Mayfield 1st XI vs Preston Nomads 1st XI

Saturday 22nd June saw 3rd placed Preston Nomads make their first ever league visit to the Wellbrook ground.

Hoping for a change of fortune, optimistic Captain Cooke won the toss and elected to field first. It was Cooke who made the first breakthrough after using his bumpers to great effect, Poole was caught hooking down at fine leg by S Harman. After questioning whether Harman was playing one hand one bounce down on the boundary, Poole finally walked when the Umpires decided it was a clean catch.

Harman and Cooke continued to bowl well as a partnership before Khan and Philips put on 50 runs. Khan took a particular liking to the resilient James Allen who, as ever, remained calm enough to take a return catch after being hit for 3 maximums.

Philips continued to tentatively scoop his way to a 50 and progressed another strong partnership with free scoring keeper, Hutson, before our resident dancer for love, officer of the army and golden arm, EHW, clipped Hutton’s leg stump with a smart off cutter.

Cooke ‘the enforcer’ returned to the action to push Philips back into his crease with another barrage of bouncers before tactically pulling up lame half way through his 8th over. Formerly known as ‘the burgler,’ following a 6 for last season, Rob Sharma came on to finish the over unaware that his pace would change the innings.

With the Keeper back, Sharma bowled Philips and had Shepherd caught by Silva. With the keeper up, Silva stumped Ibrahim. Sharma returned the catching favour at slip for Wood, before Silva took a catch behind for the returning Allen. The same combination should have resulted in another wicket the very next ball, but the umpire seemed to think that Mayfield had their share of the decisions for the day, and turned the appeals down.

Robertshaw also had a bowl, showing good discipline for a man wearing a man bun and untucked shirt. Nomads declared on 242 for the loss of 9 wickets, cruelly denying Mayfield the chance of full bowling points.

Mayfield were cheered by their fielding performance, and with renewed confidence set about their run chase.

Nomads opened the bowling with Kiwi Overseas Patel and Pulford.

Joyed by a chorus of excessive appealing, the 8ft 3 Pulford ran in and hit Raymond on the thigh for the first wicket, LBW. Sharma was striking the ball well for his 20, and inside edged the ball onto his pads and looked for the single into the leg side. Before he knew it, the umpire had raised his finger for the second lbw. Silva followed with a nick behind with Saker playing back to a googley from Collard who celebrated, rather than appealed for the lbw.

Wood was the next victim of the power struggle, given out caught behind without touching the ball before Finch proceeded to punch the ball into his helmet and then falling to Collard, LBW again.

Collard received another LBW decision with the wicket of Harman before Robertshaw agreed to give the keeper some catching practice after hitting Collard for a nice 4.

With his team under the cosh, Cooke earned some respectability with a brutal counterattack including 2 sixes over the fast bowlers head.

Mayfield’s final wicket to fall was the calm and collected James Allen, who was caught behind down the leg side after the ball had hit his thigh pad rather than the bat. Needless to say, James, who is affectionately known as ‘Jal’ although we are not sure why, took the decision with good grace, shaking the oppo’s hands, thanking the umpires and slowly walking off the pitch, before ordering a jug of beer for the pleasure of their company.

Although luck has not been on our side, spirits remain relatively high. Captain Jack Sparrow was spotted in the Middle House this week but is due to return to the side against Middleton away where we fancy our chances.

Match Report by Dwayne Johnson - MCC life member