Match Report/Information
Once again these 2 local rivals met in a tight encounter at the MCG. Having won the toss Spenni elected to have a bat, probably more out of shock at having called right than anything else! Openers T. Mawer and R. Monk started steadily on an 'interesting' pitch with rather variable bounce, grinding out a tight opening spell from J. Bowes and A. Beales, the highlight of this undoubtedly being the 'bouncer' pitched about 3 yards down which nearly got Monk on the 2nd bounce!
The openers put on 90 before Mawer had to retire upon reaching his 50, his third in 4 innings. Then came a small flurry of wickets, 4 falling for 15 runs within 4 overs. R. Gaze taking 2, one of which was somewhat bizarre with the keeper taking a leg-side wide and expertly whipping the bails off.
S. Monk (18#) and C. Mawer batted through the rest of the innings to take Spenni through to their total of 119-4 from their 20 overs, leaving a confident Middleham side dead-on 6 runs per over to win.
The home team made an attacking statement by sending out 'Spenni old-boy' Gaze to open up their chase, along with Woodcock. The former played some excellent shots before trying to make 1 and a half runs into 2, his partner not quite been up to speed with Linford Gaze.
By the end of the 6th over the hosts had raced to 47-1 before losing 2 wickets in the 7th. S. Monk having Gaze caught before bowling the no3. A double bowling change then changed the pace of the game somewhat with V. Greaves-Newall & D. Walker coming on, the latter bowling some excellent deliveries, especially to the left handers.
Walker first removed Prichard with one that moved off the seam to pin his off stump before cutting one through the defenses of 'danger-man' eWart, pitching on middle & leg and hitting off. At this point J. Bowes was joined at the wicket by J. MacRobert, another ex-Spenni with something to prove.
After a shaky start Bowes WAS not run OUT, backing up the straight drive, a very tight call, you could say or possibly an error, who knows?
The pair brought Middleham close to their target before a stunning catch by D. Leathley and possibly celebration of the season, gor rid of Bowes for 22. This brought in keeper Peacock, only breifly as he was yorked by Greaves-Newall. Ewart senior was next in line and after an unsteady start managed to get MacRobert back on strike.
The last over, the hosts still needing 12 to win is where the controversy reared it's head. A dot, then a 'wide' between stumps and pads was given, then another, aswell as a scrambled bye, leaving 9 off 4 balls with J. Mac on strike. Ball 3 was smacked to cow corner for 4, ball 4 was driven through wide mid-off for another 4. 1 to win off 2 and Ewart shot through to the danger end like a hare, narrowly getting home to seal a 3 wicket win.
Generally a very good, tight game only spoiled by a few crucial and untimely decisions. Not suggesting any type of bias from anyone or toward anyone because, as all cricket players who have umpired know, umpiring is about giving decisions as you see them so if you don't or can't see them you can't give them.
Good luck to Middleham for your last game of the season next week vs Tanfield.
