Winning habit continues as 2nds climb to second in league
Epperstone were the visitors to GLA on a beautiful warm sunny day & were delighted to have won the toss & bat on a cracking wicket. However, the boys again put in an admirable performance with the ball sending down 35 of the 45 allotted overs between them picking up wickets at fairly regular intervals. With Kevin managing to send down ten more & collecting five wickets into the bargain, Epperstone were restricted to 177-8 when the innings closed.
Dave Dean replaced the Coach, who had departed for the East Coast, at the top of the order & he was an admirable spectator as DFD continued where he left off the previous week taking a shine to the Epperstone bowling. When DD had to retire hurt having been shot in the calf, a familiar wobble ensued. Despite Billy Bennett & Ryan Evans getting into double figures, they both returned to the Pav along with Beefy for a well made 70. With forty odd still required & six men back in the hutch, it was becoming squeaky bum time. But fear not Captain Nester joined Kev at the crease and eased us passed the required target with an over to spare.
Another 19 points and up to the nosebleed, dizzy heights of second place.
MOM Kevin Evans, rolling back the years!
Slight improvement but defeat for 1sts at Hucknall
On a gorgeous sunny day at a beautiful looking New Gatehouse Ground, the 1st XI suffered another defeat. In a bizarre game, Hucknall batted first and set off as if they were going to post 300+ (well at least Maxwell did!). Despite Billy Armstrong taking 2 early wickets, Maxwell battered the bowling to all parts, as 17-2 became 72-2 in the blink of an eye with the aforementioned Maxwell scoring all but four of them! We needed to get him out badly. Ginger Bill snared another & Dickon clung on to a caught and bowled chance but Maxwell remained. However, with the score on 111 (what else) & Maxwell still charging along on 77 an incredible turn of events swung the game strongly towards Calverton. Richard Lee, standing up to the stumps, took a leg side delivery (yes another wide) from Dickon, whipped off the bails for a superb stumping. The appeal was made and the Umpire raised his finger. The batsman, Thompson, then wandered out of his crease & the fielders gathered to celebrate. The Umpire then changed his mind, saying that the wickets had been broken before Rich had taken the ball?! Confused you will be! So the batsmen duly returned to his crease to the amazement of all concerned to resume his innings with Maxwell still stood at the non-strikers end. The very next ball Dickon bowled, Thompson wound up for an almighty crash & mistimed a catch back to the bowler. Dickon duly dropped it but this was all part of the cunning master plan as he diverted the ball onto the stumps at the non-strikers end to run Maxwell out!! The very next over that Dickon bowled, Thompson, probably still bemused from occurrences the previous over, danced down the wicket (again) and was stumped (again) but this time there was no reprieve, without doubt the most entertaining duck he will ever score! With Brinsley Kirkham bowling really well amongst all the mayhem at the other end & taking a further wicket, Hucknall had now been reduced to 125-7. All this and the game was only 24 overs old!
The game then returned to some sort of normality with numbers 8 and 9 batting really well, nudging the ball around intelligently & Matt Dean & Brinsley putting the brakes on the run rate bowling 18 overs for 54 runs between them. Unfortunately the seamers did not fare so well as the rate picked up again towards the end of the innings and a total which could have been 300 then 150 finally ended up at 215 all out with an over unused.
So 216 from 49 overs on a good wicket and lightning fast outfield was not to daunting. However, after just 10 overs of the reply, the innings was in tatters. Despite wide after wide being bowled, only the Skipper looked up to the challenge again as four wickets tumbled. Michael Nester joined Scott & they put us back in with a shout taking the score to 109 before the Captain perished for 49. Derek Pickering joined Nester Junior & the score moved along rapidly to 136 until both were out in quick succession. The innings was soon wrapped up after that & thanks again to a plethora of wides (24), a total of 167 was 48 short.
Despite the defeat, the 1sts actually moved off the bottom of the table as Newstead were beaten more heavily than Calverton!
With 4 more noughts being registered during the innings, future ground improvements could well see the addition of a pond being installed at the top end of the ground in the shade of the woods. There have now been 17 ducks recorded in 4 games this season for the 1st XI; at least they will have a home!!
MOM Brinsley Kirkham, controlled spell amongst the carnage.
The 2nd XI got back to winning ways in a high scoring encounter at Wymeswold.
