling their weight, everyone trying their hardest, everyone backing each other and everyone enjoying themselves.

It was a unbelievable result, although I’m not sure why given our results this season, it just didn’t seem possible driving to the ground that it would happen, it didn’t feel like it would in the 36th over, so it kind of felt like we’d gotten away with something when we got over the line.

Matfen Hall beat Wylam by 3 wickets.

Matfen Hall v Prudhoe…

Family loyalties at a bit of a divide, although not that much. My Granda used to play for Prudhoe when they were called West Wylam.

A lovely sunny day, anyone could think it was actually summer.

We went out to bat and it was slow going as their spinner kept an immaculate length throughout his 12 overs. Jacob keeps building, he really is due a good score more so to get somewhere near JD who is having a good run of form. Yes the battle of the Kiwi’s is on and JD is ahead on the runs.
Wrighty actually rescued us because we didn’t have enough on the board but he went in and just got on with the job of getting as many as possible as quick as possible.
Prudhoe were slick in the field until they had a few drops, it was interesting watching actually because one of the things I love about playing for Matfen other than the challenge of playing Men’s cricket is that there is such good banter and such a good atmosphere between everyone. We take it seriously but we take the piss out of each other and there’s no bad feeling about the banter. We all know that no one means to drop a catch, no one means to miss field, no one means to get out first ball so there aren’t many boll*ckings doing the rounds. Drop a catch “That’s a fine” (50p) and “head up you’ll get the next one”. I think we all know that the person feel pretty bad about it. I certainly get pissed off at myself but then I can’t change what happened so I try and move onto the next chance and redeeming myself. But Prudhoe were sledging each other. And there were some pretty uncomfortable moments watching and hearing it. Matty T, who I know from his time as a junior at Stocksfield and has always been ultracompetitive, lost his head at JD who was talking to Aaron on the boundary and commented that Matty was having a hard time in the field, he’d dropped 4 catches, there was nothing malicious nothing personally derogative about what he said, he was just pointing out that Matty was having one of those days which we’ve all had but Matty lost it. And it sparked some bad feeling. The last 10 overs went for plenty and Prudhoe got ragged.
Max went in and we all know he’s been striking the ball very well in the nets but he finally took it out to the middle and blasted a much needed 33*.
I very kindly handed my batting place to Hoggy because there were 3 balls left and I didn’t think I could do anything, I’m just not a big hitter and I didn’t want to waste those 3 balls. Hoggy got 3* and had a bit of a moan at me about dropping him in it but not as much as I did later…
We posted 188-6 and we didn’t know if that was a good score or not, we thought it was decent given that Prudhoe haven’t really produced with the bat much this season except against Hexham.
Alnwick (watch this name, he’s a very talented goal keeper at Newcastle United following in brother Ben’s footsteps) and Sagar went off like an absolute train against Pilki and Hoggy. Jak in particular was hitting the ball very hard and well. Aaron came on and produced a couple of great deliveries. Pilki took a great slip catch to get rid of Alnwick and bowled he Sagar. Matty T got some stick, nothing nasty but a bit of stick but put together a good solid response to stabilise and kick Prudhoe on. Chamberlain started hitting out and there was a bit of a ‘sh*t we haven’t got enough here’ spell.
Matty T kindly pointed out that “they haven’t got much bowling” which was a little really Matty? You want to be saying that? He inquired when I would be bowling to which I replied ‘I’ll be on eventually’ his reply “That next week?”
I came on at my usual end instead of JD’s end which was the intention until Chamberlin started hitting out because JD’s end is the short boundary behind the bowler and even though the slope (which runs left to right from that end) helps me get more turn and Aaron as a left armer produces rough to work with I prefer the other end because of the longer boundary. It’s a compromise, trying to turn it up the hill is harder and it does limit the amount of turn I can get but I can have long off posted on the rope and it’s a big old hit to take on so not many batsmen do.
Jacob kept me in the wicket battle against Aaron with some more slick work behind the sticks. “It’s not a game unless you get a stumping” is what I usually say to him because he has a fair few off me already this season.
With the left hander out and another stumping off me we pegged them back but it was still tight.
They needed 10 off the last over. I was on but as we had a bit of a chat the general consensus was that I was more likely to get hit, I certainly felt that they were going to target a slow bowler.
Pilki gave the ball to Hoggy, so that would be the second time in the match I’d dropped him in it although technically Pilki made that decision.
They needed 3 to win off the last ball we gave them the single and they went for the second but Jacob gathered the ball and ran out Howden in a good piece of thinking, he kept hold of the ball and took the bails off instead of trying to throw them down.
Matfen Hall won by 1 run and except for the bit of nastiness that was there it was a very good and exciting game.

