Audlem 1st XI pull off unlikely win

Audlem 1st team welcomed Trinity to Gorse Croft farm on Saturday with the half way point of the season now reached. The earlier encounter had seen Audlem just edge home with a 10-run victory and another tight encounter was much expected.

Skipper Chris Shenton won the toss and, on what seemed like a dry hard wicket, decided to bat first. Openers Andrew Capper and the skipper went out to bat determined to put last week's 50 all out to the back of their minds and put on good opening partnership.

All seemed to be starting well as Capper hit hree early boundries in an attempt to put Trinity on the back foot. But this soon changed as he was very unlucky to play on to one of R Higginbotham's in swingers for 13. Oliver Burney soon followed him as he did not learn from Capper's dismisal as he was bowled leaving one that pitched outside off stump and again swung in.

TroubleAudlem were once again in trouble. With only 22 runs on the board thoughts of last week's total were seeping in as nerves began to set in. Tom Measures now joined Shenton at the crease and a mini revival began. Measures dug in as Shenton went after the bowling and the score pushed onto 45 before Shenton (30) was given LBW to a length ball from Higgenbotham that kept low.

Wilson soon followed to a very sharp catch at slip off the bowling of S Fernades, followed quickly by Leese, Rothwell and Toraman. The last three fell to the bowling of Higgenbotham, who was bowling with good control and intelligence, and was giving Audlem all sorts of problems.

Audlem were now deep in trouble and once again staring at the possiblity of been bowled out for less then 100. With the score on 82, seven wickets gone and only 17 overs to go, Audlem need a minor miracle as they had it all to do. Neil Humphries joined Measures at the crease who, up until now, had found scoring very hard to come by.

What came next was a partnership that may just have changed the fortunes of the season for the 1st team. The left handed Humphries took the initiative as he led the charge on the Trinity bowling including the the impressive Higgenbotham (who finished 6 for 39).

Humphries played some fantastic shots as he mixed big hitting with intelligent running between the wickets. He brought up his fifty off 39 balls and his confidence seemed to effect Measures who, up until now, had played as supporting role and only scored 29 runs himself.

Both players went on the attack as a stunned Trinity did not know what was happening to them. When Humphries was out for 58, both he and Measures had taken the score onto 183 (a partnership of 101 runs had come off 13 overs). The credit really goes to Humphries whose aggression really changed the balance of the game. Measures, with the help of Elkes and Woodcock, carried on this aggression, scoring 68no as Audlem finished on 205 after their 48 overs.

In the space of seventeen overs the Audlem dressing room mood and atmosphere had completely changed. From the prospect of having a small target to protect to suddenly having 205 runs to defend, had lifted the mood of the Audlem camp.

PositiveEven though Audlem knew bowling out Trinity would be no easy matter, all the players went out to field in a positive fame of mind which seemed to have a massive effect on both the bowling and the fielding.

The dangerous M Myatt was first to go as he was out to Lyndon Woodcock in the 1st over of the innings, caught in the deep to an impressive catch by Kemal Toraman. Stuart Elkes soon joined in on the action as he took the wicket of the other opener, A Fryer, again caught on the boundary to an equally impressive catch to the safe hands of Oliver Burney.

At this point Humphries was introduced to the attack. He had not finished with his say on the game as he took a wicket in his first over. He had S Ferades LBW for 20 runs, and Audlem now sniffed blood as three wickets had fallen with only 39 runs on the board.

Audlem were now putting immense pressure on the Trinity batting bowling with excelent control backed up by some very good fielding. With the pressure building, the inevitable happened and Trinity wickets began to fall. One highlight was Stuart Elkes taking a catch at deep mid off. Elkes fell to the ground with the Audlem players not knowing if, first, Elkes had kept hold of the ball and secondly, had gone over the boundry. A scream of delight from Elkes signalled to the rest of his team mates that he had taken the very difficult catch.

From here on in it was not case of Trinity chasing the score down but whether Audlem could take the remaining four wickets as Trinity, led by their captain, A Tweddle, dug in a hope of denying Audlem their much needed win.

All spinThis led to Shenton bringing back Woodcock to the attack as Audlem went with an all-spin attack with the impressive Humphries with the Audlem fielders crowding both batsmen. The left-handed Tweddle fell to one of Woodcock's off spinners that turned sharply, taking his edge, and falling to the safe hands of Elkes.

This was the beginning of the end for Trinity. The following over Humphries took a fantastic return catch leaving Audlem two wickets away from victory and deep into the tail. Humphries then cleaned up in his following over as he took the last two wickets thanks again to excellent Audlem fielding as both Shenton and Wilson took two very good reaction catches close in.

Audlem had pulled of a great win which had once looked a million miles away. Credit has to go to both Humphries and Measures who helped recover the innings to give the Audlem bowlers something to defend. What followed was as an excellent team effort in the field in which every single Audlem player contributed with either a brilliant piece of fielding or bowling. A top effort of both character and determination.

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