Leigh v Newcastle & Hartshill Cotto lost the toss (regulation) - TopicsExpress



          

Leigh v Newcastle & Hartshill Cotto lost the toss (regulation) but Leigh were put into bat by bottom of the league Newcastle anyway. A couple of jitters in that Wilko cried off with a hangover at 11am. Very poor. Was decided to unfriend him him on the Leigh fb page. His reprisal will come tomorrow. He should reflect on Graham “Legend” Burton playing despite being basically immobile with an ankle injury. That’s what playing cricket for Leigh is about. Gallimore was late (regulation) and the Chairman was too having taken the scenic route via Newcastle’s pitch. We started off solidly Stu and Cotto shepherding us through the first 10 overs or so. The wicket offered a little early on but the boundary was huge – the size of Edgbaston apparently (!) – and the outfield was not the “Gallimore smooth” we have come to enjoy at Leigh. The run rate was respectable. Stu tucked in and Cotto got a start, which was thematic of the innings as a whole. We did OK, not too many silly wickets given away, most batsmen getting into double figures, useful partnerships made. Stu ended up with 17, Will Day a nice 22, Nashy a first league fifty of the season getting 64 in the end, though running out two batsmen in the process. Durose double figures too and even the Chairman was able to rediscover some form with a 28 n/o sharing a stand of 46 with Nashy before John “Bastard” Cotton declared on him. 194 off 47 overs. Yes that’s right a Leigh innings that lasted 47 overs. Only failures in the innings were Ben who reverse swept after three balls giving an easy catch and Bobby clean bowled on his first ball. Generally solid. Newcastle’s bowling was mediocre. Not bad but not too great on a wicket that was increasingly flat and consistent. A batter’s track. Cotto controversially opted to open with Ben and Bobby. Neither got a wicket and after 60 runs were piled up well within the run rate our confidence was evaporating. There were very few chances - MTR dropping a fast slip catch off Bobby being the only real one. There were edges and air shots but nothing coming close to hand and it felt as if it could be “one of those games” a little. It took another game changer from Stu with his second direct hit run out of the season to break the opening partnership. Unfortunately this only brought in another good batsman and they soon climbed to 125 for one and we were in trouble. The wicket offered little and the game was drifting away from us when we had another game changer in the unlikely form of MTR who took a very smart left handed slip catch off Nashy. Cotto followed up by clean bowling their other good batsman the next over. Game on! Newcastle had up to this point belied their league position but the reason for it was clear as with three down we were basically into their tail. The rest were out for 25 runs, Nashy taking 6 and Cotto 3. All out for 156 and another Leigh victory in the bag. It was easy in the end but we were all aware that at 125 for one the game was theirs. We wrested it back from them in a most pleasing manner. MoM given to Nashy for his 64 and six wickets. “I fxxxing love cricket” was his cry after his fourth wicket fell. Champagne moment had a plethora of options. Bobby “male pattern baldness” Flowers had, according to Cotto, a bad hair day and was inconsolable after his fading bouffant was praised last week. “He builds you up and then smashes you down” was all he could say. We were lucky not to have tears. Durose sporting new white ”Dr Dre” keeping gloves and for electing to stand up and then back to the bowlers several times in each over. Gallimore for a massive heroic salmon leap with great hang time despite getting not even close to the ball. MTR for his catch, Cotto for his “ball of the season”; there were lots. In the end it was Stu for the run out and another good catch later on when the game was ours. A satisfying victory against a side that caused us more trouble than we might like to admit. Thanks to our President for his support and even Faulkner Jnr for having a look. We look forward to the President’s match tomorrow. All bar Wilko that is. MTR
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 20:10:53 +0000

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