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SNCL Division C/D

1st XI v Stanton by Dale

Saturday 5-June-2004

Wilsons beat Stanton by Dale by 16 runs

Wilsons made it 6 wins out of 6 for the season with yet another excellent victory against Stanton by Dale.

The opposition’s tactics of making the Wilsons XI do a 1 mile orienteering exercise to get to the ground proved fruitless, as was placing their pet anaconda in the grass to scare us.

The ground was small but nicely set in amongst fields. The pre-match routine of warm ups so ably lead by Sergeant Major Bush was a surprise for the welcome return of Mehtab Ahmed, in for Zak Briggs. Steve Maxey also came back from a week in a leaky canvas tent with Nadeem making way. Jamie Bowns also came in for James Norman, a like-for-like switch in terms of batsman ship, fielding technique and weight.

Boss elected to bat having won the toss (again) and Bush and Khan strode to the wicket. Bush started well but could not pierce the field, not matter how well it came off the bat. Khan started where he left off last week, making light of the difficult pitch, which was making the ball pop. It was somewhat of a surprise when Bush played all round a full ball and was bowled for just 1.

Jamie Bowns replaced Bush and immediately set about playing, as he only knows. After a promising start he lobbed one straight to midwicket where he was caught for 8. At the other end, Khan was taking advantage of the short boundaries and some sloppy fielding from Stanton By Dale.

Kish came in a started to lap the slow bowlers and again a promising partnership started. After some glorious stroke play, Kish than tried to emulate Imran but failed to get enough on a straight drive and was caught for 14. Boss and Wilson faired little better going for 5 and 4 respectively and what looked to be a good start for the unbeaten side began to seem precarious. Enter TC, who has been immense with the bat this season (single wicket competition aside…). He and Khan began to rebuild the score, both taking quick singles and producing some big boundaries and maximums. It was somewhat of a shame that when well set both holed out to fielders. Khan made 69 and TC 21. Not for the first time this season there was a lower order collapse and the number 11, Rose found himself in the middle with Maxey after only 34 overs.

The two look-alikes where determined to fight for every ball and gain the 3rd batting point. Progress was slow but they managed to push to the score to 159 before Maxey was unlucky to be run out off a direct throw.

Wilsons came onto the field knowing bowling and fielding like terriers was the only way we would win. Ifty and TC opened the bowling and immediately exerted pressure, ably backed up by some terrific fielding and support. TC broke through the top 3 batsmen, bowling their number one who looked more like a number 11 such was his agricultural technique. Ifty continued to bowl well at the top end, giving nothing away and although TC was going for a few runs, the pressure was always building on their batsmen. TC picked up another wicket towards the end of his first spell before Rose replaced him. However, it was Imran who took the next wicket with the first ball of his spell, Stef taking a good catch behind the wicket (we won't mention the 4 that he dropped…). Rose than was rewarded for some tight bowling, Mehtab taking a great catch in the covers. It was a gash ball, but somehow worked. Maxey replaced Rose and immediately found some turn and an enemy in the form of the Stanton by Dale number 3. Mad Dog went for the kill, represented in the form of a plum LBW followed by something that made Stef drag the leg spinner off the wicket (amazing in two respects, one the weight differential and two, the fact the Stef managed to catch him in the first place….).

Imran sealed victory by bowling the last two batsmen and another fantastic team performance gave Wilsons 19 points to stay 1st in C/D.

Dave R.

Division C/D