Wollaton III v Radcliffe on Trent IV
South Nottinghamshire Cricket League Division P
Saturday 3rd May 2008
The start of a new season and we are playing in a new division, having won the league and gained promotion last year, with a new captain, Mike Leake and a new home ground, Lady bay.
The new skipper duly got the season off to a predictable start by calling incorrectly and losing the toss. The opposition skipper, having watched the Wollaton team break with all the long standing traditions of the lower reaches of the South Notts Cricket League by indulging in a prolonged warm up and fielding drills prior to the toss, decided to let all those loose and warm cool down again by inviting Wollaton to have first use of what looked like a slow, damp, green track. He must have felt confident, or perhaps just resigned to his fate as he only had 9 fielders at the ground at the commencement of play.
Wollaton got off to a ponderous start with Dave Watson and Will Rattray only scoring at 1 run per over with the new ball. The innings was then given a boost by a bowling change which saw the opposition skipper bring himself into the attack to rain an assortment of savoury pastries onto the batsmen. This resulted in the scoring rate leaping to 2 per over.
Dave was the first wicket to fall in the 15th over having scored 18. Will went on to score 29, including an impressive 6 off a juicy steak and kidney delivered by the opposition skipper.
The Wollaton middle order never got going, no one reaching double figures and all struggling with the slow track and steady bowling. The skipper came in at no 8 and was then joined by Jason Potter at 9 in the next over. They then proceeded to score at a run a ball to complete a 50 run partnership in 8 overs, before the skipper was stumped on 28. Jason went on to an undefeated 30, although he was dropped 4 times on the way. In fact his first two scoring shots were the result of dropped catches. In total 8 chances were put down, all of which were relatively straightforward.
Wollaton went in to tea having scored 144-
Points are scored thus:
Rate 2.5 runs per over = 1 pt
Rate 3.0 runs per over = 2 pts
Rate 3.5 runs per over = 3 pts
Rate 4.0 runs per over = 4 pts
Now let’s see 144/45 = ????????????
After tea the opposition set off at a brisk pace, well compared to the Wollaton innings that is. However 4 wickets then fell in quick succession to rein in the innings, 3 of these to Jack Chamber and 1 to Jason Potter. The Radcliffe innings never really got going again after this, with all the Wollaton bowlers being tidy and economical.
Jack Chambers finished with 4-
In the end radcliffe were all out for 83 off the last ball of the 36th over, leaving Wollaton victorious by 61 runs.
Man of the Match 3-
1st and 3pts Jason Potter 30 not out and 6-
2nd and 2pts Jack Chambers best bowling of 11-
3rd and 1pt Mike Leake 28 as part of the 50 run 8th wicket partnership
Adrian