10 May 2008, Lindow 1st XI vs Kingsley (H)
Mugging for Lame Lindow
Lindow 175 all out, Kingsley 179 for 9
Lindow (15pts) lost to Kingsley by 1 wicket
In a smash and grab raid of epic proportions, high-flying Kingsley overcame a spirited Lindow display to claim the points on the back of an amazing display of hitting from its last wicket pair.
On a pleasantly warm afternoon Lindow won the toss and elected to bat first, with skipper James Bracewell’s experimental opening partnership with all rounder Andy Hume yielding a very useful 37 runs until Hume was finally bowled by the impressive left arm seam of Burden (5 for 50) for 19, who also accounted for Dave Smith (11) and then bowled Bracewell for a fluent 31, to leave Lindow were 73 for 3. Paul Slinn made a scratchy start but Ben Squires initially took responsibility for moving the score along, the partnership eventually reaching 33 as Slinn found some form and the pair plundered the change bowling of Martin and Ollier until Ollier’s spin claimed Squires (15) from a skied leading edge. Ed Farmer made only 2 but kept Slinn company as a further 16 were added. However, as Lindow approached the final ten overs of their innings, seemingly well placed at 146 for 5, Martin pinned Farmer LBW and then took a smart return catch to remove the increasingly assertive Slinn for 44. From there only Dave Foreman (21) provided substance to the innings and Lindow fell away to be all out for 175 with 4 overs unused, having lost 5 wkts for 24. Claiming maximum batting points was a satisfactory effort by the home side, but there was some disappointment that they had not gone on to post a truly imposing score.
New boy Brian Armstrong tore in with the new ball and gave Kingsley’s openers a torrid time, eventually claiming the breakthrough by trapping Elliott LBW for 7. Hume then had Ollier smartly taken one-handed by stand-in ‘keeper Parr for 0 to put the home side in charge. The visitors had a lucky break, though, when Armstrong (1 for 12) pulled a hamstring after a 5 over spell and had to leave the field, allowing the batsmen to consolidate for a while. However, Hume (3 for 66) gained another LBW decision to remove Cook for 21 and then had Forster caught at mid-off for 15, while Homi Masud (2 for 58) bowled Rowlands for 0 and Moores for 1 to leave Kingsley in disarray at 76 for 6. However, number 4 Butcher was still there, having survived an edge behind, and methodically compiled a score in partnership with the stolid Martin, giving every indication of playing for the draw for a long period. But gradually Butcher became more positive until a comedy attempt to take a bye to the ‘Keeper resulted in his run out for a solid 63. When youngster Alex Taylor (1 for 10) topped a good spell by having Martin caught behind for 8 the game appeared all but over, a feeling reinforced when Ben Squires turned a googly past a wild slash to bowl Massey for 0. But from 135 for 9 Burden and Leneghan launched an audacious assault on Lindow’s tiring bowlers, with clean hitting to make many batsmen envious. Despite needing 6 an over these two were unstoppable and the winning boundary was struck with 4 balls to spare, capping an unbroken last wicket stand of 44.