Catch up post…

Sat waiting to bat against Norfolk

Me and Jacob – Not out against South North 3rd

Photo’s taken by Lisa Scott
I’ve not been the best at keeping this blog anywhere near up to date but I blame work commitments for that.

Update…

We’ve been on a bit of a roll.
We beat Benwell Hill 3rd XI comfortably by 6 wickets on a horrible day where we weren’t sure what the weather was doing and if we were even going to get a game in or not.
I missed the win at Stamfordham because I was away to Badminton Horse trials with work, which also meant missing the first 4 women’s games including a County match which Northumberland lost. Stocksfield 1st women won all their matches though.
I was back in time for the away match at Hexham Leazes which stands out as the most miserable match I have ever been involved in, not because we lost although that doesn’t help but more because it was a horrible day, we were on and off for rain so many times I lost count, no one could get their rhythem. The Hexham Leazes batsmen were just up to everything we could throw at them. It’s a weird ground Hexham and the highlight of the day was the look on JD and Jacob’s faces when they arrived. “What the f***?” it could be described as. I love playing at Hexham on a sunny day because the views down the valley are wonderful, but when the wind is up and the rain is sweeping in Christ it’s horrible. I never wear a jumper on the pitch because I don’t like how restrictive it is but I was wearing everything in my cricket bag, my Maften shirt, my county shirt and a fleece lined jumper and I was still freezing.
We never really got going with the bat and we were struggling all the way, finally Hexham put us out of our misery.

The match against Stocksfield 2nd XI was cancelled because of the rain, not on the day but the day before.

I played my first women’s match of the season against South Northumberland and it was a shock to the system after playing Men’s cricket all season. I was put in to open and I never got going, I was too relaxed because having faced Men’s pace in net’s it was so slow and I got complacent and went to drive a ball that wasn’t there and got bowled. The fielding from South North was pretty dire, they had a lot of young players who seemed to be scared of the ball and it was frustrating just watching it. We put on 125-2 in 16 overs without breaking a sweat. We bowled them out for 28 and I stood in the field as South North collapsed thinking ‘what am I doing here?’. It wasn’t enjoyabele it was boring and it was easy and it was a very sad moment to watch a team that we used to have epic battles reduced to that, the loss of all their top batsmen has really destroyed them as it would anyone but it was just very sad.
I contempted not playing any more women’s cricket this season at that point because I couldn’t really see the point. I wasn’t enjoying it and I was taking a place in the team that could be filled by a junior or allowing one of the younger players to get up the order. I was going to pull myself out of the county team for the match in Norfolk the following weekend but with it being a bank holiday there were 17 of the squad missing and since I said I would play I couldn’t in good conscience pull out.