Having first use of their own pitch & despite an early wicket for Kyle Welch, the batsmen soon got the upper hand on a green but firm, true wicket. Thirty of the allocated overs were bowled by The Boys (Kyle, Ryan & Will) with the Old Stagers Kevin Evans & DFD trundling down the remainder. All of them took at least one wicket & a closing total of 219-8 was nothing more than a par score.
DFD & Coach Leafe were entrusted with opening the batting & what a turnaround. Fresh from two consecutive ducks in the 1st XI, the dropped DFD took a liking to the Wymeswold attack and together with the Head Coach put on 148 for the opening wicket, Coach finally succumbing for 46. A mini wobble then followed (it would not be Calvo without one somewhere!) as two further quick wickets fell, but Beefy was still there & when he was joined by his ex County colleague Kev, the two of them saw us home in some comfort. Beefy carrying his bat for a splendid 127 not out.
19 points gained and up the table we go.
MOM DFD, rolling back the years.
1st XI slump to defeat again
Radcliffe on Trent were the latest visitors to come & conquer the 1st XI at GLA. In an all to familiar and completely unforgettable day, a lack lustre performance saw all the players (well the home ones anyway) in the bar by 6.
Batting first, Captain Scott Andrew fought a losing battle single handedly as batsman after batsman tossed there wickets away against what can only be described as a modest bowling attack. Being bowled out with ten overs unused was bad enough but taking into account there were 23 wides & the Captain scoring 55 whilst putting on 40 for the last wicket with Dave Gleave, a total of 116 can only be described as derisory.
Despite taking an early wicket & two more by the time the score had reached fifty, Radcliffe reached the target (sic) without any alarms in just 22 overs.
With the current availability problems, injuries etc, credit must be given to the Selection Committee for getting two teams out this weekend & thanks to the players who did turn out and play for both teams.
Saturday Washed Out - Sunday XI Bombed Out!
As with the vast majority of games in Nottinghamshire on Saturday both the 1st XI fixture at home to Gotham and the 2nd XI game at Oxton were both cancelled due to rain.
The Sunday XI probably wished the same could be said for Sunday!
Having made the trek to Claypole, Fleas Fledglings were greeted by a wicket that hadn't been rolled due to mechanical failure and an outfield that looked like it had not seen a mower/cow/goat for some considerable time.
The less said about the game the better. Claypole struck a 'huge' 93 which was a good score given the aforementioned circumstances. In reply Calverton battled their way to 60 all out. Fortunately nobody was hurt too badly.
MOM The Ground!
Improvements, but two defeats
After last weeks thrashing by Clifton, the 1st XI travelled to Eastwood for the second league fixture of the season.
Batting first 30 odd for one soon became 30 odd for 3, but two steadying partnership on a difficult wicket to score on between Tom Hodgkinson & Callum Jayes & then Tom & Billy Armstrong saw the total gradually climb. However another collapse at the end saw a final total of 142 posted, 20 or so short was the popular opinion and that's just how it panned out.
Following a sumptuous tea and after 14 overs of bowling in normal conditions the rain started. O.k it wasn't incessant but it was hard enough to wet everywhere and make it difficult to bowl with a ball resembling a bar of soap. With the tight wide rule being applied, we really didn't have the best of the conditions. But the bowlers stuck to the task pretty well considering and Eastwood limped over the line with three wickets in tact.
An improvement on week one lets hope it continues.
MOM Tom Hodgkinson, patient innings.
Meanwhile the 2nd XI opened there Division F campaign at home to East Leake.
A disappointing effort with the bat was enlightened by a super fifty from Billy Bennett as Calverton were bowled out for 149. East Leake knocked the runs off with 5 wickets down.
MOM Billy Bennett, super knock.
The Sunday XI carried on from last week and now have 2 wins from 2 games.
Despite 23 from Eddie Lee, the innings was looking decidedly dodgy on 65-5 until Derek Pickering & Matt Ingham came together with a splendid partnership of 77 taking the score to respectability and ensuring the boys would have something to bowl at. With the Chairman still there at the end a final score of 166-8 was very respectable and ensured the young uns would have a game.
The most senior bowler used was the veteran 15 year old Kyle Welch who took 3-13 in an excellent spell of bowling ably supported by all the lads who turned their arms over as Clumber Park were bowled out 36 runs short of the target. A super effort by Fleas Fledglings - say we are top of the league, say we are top of the league!
MOM The Gang of Six who bowled so well.
|
