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Cricket 549

Posted 23 June, 2009

By David Grant

(High Green Village 25 Points Handsworth CC 3 Points)

A game full of drama, passion, desire and gritted determination was witnessed at Ecclesfield Park on Saturday, which saw the GMB High Green Village Cricket Club make it two wins out of two.

A game where momentum swung either way throughout will not be forgotten by either side in a hurry. Saying all this, you would not have thought that this game only had 119 runs throughout the whole day.

Bowling first, High Green tore into the Handsworth batting line-up with yet another master class from Richard Taylor and Tony Kilburn keeping them to a paltry total of 59. Once again the fielding was exceptional throughout the team, maintaining the pressure on the Handsworth batsmen with some excellent close fielding and boundary work. With only 60 runs needed, it seemed like the win was a formality for High Green and the hard work had been done.

Or was it? With some inspired bowling and some choice shot selection Handsworth gave themselves a massive chance of turning defeat into victory by reducing High Green to 12-6, and when David Grant went in to bat, it looked like the writing was on the wall.

However what people at Ecclesfield Park saw next was the most industrious partnership ever seen at the ground, and between Grant and captain Andrew Fisher, they saw High Green over the finishing line with a 48 run partnership, with Grant top scoring with 24 no. What was missing in elegance and beauty was replaced with grittiness, hard work and the sheer desire to win at whatever cost.

Banaris was the man who did much of the damage for Handsworth taking 5 for 23 runs, in a display of bowling of the same standard as Taylor and Kilburn previously.

Next week the GMB High Green Village Cricket Club takes a break from league action, and starts their Billy Oates campaign away at Rotherham Phoenix. Even though they have only entered the cup in two seasons, High Green and the Billy Oates cup already stir up memories, the lows of 22 all out at Harley to the giant killing of Wickersley last season, this class of 2009 will want to add another memorable cup run to the cricket clubs cup history.

Hibbert Magic Sees Off Millhouses

Photo - Andy Hibbert took 6 wickets for Stocksbridge I at the weekend

Stocksbridge I 36-2 beat Millhouses II 35 all out (Andy Hibbert 6-8) by eight wickets

Former captain Andy Hibbert took six wickets as Stocksbridge sauntered to victory at Millhouses II on Saturday.

Stocksbridge won the toss and elected to field on a wicket offering plenty of assistance to the bowlers, with run-scoring particularly difficult.

The match was one-way traffic from the off. Stocksbridge made the breakthrough with a run-out in the early overs and then Hibbert, opening the bowling, took over, returning outstanding figures of 12-7-8-6 as he almost single-handedly disposed of the albeit under-strength Millhouses batting line-up for just 35.

Thirteen-year-old junior Oliver Warren took an excellent catch at square leg to snare one of Hibbert's wickets.

Jim Tomlinson was equally miserly at the other end with figures of 11-3-15-2 as Stocksbridge made light-work of their opponents.

Although the first team lost two wickets chasing down the low total, Anthony Siddall made 20* to see them to another 25 points and they remain top of Yorkshire and Derbyshire League Division Two. They face a difficult challenge next week when Calver visit Bracken Moor.

Team to face Calver next Saturday meet at Bracken Moor at 1pm: James Ward, Anthony Siddall, James Spawton, Dave Codd, Wayne Hughes, Steve Perry, Jim Tomlinson, Martin Brelsford, Richard Marshall, Andy Hibbert, Joe Hibbert

De La Salle II 156-8 beat Stocksbridge II 117 all out by 39 runs

Stocksbridge II lost a crucial game at home to leaders De La Salle II on Saturday as they lost ground in the race to be promoted from Yorkshire and Derbyshire League Division Four.

After electing to bowl first, Stocksbridge claimed two early wickets to reduce a strong De La Salle batting line-up to 27-2.

However De La Salle's number three batsman survived a contested caught-behind appeal to make 59 as the visitors set a challenging total of 156-8, Chris Thwaites, Les Harris and Chris Siddall all claiming two victims.

The Stocksbridge father and son opening pair of Bob and Jamie Newton made a strong start in reply, however both were dismissed in the twenties as Stocksbridge slipped to 54-3.

From then on they lost wickets at regular intervals and the lack of a substantial partnership saw them bowled out for 117, De La Salle victorious by 39 runs to extend their advantage over Stocksbridge in the table.

Team for next week away at Apperknowle II: Chris Siddall, Matt Howe, Bob Newton, Jamie Newton, Jack Newton, Les Harris, Chris Thwaites, Liam Grayson, Rob Daley, Malc Perry, tbc

Stocksbridge III 126-3 beat Wingerworth II 125-9 by seven wickets

The third team produced an excellent performance to beat Wingerworth. Bob Murfin and Jed Barton shared seven wickets between them to restrict Wingerworth to 125-9.

Knocks of 44 from Charlie Kenny, 28 from Derek Redwood and 22 from Jack Murfin then saw the third team past their victory target in reply.

Stocksbridge Under 17s 81-9 beat Thorncliffe Under 17s 73 all out by eight runs
Liam Grayson three for 11
Chris Thwaites two for seven

Under 17 Paramore Cup

Whitley Hall Under 17s 72-3 beat Stocksbridge U-17 71 all out by seven wickets

Stocksbridge Under 13s 246-4 beat Handsworth 230-6 (Alex Grimmer 2-15, Luke Bisatt 2-16) by 26 runs net

Woodhouse Match Reports

By Adam J. Watts

As of next week (issue 550) Look Local will begin its coverage of yet another local cricket team.

This comes as a direct result of your friendly fortnightly columnist progressing to the next chapter of his fledgling Village cricket career, but also illustrates Look Local’s commitment to the local community and our respective sporting sides.

The team to be featured is Woodhouse CC and some of you may wonder why a team from Woodhouse should feature in a newspaper dedicated to the North of Sheffield. Well this is because for a considerable amount of time Woodhouse have operated out of High Green, facilitating the clubhouse and pitch on Mortomley Lane.

As a slight taster of the cricket to come in future reports, this week saw Woodhouse travel to Shiregreen and emerge convincing winners.

The host Sheffield Cricket League Division B squad went in to bat first scoring 41 all out, suffering a major collapse at the hands of the Woodhouse bowling attack.

Woodhouse responded well and polished off the required runs, losing only one wicket in the process.

Although not a brilliant game for the neutral spectator, this result certainly won’t do any harm to this season’s promotion chase.

So watch this space!

More great local cricketing action will be coming your way soon.