Match Report by Marcus Webster

After a week off, Wyre 1st XI were back at it against Fylde at Moorland Road in a highly anticipated local Derby, knowing a win would not only achieve bragging rights in the factories, workshops and swanky Bistro’s on the Breck Road, but all but seal qualification to the latter stages - What the ‘latter stages’ actually are, nobody actually knows...

Regarding team news, there were two changes to the previous game against Blackpool, with Polly and Steve Clayton back in to the side.

Despite the rare good weather over the last couple of days, the outfield still felt a little damp, and the wicket extremely green. As Steve strolled out for the toss, we were mostly in agreement to stick with our winning formula, I.e. bat first. Steve lost the toss, but we were put in to bat anyway, ‘everyone’s a winner, tete de veau’, as Del Boy would say... Well, everyone except Kenny, who wanted to bowl first.

Tim and Steve got things under way, looking for a repeat of the solid start in our previous outing. However this wasn’t to be due to some accurate opening bowling - Steve uncharacteristically swiped at one outside off and nicked it behind, blaming it on having to order some bricks in the morning, and Tim soon followed after being bowled.

This brought Kenny and myself to the crease, again looking for a repeat of the partnership against Blackpool. Did I mention that this was only my 3rd game in fifte... Anyway... After a slowish start, we both managed to get things ticking over with a few hard-fought (due to the slow outfield) boundaries and some good running from Kenny. Things came to an end though when yours truly decided once again to edge a full toss on to my foot and then the stumps for 20. If anyone has any pointers on how I can prevent this from occurring again then I will purchase four cans of the Bitter of your choosing.

Kenny was joined by Steve C, and was now finding his groove, this was evidenced not only by a brilliant late cut that scored a rare four runs from the whole team, but by his left trouser leg rising higher up his calf the more settled he became, so by when he was dismissed for 31 by a ball that kept low and moved, he looked like a Noughties Gangster Rap artist.

Kenny joined Steve C back in the pavilion who had been given out LBW, which brought both Jon and Tom to the crease. Tom soon followed though after being well stumped by Fylde’s more than competent wicket keeper, which came as a slight relief to myself after he said he was going to aim for my car.

So, Jon and Polly, this was only going one way... First up was Jon, smashing a six to mid-on, then Polly followed up with the same shot, another six. Just as we thought we’d all soon be on ‘find the ball duties’, Jon unfortunately and unluckily cracked one straight to the man in the deep, and Polly soon followed, who again probably caught one too well and found mid-off, both out for 11 and 8 respectively.

This brought the birthday boy, Lefty, to the crease, who was trying to focus on the job at hand despite Scott’s attempts to wind him up, which I have to admit made me chuckle. Lefty was joined by Scott, and looked in good touch with some decent shots, but then, controversy... As Left tried to sweep a free hit, it clipped his pad and the keeper took off the bails, which was surely a stumping and therefore not out. Wrong - It was given as a run out, which perplexed all of us and left the birthday boy seething and baying for Fylde blood.

However before Fylde’s go, a very valuable 13 from Joe, including a cracking cover drive for four, which was one of, if not the shot of the innings. Joe was the last man out, which meant Scott finished on 3*. 122 all out off 35, a score we were happy enough with.

Now for the bowling... Scott and Tom got us underway. After a fast-paced start start for Fylde, things were tightened up after the opening batsmen were dismissed by Steve and Tom respectively. After this Fylde never really got going, mainly thanks to some cracking bowling, the highlight of which was Tom’s outrageous 4/10 off 8, including 5 maiden, very unlucky to not get a first 5 for. Steve picked up the 1, and only conceded 4 runs off his 4 overs. Lefty finished with figures of 2/6 off 4, including the wicket of their keeper, who he was desperate to have a go at, begging the skipper to let him throw holy balls of fire down on his prey, the one whom he thought was the main instigator in him being given out. Polly came in to finished things off with 3/5 off 3.

Fylde all out for 41, which meant victory by 81 runs and qualification, bar an absolute disaster against South Shore for the next round - Huzzah!

Highlights:

Kenny - 31 runs and a dropped catch, this however was nothing to do with tea-time pints.

Tom - 4 wickets for 10 runs off 8.

Lefty - 9 runs, 2 wickets and a catch in the slips.

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