Matfen v South North 3rd XI was a bit one sided too. They have a lot of juniors playing in that team and they’ve had a bit of a torrid time after being promoted. I spent most of the match with an eye on the time because I had to leave by 7 to get to Stocksfield and meet up with the late car down to Norfolk. We bowled them out for 133 every one of out 7 bowlers got at least 1 wicket including a first wicket in the West Tyne League for the youngest of our team U-13 superstar in the making Tom Scott who has been responsible for some of the funniest banter I’ve heard, most of it directed at his Dad. A very memorable comment when Eddie caught a diving catch was ‘you could have walked to that’, while watching his Dad bat the commentary is fabulous ‘what is he doing?’; ‘what was that?!’; ‘look at him *shake of the head*’ it’s brilliant. He really is a good cricketer already, excellent in the field, he puts a lot of us to shame, his enthusiasm knows no limits. He loves to play and for a U13 he’s pretty nippy with his bowling, when he gets taller and stronger he could possibly be very quick. He did Eddie out of £12 at Hexham with a batting display that was really good, the money was £10 for making 10 runs and a £1 for every run after but it was his composure at the crease and his shots that were really impressive for someone so young.

The long drive to Norfolk was worth it when Northumberland women recorded a win. A solid opening stand, which has always been one of our problems saw us with some pressure off for a change down the order. Rachael Godschalk made a really good 68 working herself into a bit of form. 45 from Nicola Hawes and a everyone chipping in with runs gave us a total to defend, a total that we knew we could defend as long as we bowled well and fielder as well as we can. It didn’t quite go to plan, we had two bowlers taken off for dangerous bowling because of beamers, we bowled so many wides it was ridiculous, we dropped 10 catches, it took us the best part of 10 overs to get the last wicket which was horrendous, we kept dropping them and the final pair wouldn’t hit out no matter how much flight I put on the ball, I mean it was coming down with snow on. Still we won by 90 odd runs so the hike back up the A17 – A1 was worth it.

So it’s been an interesting start to the season.

New Season Game 1: Matfen Hall v Humshaugh

New season, new Kiwi’s, fairly new team and a fresh pitch.

I had a stressful morning baking for the tea and it was even worse when it got to 12:25 and my pies still hadn’t cooled enough to cut… Oh the drama’s of cricket.

I was really looking forward to playing again. I haven’t had as many nets as normal. I missed all of county and Stocksfield nets because of work. But I managed most of Matfen’s which were later at night.

First outdoor net had been a bit of an eye opener. My bowling was alright but my batting was a touch on the rusty side. Changeable bounce, turn and zip, oh how I miss indoor nets with their true bounce.

My fielding was shocking that night and I was very worried going into the game because I pride myself on my fielding but without county nets which are heavily sided on the fielding drills I wondered how bad I would be in a match. I’m fairly sure some of the new guys were wondering what on Earth I was doing playing Men’s cricket at Division one level. I was a bit too.

The debate before the game was what to do if we won the toss.

Fresh strip, a horrible winter… What would it do? What should we do?

I’m always inclined to bowl first but that’s just me and thankfully I was over ruled by wiser heads.

We won the toss and decided to bat.

Slight breeze. Sunny day. Goodness isn’t it meant to be pissing down with rain? No of course not. Last year is just that fresh in the memory.

Pilky and one of our new imports Jacob Vanner to open.

They started slow, had a look and realised that the pitch was playing slow and stepped out of their creases to combat it. No uneven bounce, not much swing. Batting justified as long as we got a good score.

Jacob was disappointed to get out early especially given what followed as JD our other import entered the fray.

He started slow and had a look which given that this was his first game in England wasn’t a bad ploy. He kept accumulating runs, he was making Pilky run.

Pilky got sick of running and start hitting out with some fabulous clean striking even getting dropped at mid-on didn’t stop him hitting the next ball over the same fielder’s head.

A very made 62 came to an end not surprisingly when he was caught.

Wrighty joined JD and batted nicely with some lovely drives through cover and mid off.

The scoreboard was going along nicely.

Wrighty made 19 before Henry had his customary “I’m not hanging around” knock.

Steve Tiffin was promoted and proved it was deserved as he stuck around for 14.

Then we got a blast from Nick Ramsey who came in and just started smacking the ball everywhere. I missed most of his innings because I was getting padded up but his strike rate was unreal. He faced 8 balls and hit 4 six’s in his 28*.

