31 May 2008, Lindow 1st XI vs. Old Parkonians (H)
A Tale of Two Catches
Lindow 226 for 4 dec, Old Parkonians 205 all out
Lindow (25pts) beat Old Parkonians (7) by 21 runs
In perfect batting conditions and amid an avalanche of runs, the pivotal moments of an excellent cricket match were two catches, one dropped and one taken.
Lindow won the toss and elected to bat. Openers Farmer (21) and Smith (19) raced along at over four an over, taking particular toll of young left armer Leonard (5-0-31-1) until Fletcher, who was to have a long and contrasting day, got one through Smith with the score at 31. Farmer was then stumped off Leonard and Foreman (11) was out to Fletcher to peg the home side back to 53 for 3. It was almost worse when Paul Slinn, starting uncertainly, offered a simple chance for a caught and bowled back to left arm spinner Beckett, who couldn’t hang on. Ben Squires (17) then joined Slinn and continued to bat positively until Fletcher found a perfect Yorker to remove him. Skipper Bracewell came in with rebuilding to do from 77 for 4 in the 19th over, and slowly a partnership came together. Batting positively without being reckless, the pair added 50 in 14 overs and then accelerated away to add 96 in the last 12 overs, posting the hundred partnership in the 41st over, going past 200 in the 43rd and walking off with an unbroken stand of 149 and a punishing total of 226 for 4 on the board. Slinn finished on 82 not out (1x6, 12x4) and Bracewell was unbeaten on 71 (12x4), his highest score for the club. Of the visitors bowling, only Beckett (17-0-60-0) consistently demanded respect, while the overworked Fletcher posted his first century of the day in taking 3 for 104.
If Lindow expected a long, stolid struggle for a draw by the visitors, they were soon shaken out of their complacency and found themselves under real pressure for a long period. Parkonians’ openers were both removed quickly by Hughes (2 for 67) and Taylor, but Walker and Fletcher attacked from the off and took the visitors to 96 for 2 before Walker (36) skied one that Burgoyne came from behind the stumps to take confidently. When Masud (1 for 48) trapped Hitchell LBW for 2 things looked better for the home side, but Fletcher continued to attack, cruising past 50 and finding new support from Reed in a stand of 63 that threatened to take the game away from Lindow. Ben Squires made the difference for Lindow, bowling his leg spin and making the breakthrough by taking a smart return catch from Reed (18) to have the visitors 180 for 5, needing 47 to win from 9 overs. But Fletcher was still there and he deservedly posted his second hundred of the day as C. Beckett threatened to provide further crucial support. But Squires again found a way through, bowling Beckett (12) off his pads and then trapping M. Beckett LBW for 0, to leave the tail well and truly exposed. Bracewell then brought Alex Taylor into the attack and he responded by bowling youngster Hawthorne for 0 to leave the visitors faltering on 203 for 8. With no support left, Fletcher launched a final assault, lofting Squires deep into the outfield, only for Bracewell to take a magnificent running catch at full stretch to finally remove him for 105 (3x6, 12x4), and the rapid turnaround was completed when Taylor bowled last man Leonard for 1 to have Parkonians all out for 205 having lost their last 5 wickets for just 7 runs. The wily Squires posted excellent figures of 4 for 29, whilst youngster Taylor finished with 3 for 52 from his 10 overs.
