Cricket Report

Cricket Report

Saturday 17 May Audlem CC .v. Burslem CC NSSC Cricket League

Burslem won the toss and elected to bat

Burslem 197 for 5 ( 40 overs ) Audlem 200 for 9 ( 40 overs )

This game had so many twists and turns that writing a synopsis on the progress of the match as it unfolded would take up far too much space in the news items on Audlem online...

But it all came to a dramatic conclusion off the very last ball of the match with Audlem requiring 4 runs for an unlikely victory against the league leaders. Burslem on the other hand needed to restrict their hosts to two runs or obtain the final wicket to claim the spoils.

Everyone's nerves were on edge as the bowler sent down the final delivery but in what seemed like an eternity the ball was dispatched back over his head for a maximum to seal a remarkable win.

Vijayan Rahul was the hero of the hour with the winning 6, bringing up his half century in just 29 deliveries ( he had also claimed two victims in Burslem's innings ). When Rahul came into bat at number 9 the score was 134 with just 8 overs remaining, and 64 runs required an Audlem win would have received very long odds at the bookmakers .

The undoubted star of the day was Rahul but the victory was built round a solid team performance with everyone playing their part in the final outcome. Earlier in the day opening bowlers' Jake Topping & Abhijith Jayan had both bowled beautifully to restrict the visitors alongside Bertie Hardy & Simon Swift and at the halfway point of Burslem's innings they were in trouble with a below par 56 for 4 off 20 overs. All-rounder Dave Parkinson also sent down 7 economical overs when he was relieved of his wicket keeping duties and contributed a very valuable 26 runs in the reply including a fine 50 run partnership with Ben Sailsbury ( 33 ). A mention too for skipper Chris Shenton ( 21 ) & Dave Blatherwick ( 15 ) who got the team off to a good start adding 31 for the first wicket in good time & also Bertie chipping in with a solid 12 in the middle order.

This game will go down in the memory of everyone that took part and will be talked about for many seasons to come as Burslem are a fine all-round team and are strong favorites to top the division .

For those old enough to remember Bjorge Lillelien the legendary Norwegian football commentator from 1981 he might have come up with something like this... Robbie Williams.. Sir Stanley Matthews.. Phil Taylor.. Josiah Wedgwood.. Lemmy Kilminster.. William Clowes.. John Rudge ... can you hear me ?? your boys took a hell of a beating , your boys took a hell of a beating..

Sunday 18 May Audlem CC .v. Hodnet & Peplow CC

Hodnet won the toss and elected to bat after requesting a 35 overs per side game. Matt Watkins ( 18 ), Muhammad Wasif ( 53 retired not out ), Harry Freeman ( 32 ) & Sean Barclay ( 20 ) were the main contributors to the visitor's score as they closed on 146 for 5 off their allocation of overs. Steve Neale did the bulk of the damage for Audlem bowling his 5 overs for only 9 runs whilst claiming 3 scalps. Dave Parkinson & Irfan Shaik were the other wicket takers for the hosts. Audlem's run chase was dominated by the power hitting of Sai Krishna and the more stylish innings of Michael Burton who both compiled unbeaten half centuries after crossing the line in the 16th over. Irfan also contributed with 26 in the winning total of 149 for 3

Next Saturday the league X1 travel to Silverdale CC ( 1.00pm start )whilst the following day their Sunday counterparts' journey to the Wirral to play old friends, Burton CC ( 1.30pm start )