But the knock of the day was defiantly JD’s excellent 92*. He paced it to near perfection, starting slow then building and building, it was a shame he didn’t get his hundred but he just ran out of overs, he was going to go for it but he ended up off strike early in the last over and he didn’t get the chance.

240-5 off 42 overs. It was an impressive total and it’s certainly the best I’ve seen us bat.

Humshaugh required rate 5.71 which was a big ask and we were fairly confident that unless we had a complete disaster with the ball we would win.

Humashaugh never started with any real conviction, they never looked like they were going after us although JD did get introduced to life as an off-spinner in the West Tyne League, yeah they don’t care that you can turn it a foot and a half up hill (which is insane) if it slow it’s going especially for right handed batsmen.

I think it will be a good experience for him if we get a lot of games in, the British weather already has me worried, because there is no respect for spin and generally the blokes that are playing have faced a lot of off spinners before and leant their lessons.

Aaron Tiffin was the star of the show with his left arm swing/seam. He took the top order out with a really classy spell. There may have been the odd wide but he’s young and learning. He’s tall, pacey and he can swing it, once he gets overs under his belt and gets his length consistent he is going to be a real handful, he already is but there is the occasional too short delivery that can ruin his over.

We chipped away, there was the odd spill in the field. Hands up I’m guilty of one. I had to chase back to try and take one over my shoulder, middle of the season I would have caught it but this early I got my judgement wrong and ended up just missing it.

There was some exceptional fielding from George Green especially but everyone was good. I didn’t disgrace myself the way I feared. I was alright and better for being in a match where I’m not as lazy as practice.

I got brought on to turn my arm over, more because I didn’t bat and Pilky being kind thought that I should do something other than field all day. I ended up with 3 wickets which was a shock.

1 was caught and bowled and not surprisingly I didn’t spill off my own bowling. It’s a law I think.

1 was a horrible full toss that just dripped and went through the gate.

The last was a great piece of keeping by Jacob who was very sharp behind the stumps all day.He took a really good catch off a top edge off Max’s bowling. On this occasion I got the ball past the bat and he waited as the batsman over balanced then he whipped the bails off. It was slick work.

Humshaugh 121 all out.

Matfen Hall won by 119 runs.

It was a great start to the season.

And my pie’s went down a treat when they arrived.

On that showing our batting is looking stronger than our bowling mainly because we’ve got a inexperienced bowling unit and we lack the pace we had last year.

It’s certainly going to be an interesting season and I’m looking forward to it.

 

Update…

Seems like I haven’t updated this blog in ages and I haven’t. I missed the back of the season game reviews for my Matfen matches although nothing other than my first Division One wicket happened… The end of the England v South Africa series, Strauss retiring, the Kevin Pietersen saga and the T20 World cup.

I have had a manic few weeks with work being my main priority because production at the place I work is moving. I was very worried about my job, which I have kept in the end although a lot of my work mates have lost their jobs, but I spent a lot of time looking for another job and putting plans into place just in case and although thankfully they weren’t needed I certainly felt better for having them.

Cricket has taken a serious back seat for the past month and a bit even though I’ve still played a lot of matches with indoor league starting but international cricket hasn’t really been on my radar.

However situation stabilised and a test series against India set to kick off in a few weeks I happy to write that I’ll be resuming my blog.

Stocksfield v South Northumberland…

Division One, T20

Last game of a never really started season. The league title gone from our grasps as we didn’t manage enough games and a defeat when most of us were down in Leicestershire playing for Northumberland means the end of our run of titles as other teams still have games left.

The forecast was for rain, it never arrived. Beautiful sunny but very humid night and I really couldn’t be bothered to play. Work had been awful and I had hoped that the rain would come and I would get the night off.

South Northumberland had been one of our strongest rivals for years and are rebuilding but their batting isn’t at it’s strongest even though their bowling boasts 2 County players and a Junior County player.

