Match Report
We turned up to the game with expectations high. We had been going well in the league recently, and having beaten them rather easily earlier in the season the team was confident. However, also in our last game there were a few choice words exchanged with the opposition so this was never going to be an easy ride!
After winning the toss and looking at the dodgy pitch I decided that we should bowl first – it seemed the logical choice. Strangely though, the pitch played very well and true and despite the clouds and humidity the ball was not swinging as much as we would have liked. That didn’t deter us though as we kept plugging away working hard to try and get the wickets. With plenty of good bowlers in the team we were able to keep it to short spells and regularly change to keep the batsmen guessing and not let them settle. The real swing in momentum came with the bowling partnership of CHRIS LILFORD and ADAM BARRACLOUGH, they bowled tight lines and took crucial wickets, Lily ending with 2 and Adam ending with a well taken 4fer. At the end of their innings they had scored 194 all out, certainly a gettable score.
Given how the pitch had played previously I was confident that we would knock off the runs relatively easily. However, things did not start of well for us as we were quickly at 60odd-5 and things were looking tight especially with PAULIE’S best mate from the oppo 😉 bowling particularly well and fired up. Again though there were people to save the Plough. We are a club of such high quality that there are always match winners throughout every single team we put out during the season. Every single one of us knows that the game is not over until it’s over and we keep fighting right to the end. Remarkably it was that same pair to our rescue yet again, CHRIS LILFORD and ADAM BARRACLOUGH, they were exceptional. They took the fight to the oppo while both scoring quickly but cautiously enough throughout their innings. Adam finally being run out (despite a few attempts before) for 64 and Lily out for 67, but crucially only leaving us with 1 to win off the last over. Ball one bowled… DOT. Ball two bowled…. DOT. Ball three bowled…… WIDE and the Plough win again! And Suri’s celebration will long live in the memory of an excellently hard fought victory.
It really is a credit to each and everyone of you guys that we can find ways to win games that in years gone by would have got away from us. It is down to the will to win but mainly I think its down to the amazing camaraderie we have as a club, it makes us a special team and a wonderful thing to be a part of, thank you to everyone for that!
Onto the next one and hopefully we keep this train rolling, I know everyone will do everything possible to keep it that way!
PLOUGHON!
Players of the match: CHRIS LILFORD and ADAM BARRACLOUGH
Dick of the Day: LIAM GRAY – the less said about this the better I reckon. I think ASH will be forever having nightmares!
