WEEK 11:  5-6 JULY 2008

In a weekend decimated by the weather the only match to survive in the Premiership was a bonus to the home side, Stainton I, who secured five points in a drawn match against Braithwaite and thus move off bottom spot. In three matches this week first was due to be playing second. In the premiership Caldbeck’s ground was not playable, but in Division One Kirkby Stephen continued their excellent run with a win at Cockermouth II and join them at the top on the same number of points. In Division Three players are obviously made of sterner stuff, with two matches completed as well as all three Sunday ones starting, with two reaching a conclusion. Rockcliffe take a commanding lead at the top of the Division, and take revenge for a League Cup defeat, with a comprehensive win against Stainton II. To compound the latter’s misery, they also lose second place spot to Penrith Academy who won an over reduced match at Irthing Vale II the previous day.

 

 

TEAM BATTING FIRST

SCORE

OVERS

RESULT

TEAM BAT. SECOND

SCORE

OVERS

                                                                                                                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prem

Caldbeck I (h)

 

 

rain

Penrith II (a)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prem

Scotby (h)

 

 

rain

Edenhall (a)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prem

Nunwick I (h)

 

 

rain

Carlisle II (a)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prem

Staffield (h)

 

 

Rain

Appleby II (a)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prem

Stainton

177-6

28

Drew

Braithwaite

140-8

28

 

 

Jon Greenwood

Graham Bain

Alistair Worth

Jeff Marshall

 

46

36

34

29no

 

 

 

Phil Knight 26

Ian Dixon 25

 

26

25

 

 

 

Dan Pyke

Kevin Pepper

 

7-1-26-1

7-0-35-3

 

 

 

Stew Marshall

Graham Bain

7-4-19-2

7-0-16-1

 

Adam writes: On a damp day in Stainton, where not much cricket was to be played around, full credit must go to both sides for wanting to try and play and also full credit to the Stainton grounds men and players alike whose hard work resulted in success and a 3-15 start time, which, at 1 o’clock, looked very unlikely. The investment of covers and a `water hog` over the winter paid off and when the covers came off the pitch was surprisingly dry. Unsurprisingly Jakeman lost another toss and Stainton were inserted. A steady start was made by the skipper and his opening partner Alistair Worth taking 23 from the first 7 overs. Mindful of the fact that the game had been reduced to 28 overs per side Jakeman tried one over ambitious shot too many and fell victim to the bowling of Dan Pyke who’s opening spell of 5 overs for 16 was exemplary. Kay was the next man to fall with the score on 40 and this sparked the beginning of Stainton’s big hitting middle order with Bain the first man to the crease. Worth fell for a well made 34 and then Greenwood and Bain accelerated the score putting on 80 in the next 8 overs. Both fell in quick succession and with Ruddick falling cheaply Stainton were in danger of a collapse but vice captain Jeff Marshall and Jack White came together to finish the innings off in style. Marshall took 29 from just 12 balls and played what were described by one spectator as, almost proper shot, turning what was looking like a par score to more than that.

Stainton were full of confidence going into the second innings but in typical Braithwaite style Oswald and Knight got them off to a flier 32 from the first 5 overs. White made the first breakthrough castling Oswald’s stumps and when Harry Rigby fell soon after for none Stainton felt more in control. This brought young Dan Pyke to the crease, he came out with positive intent and, although dropped early on, hit the ball with amazing power for such a young player. He fell to the usual combination of Stew Marshall and Jon Greenwood (stumped) and when Marshall removed Phil Knight Stainton were back in the box seat. A partnership formed from Andy Rigby and Trevor Kitchen but with the field set back and some excellent bowling from Marshall and Bain in particular, they found it difficult to up the run rate which was needed to stay in touch. They put on 40 but Kitchen fell in the 22nd over leaving Braithwaite needing 82 for victory from just 6 overs. The big hitting Ian Dixon came to the crease and struck some lusty blows but with the field set back and Rinder and White using the tactic of you miss and we hit it was a matter of time before a mistake was made. Dixon’s quick fire innings had Stainton rattled for a short time, but when a yorker from Rinder found its way through the game was effectively over. It was left to the Pepper brothers to bat out the last three overs for the draw and they duly did so ensuring the captain was not exposed at the end. Credit to both teams for wanting to play and a result that helps to keep Stainton’s survival chances alive

Gilbert’s alternative view: After last weeks respite from the inclement summer weather with an actual game of cricket taking place the need to return to the Ark mode looked on the cards on Saturday. The drive from Keswick to Stainton definitely tested the wind screen wipers motor as full speed mode still was not enough to keep the wind screen clear of the torrent of water being deposited. On arrival at Stainton the ever optimistic Adam Jakeman - bless him - was more than confident of imminent play. Unfortunately at the time I could not understand a word he said due to the torrential rain bouncing off the roof of my vehicle. The arrival of neutral umpires clad in chest waders did nothing to “dampen” Adam’s enthusiasm. Certainly the sight of Adam and Rick Kay using Stainton’s newly purchase super soaker as the rain bounced off the covers is a memory that will live with me for a long time, although, fortunately my sides have now fully recovered.

Certain members of the Braithwaite side took full opportunity of the delayed start to catch up on a tadge of shut eye, Certainly for one nameless individual a night of drink and debauchery at “Tiger Tiger” in Newcastle’s Quayside followed by a triple “greedy burger” in the early hours, had certainly took it toll, as the sanctuary of a warm vehicle listening to Yorkshire getting walloped by Essex was certainly more than welcome. However, by three a clock signs of a respite in the weather looked promising , by then Adam and Rick Kay had removed enough water to fill a small ocean off the covers and even the umpires had removed their chest waders, thinking that Wellington’s would now suffice.

