[themaclad]

Almost time for this again

[themaclad]

We had to borrow Norcross facilities to practice as ours are still slightly sodden we start next week

[themaclad]

And so it begins

[themaclad]

The optimistic talk of promotion at the nets on Friday was rudely interupted by a hammering on the Saturday. Originally we were down to play Vernon Varus IV but Covid rules have meant they wll not be competing this season as clubs are not allowed to play two matches at the same ground on different pitches, somting to do with not having 44 players within coughing distancce of each other, nonsense really.
The fixtures were re arranged we were due to play Penwortham iv away at Bretherton, however we ended up playing them on our own lovely patch of ground.
The Pavillion is in a worst state than usual the paint is peeling off the walls, however we cannot use it until mid June so we all arrived changed and it's bring your own teas.
A quirk of fixtures meant we had no first team game therefore had 5 first teamers in the squad safe to say there were slight murmurings of discontent but with a pool of rich talent to pick from some will be unhappy.
We were going to bat first if we won the toss however we lost the toss and were put in.
A quiet start we were in control for four balls before Mr Minshall was bowled by the fifth, by the time Messers Duffield, Webster M, Clayton,Luxton, Rawcliffe and Webster C were gone we had managed to stagger to the alarming score of 12-7. Yours truly and Mr Richards offered a modicum of resitstance facing 50 balls, Top scored with a magnificent 5 , Mr Richards on 4 not out. To leave us with the almighty total of 23 all out.
Gheewala finished with 6-2 bowled a bit like Waqar Younis early on, late swinging toe crushing yorkers, Consterdine 2-9 had the useful head high beamer followed by a yorker a canny combination. Roebuck 2-6 saw of the last two.
So minutes silence for the Duke of Edinburgh before just under 6 overs later we were leaving teh pitch having lost by 10 wickets

http://palaceshield.play-cricket.com/web...ts/4584712

We go again against Walton le Dale on Saturday

[themaclad]

Another Saturday another defeat, no first teamers in this week, so the fact we were all out for 23 with a stronger batting line up last week meant we had a substantially weaker batting side this week, so win toss bowl was the scenario, we lost the toss and Walton decided to bat.
We ambled out into the field on a warmer day than recently the wind had dropped. We rn out Patel when the score was 10 he should have actually been caught from the same ball but we got the wicket anywhere
We had a couple of lads making debuts Alex Conn bowled a useful spell without taking a wicket moving the ball away from the bat, Bolton went with the score on 54 hitting the first ball from Pollard straight to the skipper at mid off. Harrison soon came and went but a partnership between Preston and Bolton took the visitors to 110 were Bolton was LBW, he wasn't particlarly happy with the decision but had to go
Ex Ingol player Newton joined Preston and the pair of them looked like putting the score to way beyond our limitations, but with 9 overs to go the skipper brought me on.
1st, 33rd and 7th deliveries cleared the boundary although the first six was fingered tipped over the bar by Dave Lever, however the Lever/Mackay partnership got rid of both Preston and Newton, also snaffled Benyon caught behind, whilst at the other end the skipper weighed in with the other three wickets.
Ended up with 3-26 in four overs delivering a vast variety of pies

http://palaceshield.play-cricket.com/web...ts/4584759

Batting was it's usual miserable self from 16-0 to 33-7 when I was run out by a direct throw from the boundary(How dare they it's division 6) Lever went 45-8 soon became 46-9 but Clayton and other debutant Beveridge managed to get us up to 89, Clayton ended up with 25 not out and Beveridge made 15. The annoying fact is that after the two young opening bowler Walton's back up bowlers were not as good.

Plus point 3 points takes us off the bottom for the time being, onwards, upwards onl

[themaclad]

We won got a 50 only taken me 66 years

[themaclad]

https://palaceshield.play-cricket.com/we...ts/4584756

Nottinghamshire broke their three year drought of no victories in four day cricket on Saturday and after a 22 month drought Wyre 2nd XIs also won, the last time yours truly played a pivotal role in the victory which at the time took us top of Division 6, this latest epic brought not only a career best score but a maiden 50 at the age off 66

We won the toss and bowled Stu Walters making his first appearance of the season took a few overs to settle before getting some ryhtym in, he had a few LBW shouts turned down not surprising as their umpire seemed to be looking at the ground when the ball was bowled however in fairness to teh guy he was pretty fair when we were batting, however our umpire more of that later.
Messers Patel and Woodford took the score to 88 scoring with some easy against steady bowling including a 15 overs spell from the skipper Duffield. The visitors only had 10 men
Woodford was first to go a great catch by Dennis the first of two blinders and Patel was bowled by the skipper for 48 and from then it was just a case of chipping away which we did. Clegg and Ahmed put bat to bowl both scored over 20 but it was a steady prossession from then on in and they posted 157 crucially 33.5 overs which meant we had 11 extra overs to get the runs.
Covid rules means for the moment it's bring your own teaswhich in a way spoils the game because the highlight is someone else prpearing a raft of sandwiches, cakes etc.
Back to the game the two New Longton opening bowlers were miserly to say the least at looked at the scoreboard and we had crawled along to 7-2 from 15 overs and by the time the 20 overs had gone we were in deep trouble, Watkinso taking three wickets in his opening spell.
As with last week the support bowlers slightly less better and that's being kind, when Housden bowled Pollard we were 32-6 and in I go.
At teh other end was skipper Duffield afrer his 4-81 with the ball he now had to do his stint with the bat.
My first scoring shot was a four however the difficulty you had batting was the support bowlers bowled some dross however in between the dross you were lible to get the unplayable delivery, so batting was not easy.
Without too much alarm we pushed the score along although did some fly swatting at balls outside the off stump was in more danger of being run out, but on and on we went past 100 with overs to spare needed five an over started to inch closer and closer. The two opening bowlers were brought back on however they were both slightly knackered however our umpire missed countless no balls were Hassan was miles over.
Duffield was first to 50 followed shortly after by myself.
Toe ended the ball back to Hassan with the score at 152 going for 52. We crawled along and needed three of the last over, score were level when the last ball was bowled it went for a bye, victory with Duffers 52 not out.



