Here’s how our senior sides got on this weekend.
A week that would see a T20 quarter final, as well as league action for all 4 mens sides.
Reports this week again kindly provided by Jason Kayley. Ok I might still do the T20.
Friday
T20 QF vs Enfield
I never said never everYou took the words right out of my mouth
We took on Enfield on Friday in the T20, aiming for a place in Finals Day on Saturday 25th July at Lowerhouse Burnley. Could we do it?
On arrival, the teams were already warming up, overcast conditions and the threat of rain earlier in the day had passed and the sun was out. We would have a game, and it would start on time.
Into today’s team came Matt Oddie, cleared to play following a severe work related injury which had threatened to end his season. Kaz would however retain the captaincy.
We lost the toss again and were asked to bowl first.
Enfield have a formidable looking T20 side this year. In addition to having a pro Kadeem Alleyne and Mr Bracewell, who usually splatters us everywhere, they’re also boosted this year by the return of Keith Barker, an Enfield junior cricketer who became good enough to earn a county contract and has made a very decent career of it with Warwickshire, with over 5000 first class runs and 544 wickets to date. Probably no catches though.
We know how this goes by now. Thikshila and Sheraz tear into teams in the powerplay, run through all of their best players and then let whoever’s left try to build a target in the remaining overs.
Professional Alleyne – Duck
Bracewell – Duck
Lewis Wright – 3
Even Barker, who pumped three fours off the opening over fell in the fourth for 17.
Our opponents were 24-4 and we were well on top.
All of their big guns gone. But today, the whoever’s left had… quite a bit left.
Hamill and Hewitt dug in to rebuild, but importantly did this whilst adding to the score consistently. They combined for 82 for the 5th wicket before Hamill fell for 39 well caught by Thikshila de Silva off Kasim Masood.
But it was what followed this that was most damaging to our hopes. Clarke came in at 7 and teed off. Dropped on the edge on 10, he hit a 21 ball 61 including 4 fours and 6 sixes, taking 25 off the penultimate over.
Whilst Sheraz bowled a near perfect final over (2 wickets and just 3 runs), the damage was already done. Enfield closed on 170-7.
An imposing target, one that would require a monumental effort.
We didn’t get off to the best start, Kasim adjudged LBW from the very first ball of the chase, but this brought de Silva to the crease and he was in no mood to hang around. He took 17 off the 3rd over and 22 off the 5th, and as the powerplay ended we were 65-2 and well on track.
He passed 50 and continued to terrorise the Enfield attack but then, with the score just short of 100, disaster!
A late cut, got it a little too clean if anything, and it carried straight into the hands of a fielder standing to protect one in the 4th slip/ gully area. Thikshila out for 70 off just 33 balls.
We continued to battle, and were aided by multiple dropped catches (Hi Mr Barker), much to the delight of the home crowd. But 20 from Kaz, 12 from Caleb and an unbeaten 10 from Chris Oddie were not enough. The latter taking all of his frustration out on the last ball, hitting it miles over the scoreboard.
GHCC closed 146-8, 24 runs short of the target score.
Well done to Enfield, I hope they go on to win on finals day. And well done to all who have played for GHCC throughout what has been a thoroughly enjoyable T20 campaign.
After the game, our singer from last week, AJ Walker was back to entertain the crowd, and having been repeatedly asked for Shed Seven last week, he’d added one to his repertoire. What a man.
Time and time and time againAre you here for my pleasureOr are you going for goldAre you going for gold
Maybe next year. On to the next one.
Saturday
Saturday saw our 3As take on Littleborough at Evolve Document Solutions Cliffe Park whilst our 3Bs travelled to Walsden
3A vs Littleborough
In a game that looked more like abuse than a competitive senior cricket match against visitors Littleborough, the A Team bagged maximum points.
In one of the most ill-fated decisions made on a cricket field (or maybe they fancied an early dart), the visitors elected to bat first and were shot out for just 82 inside 20 overs.
Billy Armer took 5-36 (well done to anyone who had “umpire” Sam Davies on their coupon for a hat-trick of assists) with Harry Corish and Rayyan Hussain taking a brace.
The reply, on a soggy day, is one which will be spoken about in hushed tones for those who witnessed the second over.
The bowler, who actually has a best of 4-11 albeit 19 years ago, completed a 10-ball over which went for a total of 34 with Euan Rushton not only filling his boots (one boundary an elegant sweep from a ball that bounced a number of times and rolling to batsman before he sweetly melted it to the rope) but easing his way to an unbeaten half-century.
It’s worth noting that 30 of his runs came from six legitimate deliveries with the other 20 runs coming at a practical snail’s pace.
Not only did it probably get him a Happy Meal on the way home, but it also got him a starring role on TikTok.
Nathan Sheridan scored 22 in an easy win.
3B at Walsden
The Bees headed to bottom of the table Walsden looking to build on last week’s win.
On a rain-affected day, skipper Ben put the visitors in and kept them, and the bowlers restricted the hosts to 111-6 with Ash and Leachy leading the way with the ball.
Chasing just 75 from 15 overs (somehow) Shak (28 retired not out) and Darab (41 not out) saw the Bees home.
Or so we thought…
Subsequent clarification of the rules from the league exec meant that 20 overs are required to constitute a game unless the first innings total is reached. As much as this is terrible, them’s the rules and the final result is a no-result
Sunday
1st XI at Colne
It was a day to forget for the Ones at Horsfield as Stuart Maher’s merry men were well beaten by Colne.
After being sent in, the Ones amassed just 131 with Matt Oddie (31) and Sheraz Ahmad (25) top scoring.
Although it took 40 overs, Colne made the total to leave our boys like a broken pencil – pointless.
2nd XI vs Colne
There were more runs than a primary school sports day at the Evolve Document Solutions Cliffe Park on Sunday with two centurions ensuring the Miles Corish Crew maintain their place at the top if the league.
After being reduced to 31-2, Euan backed up his return to form from the day before with an unbeaten 107, with Caleb Greenhalgh joining him on three figures with 105 not out, bringing his ton up with an agricultural six, as they put on 222 (say it in a Richie Benaud voice) as they finished on 253-2 from 43 overs.
Their Pendle counterparts were never really in the race, and it was more a case of could the bowlers take all 10 wickets.
Joseph Cookson led the charge with 4-49 with Kasim Masood bagging three and while it looked like the bowling points were going to slide away, Dom Steele made up for dropping a dolly to take his second wicket of the day and keep GHCC Twos at the top of the table.