We fielded first and unlike on Sunday Elena and Amy were right on the money. Frew went off like a train until I caught her off a top edge at point. After then Elena removed their top order and they limped to 28 all out.

We didn’t even break sweat.

The batting order was reversed with the exception of Amy who went in at 3. We knocked the runs off after seeing off an excellent spell of outswing from Roshi.

Stocksfield women end the season on a high. Even though it was a massive embarrassment to South North that they didn’t put on any kind of total.

Penrith women v Stocksfield women…

A long trip to end the Premier league season and a weakened team again. We only had 10 as Sam had to cry off. It’s not a good start to the day knowing that against the strongest side in the league that you’ve only got 10 and that the team as a whole isn’t at it’s strongest.

We batted first and after losing Amy early myself and Nicola rebuilt until we were in a decent position to push on then their Aussie left arm seamer who had caused so much damage at County level came on and ruined it all. 2 in 2 balls removed Nic and Alice and opened up our lower batting order. We went from 62 – 1 to 75 – 6 in no time and there wasn’t enough batting left to push on and post a decent total. I was forced into a ‘hit out or get out’ to try to push the total up but I got caught for 35.

101-8 wasn’t ever going to be enough and Penrith dully knocked them off easily as our opening bowlers bowled too full even no balling as they struggled to find their lengths. Our fielding was pretty dire and it was one of the worst performances we’ve ever put in which seems to be a theme when we play Penrith.

Penrith beat Stocksfield by 10 wickets. Hammered might be a better term.

The game left me a little disillusioned. I haven’t enjoyed this season because I haven’t really played much for the women and I’ve started enjoying playing for Matfen more than Stocksfield and it made me think of whether I really want to play women’s cricket next year.

Technically I have to play for a women’s team to play for County but I can just sign for someone and not make myself available. Or maybe it’s time to switch teams and set some fresh challenges for myself. It easy to continue on playing for Stocksfield and continue on in the middle order. However I feel like I want to really push myself and with our opening bat returning and a couple more to return into the middle order perhaps it’s time to have a little look around.

Matfen Hall v Benwell Hill….

West Tyne Division One, played at Matfen

Matfen won the toss and elected to bat.

It was the weirdest feeling in the world to be sitting in the Pavillion watching as Matfen racked up the runs. Pilky played a blinder with a wonderful Century of shot making, deft placement and clean striking. Hamish made 50 odd* and Ben 24* it was only Simon who had been hitting so well at Stocksfield the week before who struggled a little but he and Pilky laid the foundations.

This is the first match I haven’t needed to bat and now I remember how much I used to enjoy batting down the order.

In reply Benwell lost their top order cheap as Ben and Hamish ripped into them. There was resistance from further down the order but they were never anywhere near the run rate. I was even brought on the turn my arm over. It wasn’t the finest performance of my bowling career but I didn’t get hit all over the shop. 3 overs 0 maidens 12 runs 0 wickets. I wasn’t too happy about the eco rate but it could have been so much worse.

Matfen Hall beat Benwell Hill by 118 runs.

 

Corbridge women v Stocksfield women…

Division One…

Corbridge are one of the newer sides to the league and although they are making good strides they are a few players short of seriously challenging for the league title.

This was the first league game that I have played for Stocksfield in 9 weeks…. That’s scary. And frankly we’re resolved to not retaining our title because other teams have played more matches and the games rained off have been against our biggest rivals. Valuable points have been lost and there no way in the ONE game we have left that we can make a play for the title. This season really has been a write off.

Corbridge won the toss and elected to field which made a few eyebrow’s rise mostly from us. Did they really just ask us to bat? In 20 overs? Against arguably the weakest bowling unit in the league? Oh well let’s get on with it.

We changed our batting order around because although we wanted to win we didn’t want to pour misery on them.

A little history on this we’ve bowled Corbridge out for 14. We kept them to 30 odd. They’ve manage 50+ against us once. We often put on more than 140 runs in 20 overs verses the better attacks. We’ve put 200 on the board more than once.

