"Sun is shinin' in the sky
There ain't a cloud in sight
It's stopped rainin' ev'rybody's in a play
And don't you know
It's a beautiful new day hey,hey"

Mr Blue Sky - ELO.


Oh, why can't every Saturday be this good?

12 bells and I role up at The Main, with a fair gathering of 1s and 2s. The Elsecar loanees have pulled out, Ell-I-Am (broken finger) and Ross (working). Ada and Matty have been brought in from the 2s. We set off to Edlington with a real belief of making it 2 in 2, even tho our paid lads were missing.

The Mercury showed 27 at Yorkshire Mains ground so only a light warm up for the 10 Wombwell lads, things were very quiet, and yes we only had 10, put 2 and 2 together and we were missing Sprucy. I'd been trawling t'internet for some new drills and had plucked a couple of beauties for us to do with no time to use the Vortex We did our warm ups and Rich won the toss and put them in.

1:25 number 11 finally arrived. Sprucy had decided to join us. Rich gave us our pep talk and sent us out.

CC opened the bowling, down the hill and put in the spell of his life, Matty from the other end trundling up the hill, toiling away. CC got the break through with a juggling catch from Miami Joe, with CC growling at him, Miami dare not drop it. Matty took his deserved wicket, which brought Sykes to the crease. Matty had him nailed on in front of all 3, but the appeal was turned down, what? CC continued with his cracking spell, 10 overs 1 wicket for not many runs. Fantastic opening spell, his years sabbatical had paid off. Miami came on for Matty and struggled so Sprucy replaced him and went about sledging all and every body even the local traveling comunity, before been tanked for a HUGE 6, straight over the screen. CC had run his last and the returning Bondi lad replaced him, balling from the pavilion end and Tonksy coming on from the bottom in place of Spruce.

Yorks Main had reached 90+ for 2 with Sykes well on his way to a cultured 69, but the combined effects of Tonka and Bondi dragged Wombwell back into the driving seat, with some great catching to back up their effects. Ada and Sprucy both bagging a brace of catches, with Sprucys second for the cameras and the home fans, who had been giving him plenty for his earlier antics. Tonka got rid of the impressive Sykes giving him 4 wickets. Desperate to get 5 he found a second wind and pushed again. At the other end Bondi was spinning his way to his first 3 wicket haul in....... Well yonks. Tonksy finally took his deserved 'Michelle' and looked to be running out of steam, but balling 11 overs in the searing heat taking 5-28 was no mean feet. Tinman was called to warm up, "put your money wea your mouth is Tinman" was the call, Bondi saved his bacon bagging the last wicket cleaned bowled, finishing with 3-35. Yorkshire Main all out 141, things could have been a whole lot better if one of our 4 or 5 decent LB appeals had been given.

Tea

Fantastic cake, ask Bondi. Nothing else to write home about, Sprucy went to Greggs!!!

Tinman and Tonka opened up and seemed to want to knock off the 141 runs on their own. Tonka was making things look easy playing shots to all parts. He finally holed out on 38, but after his balling stint, 90 minutes batting and his late night Friday the young stud had run out of juice, literally. Nathan joined Tinman and was given out LBW, yes we were playing for LBs, even tho it had hit him in the groin!!!! Ada and Tinman got us within 30 before Ada was cleaned up by an over excited 40+ baller, calm down lad you'll do yourself and injury!!! The Dad of the team was in 5, Tinman was looking to be really struggling with the heat so us middle order batters had to try to see us home. First innings of the season and I lasted 1 ball, another LBW, just like frigging buses, I'd middled it on to my pads, but the Monoply guy had triggered me and the over excited bowler had made a mess of himself, thanks a bunch.

Sprucy still found time to have a 40 yard argument with their stumper about the overs remaining, they wanted the overs to tick over as they thought that they had a chance, we needed 18 off 18......... overs, not balls Bondi strode to the wicket and helped Tinman reach his 50, before getting one that cleaned him up too. Miami saw us home with a no nonsense 7 not out, but the innings belonged to Tinman who carried his bat for 63 not out, a fantastic innings of endurance and stamina, not like his love making, so I'm told!!!

We were all thrilled with the performance and more importantly the win, Miami reminded us we were 6 and 0, and yes we had reached June without defeat. We decided to have a drink with their lads to show that there was no hard feelings, Sprucy declined the offer and shot back to Wombwell!!!!

MOM. Although Tinman saw us home with the bat and the two Chris's bowled great spells, theres no denying Matthew Tonks was the stand out performer.

Quote of the day. "Rich your captain, you should lead by example", in a very flustered and angry manor " well we'll all rip his throat out then", classic, I feel a jacket is required next week!!!!

Selection committee have another difficult meeting with the Elsecar loanees due back, but with the middle order not performing, who knows?

Till next time.........