Shambles by the Sea

After 9 months of no cricket, getting excited after a friendly, only for it to be followed up with a bye, the 2020 South Yorkshire Championship finally got underway with Houghton Main making the first trip of their regional group, 70 miles to Cleethorpes.

With heavy rain forecast for later in the afternoon, and the decision to re-introduce Duckworth Lewis after last week's interesting interpretations, Captain Brown won the toss and elected to bowl on what is typically an excellent batting surface. Houghton Main needed to get out of the blocks quickly but didn't seem to realise that, Usman Khan's first legal delivery costing 9 runs an early example. The Cleethorpes captain Bill Kirkby rotated the strike well whereas his partner Callum Carter threw in a few interesting hoicks at times.

The partnership looked like it may have been broken with the introduction of Callum Honeyman, Carter chipping his first delivery down the ground, however it continued to carry and cleared the boundary with ease. The partnership was finally broken on 99, Dylan Smythe who had looked the most threatening of the visiting bowlers having Carter stumped for 57. Smythe nearly made it two, new man Jordan Cook nicking through a vacant first slip early on.

The pair added 47 before Kirby was bowled by the returning Khan for 60 after a couple of Cook chances had been put down. Keeper Tom Rollinson made a run a ball 22 before being Khan's second wicket, caught by Dylan Smythe. Cook took advantage of the chances he'd been given to make 71 before being dismissed, caught in the deep by Brent Law off the bowling of Connor Fisher. The home side's innings closed on an impressive 237 for 4.

The Houghton Main response needed a strong start but didn't get it as Michael Brown nicked off to slip for a single, although there was some debate about a possible bump ball, Brown didn't hang around to find out. Connor Fisher joined Brent Law and the pair looked to build a partnership and the pair added 25 before Fisher was adjudged caught behind off his thigh pad for 6. 26 for 2 became 26 for 4 as Callum Honeyman was bowled for a duck before Brent Law was caught and bowled for 13.

Simon Ward and Danny Guest attempted to up the ante, Ward in particular racing away to start his innings. The introduction of the spin of Cook did for Guest however, bowled through the gate attempting to use his feet. Cook then did for Ward with a rank longhop that the Houghton Main keeper could only sky and be caught by his opposite number, Ward top scoring with 14.

As the thunder and lightning approached, Dylan Smythe and Usman Khan were on a hiding to nothing, Khan smeared a couple of boundaries through the leg side and Smythe was trapped LBW just as the heavens opened. With the visitors 67 for 7 at the time and the Duckworth Lewis par score nothing short of a miracle away, the captains agreed to call it there. Houghton Main needing to be 186 for 7 from 17 overs and coming up just the small matter of 118 runs short.