1st Team Match Reports for Lightcliffe (A) - 26th May 2007 and Bankfoot (A) 28th May 2007

Lightcliffe (A) - 26th May 2007

Esholt traveled to bottom of the table Lightcliffe on the back of two league defeats and two poor performances to boot . With confidence low, here was the perfect opportunity to get their season back on track .

 

Having lost the toss Esholt were asked to have a bowl . With ever reliable opening attack of Hanif and Lister the Lightcliffe top order were always going to be in for a tough time . This proved to be so and after scratching around for a while Lightcliffe skipper Nichols misjudged an inducker from Hanif and was given out leg before , not offering a shot . Lister soon joined the party removing an uncomfortable looking Hinch and at 12 for 2 Lightcliffe were in trouble . Opener Brooke was joined at the wicket by the dangerous Wilson and despite some excellent bowling, the pair set about trying to build a total for home side to defend . At 31 with Wilson and Brooke battling hard for their side the games defining moment came , Brooke played one off his hip to square leg and called for a single , he was sent back a little belatedly by Wilson . A good throw from overseas Shaz Khan and a smart take from keeper Taylor saw Brooke given out somewhat unfortunately, run out . Though the scorebook does not lie, it is hard to see how an umpire can give a call as close as that . Esholt were not complaining and Lister with a perfect sense of timing managed to deliver two of the most unplayable deliveries to remove Lightcliffes overseas Hussain first ball and a rather bemused looking Jameson second ball bowled middle stump not offering a shot . Lightcliffe were in need of some rebuilding but instead of consolidating the experienced Iqbal unbelievably run himself out in Listers next over . Lister finished his spell but not before removing the potentially dangerous James Horne , he finished with figures of 12-5-17-4 . At the other end, Hanif quietly went about his business and was rewarded with the wicket of the determined Wilson who left having contributed 22 from his 28 overs at the crease . Skipper Whitehurst rotated his bowlers and soon the Lightcliffe ordeal was over for another day . All-rounder Platt finishing with 2 wickets at the cost of only one run . Lightcliffe finally dismissed for 83 . A very poor effort on the day .

 

The Esholt top order probably enjoyed their teas a little too much and with the prospect of chasing such a nominal total found focusing their minds difficult . Opener Shaz Khan replacing the absent Phillip Carter took it upon himself to see Esholt home. Whitehurst , King and Platt all perished playing expansive shots but with the result never in doubt, it was only their averages that looked on anxiously . Shaz Khan finished unbeaten on 38, as Esholt eased home with 39 overs to spare . All in all a good day at the office .

 

The final word today goes to the Esholt bowling attack . Not for the first time this season, they found themselves bowling on a batter friendly wicket . It is testament to their strength as a unit that they manage to make batting difficult more often than not . The bowling today was of the highest quality as it has been on other occasions this year .I know bowlers are the brightest of buttons so if your wondering lads this a complement .

Bankfoot (A) - 28th May 2007

Esholt met Bankfoot on the back of a confidence boosting victory against Lightcliffe However with rain in the air and the prospect of batting on the most bowler friendly wicket in the league victory would depend on a resolute batting performance , not always Esholt's strongest suit , and some miserly bowling .

 

Having lost the toss again !! Esholt were asked to make first use of the wicket . The prospect of batting on a green seamy track is not pleasant at the best of times but add to this the task of facing Nigel Hanson ( probably the best bowler in the division in such conditions ) then you batsmen know you are in for a real working over . With Hanson quickly into his stride and young Yorkshire prospect James Lee at the other end runs were hard to come by , with the score on 10 and without troubling the scores Shaz Khan was bowled by a beauty ( one that nipped up the hill ) . In strolled the portly King . He a Whitehurst were just beginning to look settled when Whitehurst was out attempting a trademark drive and was caught at slip . King was joined at the crease by Ben Platt and the pair quickly settled in , turning the score around at every opportunity . Platt looking in great form and dispatching the loose ball at every opportunity . The pair steadily added 47 and were beginning to look dangerous when an over-ambitious pull shot from King saw him out leg before for 28 . Old man Bashir joined Platt and the pair continued to turn the score around with the minimum of fuss they added 64 in smart time , with score on 133 and Platt having made an excellent 52 he attempted one booming drive too many and was bowled . Old man Bashir was joined at the wicket by even older looking Bashir (Javed batting for the first time this season ) with a combined age of 81 the running between the wickets was never going to be sprightly . It is to their credit though that the old timers kept the score ticking .Old man Bashir was adjudged LBW with the score 162 . Esholt searching for quick runs lost wickets regularly and at the end of their allotted overs had made a respectable 186 - 8 . Even older looking Bashir finishing unbeaten on 33 .

 

Did Esholt have enough runs ? Bankfoot soon answered that . A combination of great bowling and frightful batting left the home side at one stage 21 for 5 and eventually 80 all out . The Esholt bowler's hit magnificent areas and most be applauded for that , however the Bankfoot batting was summed up by skipper Ellis who managed to get himself stumped after 3 unsuccessful charges down the wicket . Shaz Khan was the pick of the bowlers finishing with 4 wickets for the cost of 17 runs from his 9 overs .

 

Today's last word goes to “Team Esholt “ this might not rank amongst their greatest results of the season , however as Undercliffe proved , it is very easy to get turned over on cold wet miserable days like today, by the so called lesser sides . If Esholt are in the mix come the end of the season, they will be very thankful of today's effort .

 

Thanks to the author of these reports who prefers to remain anonymous. I will respect their wishes even thought they have been too lazy to write reports for the last few weeks!!!