Corbridge have slow bowlers and the outfield was very long. There certainly wasn’t any value for shots. It was the most frustrating batting experience we’ve had in a long time. We were pretty casual and that’s terrible but knowing that we’re the stronger side and we bat all the way down meant that we knew that we could even chuck wickets and manage a decent enough total.

112 in 20 overs with only 6 boundaries scored that is not how we bat. We are a boundary side. We hit it hard and we hit it for 4. But the outfield was holding up the ball and we had to run for everything which was very annoying especially for those of us who are quite lazy – hands firmly up guilty as charged.

The top 5 all got a bat but all managed to get into a bit of a tangle against the slowness of the bowling. We like the ball coming onto the bat.

I top scored with 24 before I went for a 2 which wasn’t really a 2 but given the unpredictable (occasional brilliance) nature of Corbridge’s fielding I felt pretty confident that I had a better than 75% chance of not being run out. Unfortunately I was wrong, very guilty of not running the first one hard enough. I wasn’t that bothered because I wasn’t enjoying it at all.

Corbridge started slowly against Amy and Elena who was getting loads of swing and when a left arm seamer is getting that much swing it’s always painful to watch, I pretty much thank everything holy that I’m not facing it, and although she didn’t get any wickets she bowled some beauties.

Catherine and myself were brought on and Corbridge continued to go nowhere. Then a couple of wickets fell. One an absolutely cracking run out by Catherine who was at fine leg. I got one of their cleaner strikers with one that turn half a bats width and hit top of off which made me a happy camper.

Sarah Moore returned to bowling after nearly a year of self-imposed exile, Sarah was one of the really good young seam with a touch of swing bowlers a couple of years ago but she got the yips. But when Nic asks you to bowl you bowl. She then proceeded to take 2 wickets in 2 overs. There was no harm in it because Corbridge were still on 30 odd with 4 overs left so even if she went travelling there wasn’t any risk.

I had a pretty good night with the ball. 5 overs 1 maiden 5 runs 1 wicket.

Corbridge failed to chase 112. They managed 49 runs from their 20 overs.

Stocksfield beat Corbridge by 63 runs.

It was one of the most boring games I’ve ever been involved in. We didn’t really turn up. We were lazy and asleep in the field most of the night. I feel like it was very disrespectful to Corbridge by writing that but there is no other way to describe it. We weren’t at the races and we didn’t need to be.

We’re a strong side and if the outfield hadn’t been so long we could have racked up 175 without a massive effort.

For Corbridge they need to start pushing the basics when their batting, they don’t have our hitters but they missed a lot of runs. They are a very enthusiastic side and I love the way they enjoy themselves when their playing but they seemed to have plateaued in the last 2 years. I want them to get better because they have so much potential.

Example… We realised very early that we were going to have to run for everything so backed up a long way, blocked into the gap and ran, took on the singles. Myself and Nic put on 8 in an over without hitting a boundary just by changing tactics and looking for the quick singles.

It was one of the least satisfying games of cricket I have ever played and I know I’m not alone in that.

 

England v South Africa 2nd test…

2nd test, a return to Yorkshire and the return of the bad weather.

Selection was a little interesting. Swann being dropped was a shock to the system. Even on the most unhelpful for spin pitches Swann has done his job and I wonder how bad his elbow is and just how England had read the pitch because with the turn KP was getting it did seem like Swann could have done more than a job but hindsight is wonderful and painful.

Finn in for Swann.

James Taylor winning his first Test cap as a replacement for Bopara although that was because Bopara wasn’t available for selection. That could well prove costly for Bopara because Taylor looked pretty good as the future number 6 in the Test side.

Strauss wins the toss and decides to field…

I had serious reservations about that, in fact my heart sank and as South Africa went about building their innings I was getting a tad concerned but by the end of the match the toss didn’t really matter.

