No Doubt In Thomas

Two new faces in the first team this week, Andy Clark making his return to the team after getting over glandular fever which robbed us of his services earlier in the season and Sam Thomas. Sam making his first appearance in the team on merit rather than just covering for missing players as he had done previously.

The first proper cricketing weather season greeted our trip up the A1 to Kirk Hammerton, uninterrupted blue skies and temperatures up in the mid 20's. Last time we visited Hammerton the match ended in a tie.

When we arrived the ground looked a picture, the road up to the ground had been re-graded and the club had added a score hut on to the end of their pavilion.

Milford's skipper, Jonathan Mills, magic touch with the coin seems to have deserted him as for the second week running he lost the toss. Kirk Hammerton decided that our tans could do with a bit of topping up so put us in the field.

The Milford opening bowlers, Loz White & Steve Winspear, started brightly and the run rate kept commendably low. It must have been nice for a change to bowl on a dry, hard track with the ball going nicely through to the keeper. It wasn't till the 11th that Loz managed to get one delivery to sneak through Hammerton's openers, Liam Fisher, defence.

The warm weather made swapping the pace bowlers regularly the wise move and after 12 overs Jonathan Mills brought Andrew Clark into the attack. He certainly didn't show any after effects of his illness and was quicker than any of the other bowlers Milford had used this season to date. His line and length seemed good too and was soon causing the Hammeton batters problems. Andy eventually got his just rewards with the wicket of the dangerous Alex Main with a ball, which according to the batter, came back at least 8 inches to smash his wickets. Still classed as a junior and probably still not having much stamina Andy was taken off after 6 overs. Figures of 1-11 told how well he had bowled.

Once Clark left the attack Kirk Hammerton started pushing the score along, skipper Tom Main starting to find his rhythm and hit Adam Gee for 17 in his opening over. For once Adam didn't look comfortable and was bowling far too short. With Main and Hammerton #5, Alex Bramley, looking set a change in the bowling was needed.

Sam Thomas was brought into the attack, his leg spin been ideal on the nice dry wicket and the fairly large boundaries at Kirk Hammerton offering some protection. Initially Sam looked very nervous and his first two overs got a bit of tap but he was kept on for another over and made the much needed break through by bowling Tom Main for 41. If Sam's team mates had been on the ball he could have had a hat trick, his next delivery just went over the head of Steve Hall and the following ball should have been caught at deep mid off by Steve Winspear, I think Steve was looking at the pretty cows in the field behind him and he totally misjudged it. Sam was not to be denied and the cricketing gods smiled on him when a long hop was pushed straight into the hands of Dan White at point.

Suddenly the game changed and Milford were in the ascendancy, Adam Gee was brought back from the other end and despite still not bowling his usual quality picked up three wickets in one over. Along with Sam, who had settled down and was tying down the other end, we now had Hammerton wobbling on 187-9. Alex Bramley though was still in and playing a stylish innings, together with last man Mike Chambers, he engineered what turned out to be a match winning stand of 37. He really deserved a century for his efforts, but a miscounted over from the umpires left him stranded on 99 when Mike Chambers was caught behind the first ball of the 45th over. There is no justice in cricket. Certainly not when Elmer can finish with 4-63 after bowling that stuff.

Time for tea and a chance for me to get out of the sauna that the new score hut is. For some reason it has a perspex roof, which though makes it very light also heats up the box nicely. This was compounded by the home scorers wish to keep the door closed so none of the cooling light breeze made its way through. Kirk Hammerton always have nice teas and today was no exception, there is always something unusual on offer, this time cold burger with gherkin ??????

So back to the sauna for the Milford innings and the 4th different opening partnership of the season so far, Jonathan Mills and Alex Kinghorn. This proved unsuccessful as Alex was soon out with the score on just 10. Alex has yet to find his feet with the bat this season (that sounds some sort of yoga position !!!), but if he can get some runs he will start feeling more at home. Dan White came in at three and again played nicely till a loose shot gave a easy catch to a Hammerton fielder.

Once again Jonathan Mills was going to have to play the role of the glue to hold the Milford innings together and also keep the score ticking over so that we didn't fall too far behind the run rate. Alas when on 46 he found new bowler Chris Brown just a bit too quick and edged one to the keeper. Brown only bowling for the second time for Hammerton proved to be the difference, with good line and length and very respectable pace bowled his full 12 overs taking 3 wickets for just 37 runs. Along with spinner Liam Fisher at the other end, they strangled Milford’s reply. Once the much improved Stuart Morley and Paul Hebden were out the likely hood of us reaching the Kirk Hammerton total was gone. Stuart's innings was his best to date and he looked back to something like his usual form. Paul was unlucky when run out to a direct hit when trying to pinch the strike.

Milford's innings nearly imploded when we lost 4 wickets for no runs with the score on 145 but Sam Thomas and Adam Gee showed some grit and saw us through to the close. They resisted the Hammerton attack for 6 overs and collected a deserved batting point. Adam finished with 13 no and Sam 6 no. Adam now thinks he's an all rounder !!!!

(Is it me or are these match reports getting longer ?)