With the prospects of play now looking good both captains agreed on a 28over a side match as Stainton, losing the toss, were duly inserted. Good opening spells from the young Pykes gave little away as the Stainton openers were reduced to quick singles to get the scoreboard ticking. Dan Pyke bowled a good seven over spell with a bar of soap taking 1/26 and Jason Pyke 0/11 from 4 overs. Kev Pepper then got the key wicket of Rick Kay as he slapped a ball straight to Harry Rigby at deep square leg. However an 80 run partnership between Bain and Greenwood saw the Stainton batsmen picking off the boundary at regular intervals as the change Braithwaite bowlers were struggling with the wet ball. Unfortunately young Harry Rigby paid the penalty of bowling too short as he struggled to grip the ball as Stainton cashed in big style from the young Braithwaite player’s two overs. Bain holed out by deciding to hit a wide from the returning Kev Pepper who claimed his third wicket. Both Ian Dixon and Trevor Kitching could do little to slow down the boundary count as with wickets in hand and the cosiness of the Stainton boundaries saw the home sides batsmen throwing caution to the wind, Ian Dixon however did chip in with 2/32 from 4 overs and with an unbeaten partnership of 41 between White and Marshall Stainton finished on 177/7.

A score, probably 20 runs better than par, taking into account the size of ground and playing conditions, certainly openers Phil Knight and Mark Oswald looked in no concern with the run chase as the pair scored comfortably at six runs an over. Oswald (14) played on with a ball he is convinced kept low, however to all his team mates watching thought it just looked like a crap shot. The in form Harry Rigby perished without troubling the scorers rounding off a wretched afternoon for the Braithwaite youngster and when Jason Pyke (13) was stumped by a brilliant piece of glove work from John Greenhow. Braithwaite were in a spot of bother, which deteriorated further soon after as Knight picked out mid off with pin point accuracy. A stand of 39 between Trevor Kitching and Andy “Tiger Tiger “Rigby started to get Braithwaite into a position when they could unleash Ian Dixon. However half way through their partnership Rigby senior called for a runner claiming he had tweaked a “hammy” and certainly nothing to do with the 12 bottles of Magner’s he had consumed the night before. Unfortunately, yet again for the Braithwaite side they lost wickets at crucial parts of the game. Kitching (15) and Rigby senior(16) departed in consecutive overs which then left Ian Dixon to do what Dixo does best as the run rate started to increase at more than a worrying level for the Stainton Captain. If “Dixo” batted six out the remaining eight overs the game would be easily won , so from no where Braithwaite suddenly had a real opportunity to clinch what had looked like an unlikely victory. After bludgeoning the ball to all parts “ you miss I hit “ approach from Stainton’s Rinder paid dividends as Dixon’s innings was not enough as 42 runs were still required from the final three overs, with two wickets left. Braithwaite’s skipper instructed that the drawbridge be tightly closed as Braithwaite preserved their unbeaten record this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

 

 

TEAM BATTING FIRST

SCORE

OVERS

RESULT

TEAM BAT. SECOND

SCORE

OVERS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Div 1

Cockermouth II (h)

120/9

28

Lost

Kirkby Stephen

123/4

27.1

 

 

Dean Platten

Liam Monaghan

 

 

37

25

 

 

 

Paul Thornborrow

Robert Hook

 

51

23

 

 

Andrew Wilkinson

7 – 0 – 28 - 4

 

 

Tom Morgan

7 – 1 – 29 - 2

 

Andrew writes: After a dismal weather forecast it was with trepidation that Cockermouth prepared a pitch they thought they might not get to use. A downpour at midday led to a hasty telephone conversation and a decision by the captains for the visitors not to travel until a pitch inspection later in the day. At 1:30 the sky seemed to be brightening and Paul brought his team through to Cockermouth. Of course it then rained again, but after a further short delay the game started at 3:30 with a reduced over allowance of 28 per side. Paul had only minor hesitation before deciding to field when he won the toss. This looked a good decision as scoring was slow, and the early wickets fell as the top order batsmen tried to force the pace. Dean Platten and Liam Monaghan came to the crease and batted with great maturity and no little skill to put Cockermouth in with a realistic hope of setting a daunting total. The loss of both these men’s wickets lead to a disappointing spell in which the score progressed from 110/4 to 120/9 in the space of the last 4 overs – a section of the game that Cockermouth were later to reflect as being very costly.

Tea was taken with the sun breaking through, and ribald comments about the need for sun cream were exchanged.

Scoring was also initially slow in the Kirkby Stephen innings. David Skilbeck took his customary early wicket and bowled a controlled spell of 5-2-1-9 but sadly was less economical in his last 2 overs, but still only conceded 20 with the addition of no further wickets. As Paul grew in confidence in his shot selection, he was joined by younger members of the side who tried to force the pace and gave Cockermouth 2 catches, the second of which is an early contender (but cast iron certainty) for catch of the season. After running at pace for 30 yards Monaghan dived and held a one handed catch on the boundary, which was worth the admission money in any standard of cricket. Paul was run out going for a cheeky single with the victory target in sight and was beaten by the throw from a fired up Jon Gibson who hit the stumps directly from 20 yards. Mark Middleton almost brought Cockermouth back into the game with his fiercely turning leg breaks, but couldn’t quite control the length of the delivery that was confidently hit to the boundary by Elliot for the winning runs.

Thirty minutes after the Kirkby Stephen team left a tremendous downpour showed how lucky we had been to be able to play a game of cricket with such wet conditions all around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Div 1

Carleton (h)

 

 

Rain

Wigton II (a)