The South African tail wagged to get them to 419.

England were looking a bit in the sh*t before Kevin Pietersen put in a brilliant innings 149, with excellent support from Taylor 34. Prior and the tail got England a tiny lead and it had taken so long for both innings that a draw was pretty much a dead on cert especially with the rain breaks.

KP then took the first 3 wickets, oh South Africa that is embarrassing. Kevin ‘I bowl filth’ Pietersen. I admit my heart sank. Although I’ve long said that he buys his wickets with filth… Gets the batsmen into the position where they just don’t know where to smack it then throw in the occasional decent ball. Expensive but effective.

Broad put in a magic spell but it was too late… South Africa had enough of the lead. England tried re-gigging the batting with KP and Cook to open but it proved futile as wickets fell with a bit of stupid running involved and England couldn’t risk chasing so the teams dragged every last second out of a draw.

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England need to have a little talk about Kevin….

I was chatting to Ben and Hamish and they can’t understand why I have such a problem with Pietersen. “He’s class though. We’d kill to have someone batting like that on our team (New Zealand)” it’s not his talent because that is undeniable. He is a unique and wonderful talent that has done brilliant things as an England player. I respect him for all that he has done for England. Although I still can’t stand watching his play himself in.

It’s the stupid things he says and the way he manipulates the media when he can’t get his own way that really gets to me.

I don’t understand why after such a wonderful performance in this test he didn’t just keep his mouth shut instead of kicking up a sh*t-storm by saying he didn’t know if he would play Test cricket after Lord’s.

I shook my head in disbelief. Here England are in the middle of a massive Test series and he’s more interested in kicking up a sh*t storm.

He wants to play ODI, then he doesn’t and he retires but he wants to play T20 which he can’t because he retired from ODI, then he wants to play ODI again at least long enough to play in the World T20, now he’s not sure if he wants to play Test cricket after saying he was committed to playing Test cricket.

FFS Kevin make up your mind.

The Kiwi’s don’t understand why the ECB wouldn’t make an exception for KP my argument is why should they? No one else kicks up a fuss like he does. I’m sure there are plenty of England players who would like to drop a format but they keep their traps shut… in public at least.

I don’t care how the issue is resolved as long as it’s resolved.

KP is currently coming across as a spoilt brat kicking up the fuss and throwing his toys out of the pram when he doesn’t get his own way.

The ECB give in and all the players who want to drop a format will ask to drop a format and the ECB can’t turn around and say no because the president will have been set.

NO ONE PLAYER IS BIGGER THAN THE TEAM.

KP needs to realise how good he has it before settling down for sensible conversations about his future instead of dragging it through the media and making himself look like a child.

3rd and final test of the series

Already? I was just starting to get into it.

Lord’s is the final test. South Africa can sit back and draw and still become World number 1. England need to win it.

Calls for a bowlers pitch at Lord’s are defeating the object because anything that helps England’s bowlers will help South Africa’s and although the chances of a draw will be slim the chances of defeat for England are too risky. All or nothing has never really been Flower and Strauss’ style but maybe this is the time.

5 bowlers and a green top has been suggested… Do England want to win? A green top with only 6 batsmen? Suicidal.

Bringing Swann back is pretty much a guarantee. Taylor has done enough that it wouldn’t be a surprise if he retained his place but Bopara holds the position and if he’s available I can’t see England changing their selection policy.

Bresnan or Finn… Bresnan because Finn was expensive. And I have never understood why England don’t open with him instead of Broad when they’re both in the team. Finn is young, he is quick let him have a blast then 1st change him for Broad if it’s going wrong, to me it seems a lot more sensible than Finn releasing all the pressure that Broad and Anderson have built up.

I’m sure most opening bats would rather face Anderson and Broad (when bowling less than 85mph as he has been) followed by Finn when their eye is in and they’re seeing the ball rather than Anderson and Finn followed by Broad.

Anyway England need to win the final test to draw the series.