Boom, Boom Sounds Over Milford Again

This week the first proper cricketing weather of the season saw South Milford 1st team play host to local rivals Church Fenton. Bright sunshine and temperatures hovering around 20 degrees seemed to make everyone keen & eager to play today.

Milford were arguable fielding their strongest team today with the return of captain Paul Hebden and vice captain Peter Batty. Also making a return were Billy Thompson and Sean Nesbitt.

Somehow Paul managed to win the toss and on what looked like a perfect batting track decided to bat. This proved to be the case as openers Stuart Morley & Peter Batty got us off to a excellent start. To be fair it was mostly Peter as he continued the form he showed in the 1st game of the season. Lovely drives & cuts were regularly finding the boundary.

The bookies were saved a big pay day when Stuart wasn't given out LBW this week. There were at least three shouts from the Fenton fielders but as we all held our breath he was judged not out. He was bowled in the 12 over by Adam Hanson after helping put on 46 runs for the opening partnership.

So pretty much even stevens after the opening dozen overs, only Fenton bowler Alex Wilman failing to settle into a good line and length. He proved expensive as Peter smashed 25 runs from his three overs. Just as we were getting to applaud Peters second half century in as many matches he was a bit late on one delivery and became Tom Dean's only wicket of the day. A bit of a dazed silence settle on the ground as most had expected Peter to get really big score the way he had been batting.

Fortunately this didn't stop the Milford charge as Dan White took on the role of chief tormentor of the Fenton bowling attack. Together with wicket keeper Alex Ward they pushed the score onto 175 in just 32 overs. Another big total looked in prospect. The 1st team had scored 248 in their first home game and something similar seemed to be on the cards.

The next couple of overs proved to be the turning point of the match. When Dan was on 42 he was dropped right in front of the pavilion at long on. To compound the fielders misery the ball rolled for a four. What a let off as it wasn't the hardest of chances. Dan made Fenton pay by hitting two sixes off Adam Hanson the following over to get into the fifties. There was some joy for Fenton when Kendal Edgely bowled Alex Ward shortly after. A nice knock of 22.

If Fenton thought this would be the start of a Milford collapse they were in for a shock as Dan was joined by his younger brother Ben. Initially Ben was happy to play sleeping partner to Dan even playing out a maiden over to Edgely. Dan at the other end was quickly going through the gears and knocked Fentons overseas player Stuart Turner out of the attack his three overs getting clobbered for 29.

Ben decided he would have some of that and smashed 26 runs of Edgely's final over. Milford now on 229 with 8 overs remaining. We looked likely to beat the 248 scored on the home match by some distance. Turner returned to the attack but had no improvement in his treatment by the Whites. Dan reaching his 100 in just 67 balls, his second fifty taking just 24 balls.

Around the same time Ben hit his half century taking just 30 deliveries. The runs were really flowing now and the score board was really rattling as the tile spun to keep up. The final 100 runs of the innings were scored at a rate of 2 a ball.

Eventually Ben holed out in the last over, a magnificent 71. An innings of just 43 balls with 6 sixes and 4 fours. Dan was able to carry his bat for a wonderful 138 no. His highest score for Milford. His stats are impressive. 91 balls faced, 8 sixes and 13 fours. Together with Ben they put on 129 runs for the 4th wicket in 13 overs.

So a very happy Milford team retired for teas. If the batting had been splendid the teas were more than a match. The Thompson family been responsible for them this week. What a spread. Every type of sandwich you could think of, rather spicy onion bahajis and much to the delight of the scorer, proper home made cream scones. Praise to Billy who had hand whisked the fresh cream for over an hour. I cannot repeat what he said when Sam Thomas turned up with an electric whisk shortly after he had completed the task. Never mind Billy I am sure you could tell the difference.

Surely Milford could defend 300+ ? Well 250 had proved not enough last time. The Swan Croft may be a bowlers graveyard at the moment. The wicket hard and flat with short boundaries and a lightning fast outfield. If you cannot score big when all this is in your favour you may need to get back into the nets.

A massive task faced the Fenton batsmen. Needing to score at around 7 an over they started well. Loz White taking the brunt of their attack and he was withdrawn from the attack after conceding 29 runs from his three overs. The hero of last week, Steve Winspear, seemed to be continuing from were he left off . A tight opening spell of 7 overs saw him go for just 19 runs, alas he wasn't able to pick up any wickets.

Sean Nesbitt replaced Loz at the pavilion end. In his second over one of the most unusual moments I have witnessed occurred. The last ball of the over was judged to have trapped Kendal Edgely LBW only moments later this decision was reversed by the square leg umpire who rightly spotted that the batsmen had hit it. Confusion rained and 5 penalty runs were awarded against Milford when something was said that shouldn't have.

The match went through a funny phase as the ripples from this incident slowly died down. Not only were Milford upset by it but Edgely never looked the same batsmen after it and was out 9 overs later just adding 4 to his score.

At drinks Fenton were 103 for 2, not completely out of it but they were going to have to put the foot on the gas if they were going to get close to our target. It would be down to how our 3rd & 4th change bowlers could keep down the run rate.

Simon Wilman and Aussie Stuart Turner started the second half of the innings facing bowling from the two Dan's. Ward & White. Dan Ward seemed to struggle every now and then but held himself together to be the only Milford bowler to complete a full 12 overs allocation. A return of 2 for 69 a fair reward for his efforts.

Turner was the 2nd batsmen of the day to fall one short of a fifty when he was bowled by Dan White. His last innings for Fenton as he returns to Australia next week. With 7 overs remaining Fenton still needed 100 runs and Paul Hebden brought back Sean Nesbitt and Steve Winspear into the attack. Run rate pressure told as wickets started to fall and once again Steve was in the thick of it. His second spell of 3.4 overs bringing him 4 for 17. The final wicket a beautiful ball which found the edge and a sharp catch from Dan White, who else today, wrapped up the six points today for us.

So one month into the season and Milford are on the crest of the wave, two local derby's won and the third match lost by a whisker. We now go onto to play perhaps the stronger teams in the 1st division so we will get a better idea of how we stand in another 4 weeks time but for now we have scored runs, got wickets and even had a little sunshine,warmth and cream scones.