Dacre Banks CC v Hampsthwaite Match Report

Tom Scott-Smith’s pre match net was disturbed by a jeep hurtling into the ground in a cloud of dust with Lady Gaga blaring out “Poker Face”, with squeaky backing vocals. Can’t be Chronic - he’s in Australia! When the dust settled, there was Steve Lawrence, head bobbing along, to the amusement of those already assembled.

Hampsthwaite batted first on another glorious spring day and posted 206-6, with Andrew Boyle (60) and Richard Barratt (84*) sharing the majority of the runs and a second wicket partnership of 124. Unfortunately, Dacre lost 2 players to injuries in the field. Firstly, Chris Pennington pulled a leg muscle whilst bowling and towards the end of the Hampsthwaite innings Kieran Williams, attempting to stop a fierce drive off his own bowling, badly broke a finger whilst deflecting the ball onto the stumps to run out Oliver Mantle. The hobbling Pennington took Kieran to hospital, where he learnt that he is likely to be sidelined for 8 to 10 weeks, leaving Dacre with 9 players for the remainder of the match.

Dacre’s wicket takers were Steve “Lady Gaga” Lawrence with 3 for 46 off 9, Waqas Rasheed 1 for 49 off 12 and Kieran Williams 1 for 44 off 8.4, whilst Tom Scott-Smith had a stumping off Steve Lawrence and Kieran Williams and Stephen Ellison held good catches.

In reply, Lee Saddique was bowled by Andrew Boyle for 12, Steve Lawrence caught and bowled by ex Dacre player Tim Reynolds for 10 and Stephen Ellison caught and bowled Andrew Boyle for 37, bringing Dave Leather and Captain Cobley together. They set about the task of driving Dacre towards the target and with Dave Leather regularly launching 6’s, confidence was growing in the Dacre camp until Dave was caught off Richard Thompson for a fine 66. Tom Scott-Smith failed to connect, attempting a maximum, and was bowled by Andrew Boyle (10-2-57-4) for 0 who then had Abdul Quyyom caught for 8, trying to push Dacre towards 207.

Hampsthwaite were now clear favourites, as the run rate escalated into double figures, with eight fielders patrolling the boundary. Indeed 60 were still required off 5 overs, but Cobbers (45*) and Waqas Rasheed (22*) were making a great fist of it, yet with 26 still required off 2 overs their efforts looked to be in vain and another narrow defeat on the cards. This was turned on its head, as the dynamic duo plundered 17 off the penultimate over and the shell-shocked Hampsthwaite fielders were powerless to prevent a thrilling Dacre victory with 3 balls to spare.

Hampsthwaite were magnanimous in defeat, praising fantastic batting from Leather, Cobley and Rasheed and extending best wishes to Kieran, which I’m sure the whole club echo.