We arrived at The Heys at the usual time of 1pm. After winning the toss, we were batting (this we lived to regret).
With the return of Andy Jones and the up and coming talent of youngster Mike Ferguson at the top of the order, we thought we had a stable base in which to build a big score. When Mike was removed cheaply, in came Mike Mangnall. As he got half way to the wicket, he suddenly remembered something vitally important….. HIS BAT.
The top order really didn’t play well with regular wickets tumbling. 8-2 turned quickly into 30-5. When Matt Smith strolled to the crease we thought we may have turned a corner, with him hitting 9 from his first 3 deliveries. Unfortunately that thought was short lived with Matt getting a leading edge and being caught by mid-wicket.
Of very few highlights of the innings, the batting of Joe Walmsley and Andy Heaver was superb. In a very shaky position of 50-7, they took us up to 102-8, with Andy getting 44. In came Raj who didn’t last very long. Then in I came and made 8*. The innings was ended when Joe was bowled, leaving Roytonians 113 to win.
With Walshy and Wardy opening up, we thought we had a good chance of an early wicket. This wasn’t the case. We had very few chances in the first few overs. After a while the bowlers got a little frustrated when their opener could not play a shot in front of square. When Cheshire finally made the break through just before drinks with the score on 50, we thought we had a really good chance.
Just after drinks break Cheshire again got a wicket with the batsmen chipping it straight to me at mid-wicket. Back came Walshy who picked up a wicket with the first and fourth ball of his second spell, leaving them 92-4. Then when Raj took the next wicket, the spirit of us all lifted. But unfortunately it was short lived with them hitting consecutive boundaries off Walshy leaving them needing one to win.
When the ball was skyed to mid-on we thought ‘YES’ another wicket, but we then turned to see Andy Jones under it L. All you could see was him elegantly moving through the air for the catch. He fell to the ground like a sack of spuds. Followed shortly by the ball landing five yards away… the batsmen completed the required run and it was game over. All you could hear from the clubhouse was… HAHAHAHAHA
Report by Nick Carter.
