Main Debutantes Have a Day Out

Following the long delay due to the COVID-19 situation, the 2020 season got underway with risk assessments, social distancing and hand sanitation measures aplenty. With the ground looking in excellent condition even after four days of rain, the visitors, Wickersley from the Yorkshire South Premier League elected to bat.

Usman Khan and James Exley took the new ball and it was the former who struck first, a big inswinging delivery beating the defences of Nathan Taylor for him to be bowled for 1. Given that last time Houghton Main took early wickets against Wickersley they got 370, the hosts knew not to get ahead of themselves. True to form, a partnership grew between the aggressor Dave Rodgers, supported by Adam Bashford. Rodgers punishing anything too full, short or wide as he raced to 50 from just 33 balls.

Captain Brown looked to change it up with the introduction of spin from both ends, Michael Bates and the first new man to be involved, Dylan Smythe. Rodgers hit Smythe for a couple of maximums over the leg side before Smtyhe got his man. A top edged sweep caught well over his shoulder running back from mid-wicket with a dive for good measure from Connor Fisher, Rodgers departing for 65 from 47 balls. Thomas Knight came and went after struggling, dragging a wide one from Bates on to the stumps for 6 to leave the visitors 94 for 3. Bates was taken out of the attack after a typically miserly 6 overs 1 for 11 before another new man, Umair Tariq was introduced.

Tariq struggled to find a length but did pick up the wicket of Adam Bashford who had been playing the anchor role, a short ball keepning low and skidding on into the stumps. Callum Honeyman replaced Smythe and picked up a couple of quick wickets as the Wickersley side was in danger of stalling, Jack Eggleston shouldered arms and kicked a straight one, LBW for 5 before Luke Roddison somehow managed to deflect a ball off several parts of his body and on to the stumps.

At 137 for 6, Jack Roberts joined captain Gareth Purshouse who was nicely ticking along at a run a ball, the pair added 51 before the returning Exley did for Roberts with a slower ball, skied to extra cover and caught by Bates. Exley added two more wickets at the death bowling Charlie Harrison for 2 and Jonathan Allan for 7. The Wickersley innings closed on 208 for 9 with Gareth Purshouse unbeaten on 52.

After a socially distanced tea with Simon Ward winning this week's "best tea" prize, Brown and another new man, Brent Law opened the batting. Michael Brown looked to have had a mentality transplant over the lengthened break picking up early boundaries, the Houghton Main innings was also helped by a number of early wides.

The opening pair passed 50 in their first innings together before calamity struck. Brown calling Law through for a single before Law slipped running wide on the astroturf, following the new rules, Brown ignored that his partner was on the floor continuing to run before turning in slow motion to attempt to regain his ground. In a show of sportsmanship the Wickersley captain instructed the keeper to not break the stumps. In an equal show of sportsmanship Brown nicked off to the same keeper two balls later to depart for 34, 59 for 1 the score at the time.

Law continued for a short time afterwards but struggled with timing before slicing a drive to backward point to be dismissed for 25. Two new men were now at the crease playing their first innings for the club, Umair Tariq and Connor Fisher both looked circumspect at first before growing in to a partnership. Wickersley rotated their bowlers but were unable to break the partnership early on. The pair added 78 to take the score to 150 for 3 before Tariq was bowled by the returning Charlie Harrison for 34. Callum Honeyman timed a nice boundary down the ground before being tapped LBW by the same man for 5.

The run rate threatened to creep up but with Fisher now in, three balls were deposited for 14 to make the chase much more manageable and in fitting fashion it was Fisher that ended the game with a boundary to be not out om 76 from 69 balls. Houghton Main chasing down the target to win by 6 wickets with 7 balls remaining. Danny Guest was the other not out batsman making 7.