Looks warm wind was from the North Pole

[themaclad]

https://palaceshield.play-cricket.com/we...ts/4584663

The deluge on Saturday did not stop us from getting back to normal with a narrow defeat in which in my personal view the toss was the winner. Given the weather think most of us had given up on the game being played except the home captain who was optimistic a game could be played.
By 1.30 safely ensconsed in the armchair having a laugh at both Sheff Wed and Derby trying to get relegated, got notification play would start at 3pm in a 33 overs a side game.
Quick change into playing gear and off to the Broadgate area of Preston interesting to note that the game on Preston Cricket Club which was accross from where we were playing looked like it had been called off.
Losing the toss we were put in and on a low slow wicket never really got started a partnership of 30 between Duffield and Clayton was our only sign of resistance although Walters managed the end overs with a useful 14 not out, no one else really got in Duffers following his 50 last week top scored with 29 after my stella knock last week it was back to a round figure that is more common than me getting 50.
First ball off my ever so short impersonation of Stevie Wonder saw me just about hit a ball that bounced twice in fact only saw it after the second bounce due to sight screens not being in the right position and being slightly less white than normal
Hollinshurst bowled tightly got 4 wickets, Cunningham 3 and Hashimi 2, the last named had the most odd action all whirlwind arms never knew when he would lett go of the ball

The openers put on 20 mainly to Dawson who hit very straight and hard Gurusinghe fell first, we were then struggling as Dawson punished anything that was short or wide and looked as if they would cruise to victory, Dawson was then LB to the captain for 45 and we started to chip away at their batting,the captain who is in inspired form with ball and bat.
Duffers managed to prise another 4 out giveing him 5 wickets but Hashimi we couldn't shift and Vara slogged them to victory, creditable mention to Alex Conn bowled really well deserved a wicket they will come on another day
As for the ground perfect nick maybe the tide being out on the Ribble helped
Home this week yeah the ever lovely Cottam Hall



Broadgate Preston

[themaclad]

Only 9 games out of the scheduled 43 survived Saturday's rain and the oasis that is Cottam Hall was one of them, as with last week against BAE a shortened game was on the cards and the toss woul;d be vital.
Needless to say we lost the toss and were inserted much to the joy of the visiting players.
By the time Si on Pollard arrived which coincided with another rain break we were 11-2 Chris D chipping one to mid wicket and John M being LBW to Rawlings, John being particularly miffed as we were told to get teh cpvers ready and as soon as he was out off we went.
Game now down to 30 overs Ambrose Hallett swapping the charms of the sunny Middle East for swampy Lancashire wafted his way to 6 and we were now 29-3 when he departed.
The first real and probably only decent stand of the innings now took place as the Steve's Clayton and Richards they put on 35 before Steve Richards departed for 16, Phil C lasted 1 ball not overly happy with the decision, nxt out was Steve Clayton hamoered by a groin injury was well caught at mid on for 28.
Messers Conn and Mackay rallied the score to 77 before Alex was slightly unlucky to be run out following a fine stop and throw from a grounded position.
Mick B went for 2 and the final two wickets didn't last long, with Andy M unbeaten on 13 at teh end
The total of 88 probably wasn't enough and so it proved



A decent start by the visitors although both openers got a life from two half chances which went to hand but did not stick, Alex C finally took his first wicket of the season aided by a catch behind by John M standing up to the wicket Elphick soon followed Parry back to teh pavillion the same combination for us and 32-2 we were in with a sniff however Clarkson and Martin took the score to 62 before Clarkson was adjuged to be run out for 23, Martin then scopped Dave L to Alex and short cover 75-4 no further wickets and Postill's only scoring shot was a six which finished the game.
Fair play to the visitors they bowled and fielded well and our total was probably about 30 runs shy of what would have been a decent score.
A rest for teh seconds this weekend so no doubt the weather will be scorchio.

https://palaceshield.play-cricket.com/we...ts/4584757

[Devongone]

In all the years I played cricket I'd never heard of a batsman getting out and blaming the screens for being slightly less white than normal. Genius

I've seen no screens, screens that had sunk into outfield mud, screens that the batsman had moved in the wrong direction, screens the batsman forgot about when the bowler went round the wicket, screens that a myopic sprinting fielder crashed into when trying to prevent a boundary ....... but apple white or a bit grimy we were just pleasantly surprised they were there. By the way well done on the 50 earlier on, not bad to say you compare yourself to Stevie Wonder - how would he ever take a guard, you could have him batting at square leg if you wanted.

We did once have a father and 14 year old son combination in the team. Dad opened and got out first ball. Son laughed when dad came back in. Dad immediately middled son with his bat far more effectively than he usually managed with a ball. Bit of an embarrassing opening to an innings really.