Losers Write Match Reports

On another sunny day Houghton Main made the short trip to Wath. Looking for their first league victory of the season, Captain Brown won the toss and elected to bat first.

Runs off the bat were hard to come by early on but young opener Joel Gunn elected to aid the Houghton Main batsmen with a string of no balls, however, neither batsmen were able to take advantage of the free hit rule, although one did go to the boundary eventually. It was a free hit that seemed to be the undoing of Brent Law, following missing out on one, this time from Stephen Johnson, Law played all round a straight one and was bowled for 2, 14 for 1.

Luke Ogden joined Michael Brown but it was the set man that was next to go, Jack Whitlam replacing Gunn and Brown adjudged LBW for 13. The home side continued to ring the changes with Rob "Bowler's name?" Barlow next into the attack and he was the next man to pickup a wicket, Ogden caught at mid-wicket. "Barlow" was the response from the Wath man, clearly delighted with the rank long hop he'd unfurled to claim the wicket, 48 for 3 the score at this point.

Dan Guest joined Connor Fisher who was digging in for his side. Guest played arguably the shot of the innings, an extra cover drive all along the carpet off Gunn, trying his luck from the other end. A free hit was finally punished by Fisher, lofting Gunn gloriously over long off for 6 which seemed to kick start his innings. The pair added 30 before Guest prodded one to slip off Shawn Hopkins. Simon Ward came and went for 9, lobbing Hopkins to long on before Luke Salisbury and Usman Khan both missed straight ones off the same bowler for 5 and 1 respectively. In the mean time, Michael Flathers was introduced and saw Dylan Smythe adjudged LBW on the sweep with the first ball of his spell.

With wickets and overs in short supply, Fisher looked to accelerate, a full toss and a long hop from Flathers receiving the same treatment, deposited high and long over mid wicket. Fisher passed his half century and added 39 with James Exley before a big shot fell just short of the boundary to see him caught for 75 off the returning Johnson. Michael Bates trudged out to the crease after scoring and imparting scoring wisdom upon Simon Ward. James Exley agreed that ones and twos would be collected for the remaining 9 balls of the innings before promptly chipping it to mid on from the first of those deliveries. Michael Bates trudged off. The Houghton Main innings closed on 175 all out from 38.4 overs.

The Wath innings got underway with James Barnard and Rob Barlow facing Usman Khan. With recent criticisms of how bowling innings had started ringing in the Houghton Main ears, Khan unleashed a beamer that went for 5 first ball. No ball, free hit, first and final warning. True to form as it had been all day, the free hit went unhit as Barnard attempted to clear the scoreboard. He was the first man to go however, an inswinging delivery from Khan beating his attempted cut. bowled for 6. Dylan Smythe was introduced into the attack early on and it paid off, Rob Barlow ending the unanimously agreed "worst innings he's ever played" by chipping tamely to mid on for 7.

Michael Flathers and Jory Bannister came together and built a partnership. Connor Fisher replaced Khan and was unlucky to go wicketless early on before becoming a touch expensive towards the end of his spell. Fisher was replaced by Bates, who in the battle of the big cheese spinners also took a wicket in his first over. Slightly more impressively bowling Flathers through the gate for 30. Will Cooper joined Bannister who was next to fall, LBW attempting a sweep off Bates, again another genuine spinner's wicket some may say...

James Exley returned for an over but was expensive following Dylan Smythe's spell finishing. After one over Khan replaced Exley and seemingly turned the game on its head, bowling Harrison Knowles for 1, before bowling Jack Whitlam the very next ball and then completing his hat-trick by trapping Jonathan Plater LBW first ball, to leave the score 115 for 7 ish (because scoring on a laptop is hard...)

Joel Gunn joined Cooper and the pair dug in with Cooper blocking Bates but scoring from the other end. As Bates' and Khan's spells finished, Cooper upped the ante batting in a more aggressive fashion, peppering the leg side boundary. Gunn was finally removed by Fisher smartly taking a caught and bowled whilst back pedaling for 10. The moment of the game came and went for the visitors, Cooper was deceived by the returning Exley's slower ball, skying it in the circle, only for it to be dropped.

The game still had a further twist as Shawn Hopkins nicked off to Exley for 0, with the last ball of his spell and the penultimate over, Exley had one ball to remove Stephen Johnson, producing a yorker on cue it was just slightly leg side and the LBW shout was turned down. Connor Fisher had the responsibility of bowling the last over and attempting to protect 5 runs. The first ball was a dot, a cry of anguish from Cooper. The second ball was a dot and suddenly Cooper appeared to have cramp. The third ball was in the slot and was deposited way over the mid wicket for 6 by Cooper for him to win the game, and have his cramp miraculously cured as he sprinted off to join his team mates after producing a match winning, unbeaten 77. Wath chasing down the target with 1 wicket and 3 balls remaining.

Houghton Main look to finally get a league victory as they travel to Conisbrough next week.