It went to the last ball and...

On a damp, windy afternoon with the sun poking through...captain Nev must have ate the mushrooms growing on the outfield as he won the toss and chose to BAT?! After dropping the openers twice, Bare grafted to 25-0 off 10 overs with good opening spells from the mixture of youth and experience from Shires. A superb slip catch from Mousdale off the bowling of P.Yates (1-19) saw the back of chancer Osmotherley (12). after one of two good catches from Wilkinson Butty (42) and Bhardwaj (31) put on a solid 50 partnership until Archy lopped the last ball before drinks to S.Yates on the boundary off Mousdale (2-32). At 88-3 off 25 overs, Bare were pegged back in the next overs as Bray (2-32) doing some of the damage and Ganglam (2-34). Smith (14) tried to anchor the inning, but a) his lack of muscles (get some muscles you tart!) and b) he fell off a good catch from P.Yates. This left Cook (16 not out) and Albon (10 not out) to have a late flurry and get a par 148-7 off there 45 overs.
After a good tea and watching England capitulate, Bare got off to a good start with Oz (2-23) and Albon only going for 35-1 off the first 23 overs. Albon then took a spinning catrch to remove Wilkinson (21) as Shires looked to press the accelerator. Captain S.Yates (14) started with some lusty blows until Cook caught a rocket of a return catch, that could have ended his and the umpires life! The White (1-33) as a sheet got in the act removing Burns (41) after a super, classy knock from the youngster. Bray (26) helped get the run rate back to under 6 an over in the last 5 but was caught by Adrian off Cook (2-47). It went down to the last over and with the experienced P.Yates (21 not out) stranded at the non-strikers end, Coates (13 not out) hit 12 off the first 5 balls leaving a 6 to tie off the last ball that was hit ariel...for a single giving Bare a crucial winning draw. A great game played in a good spirit. That leaves Bare 14 points above 3rd placed Shires with 2 games in hand and 27 points behind Carnforth who they entertain next week with a game in hand over them. With a few players away, a big good luck to both teams, right of to Portsmouth I go!!!