2 August 2008, Lindow 1st XI vs Bunbury (a)
Lindow Discover Fusion Power
Bunbury 162 for 7 dec, Lindow 165 for 7
Lindow (25pts) beat Bunbury (12) by 3 wickets
Lindow’s season finally took a turn for the better at Bunbury, as Jonny Barratt, Dave Foreman and Dave Farmer stepped forward with big contributions to a much needed win.
For once losing the toss, Lindow captain Bracewell tossed the new ball to Josh Longmore and Homi Masud, who found a little movement and gained early success when Longmore (1 for 25) had Swinbank (3) caught behind and Masud trapped Lamb (11) LBW. But young left-handed opener Farrington played with composure in partnership with the more pugnacious Williamson as 30 were added with minimal difficulty, though Williamson’s attacking style provided two very difficult chances that went to ground. However, Bracewell’s introduction of spinner Jonny Barratt in the 22nd over changed the game for Lindow. Choosing to bowl round the wicket and displaying superb control of pace and flight, Barratt took two wickets in his first over, bowling both Farrington for 33 and Burrows for 0 before also removing Williamson (18) for figures of 3 for 2 from 4 overs with the home side suddenly in trouble at 70 for 5. Bunbury fought back though, as Thompson (34) and Burrows (20) added 60 before both fell with the score at 130 as overs began to run out. Caine (15*) and Roberts (17*) swung the bat to good effect, though, as 32 came from the last three overs to give the home side a useful total of 162 for 7. Barratt’s 4 for 36 was an outstanding return for Lindow, but Homi Masud was unlucky to only record 2 for 65 from his 16 overs.
When Lindow began its reply, it quickly began to look like a lot of other recent Saturday’s as the top four were all removed by the skiddy trier Williamson with just 24 on the board. Dave Foreman and Dave Farmer came together and fought through a difficult period to construct a valuable partnership. Foreman, batting for the first time with his new ‘Fusion’ bat, was the first to blossom, unveiling an impressive array of strokes before finally being bowled for 47 trying to pull one that stayed a bit low, to end a partnership of 73. From 97 for 5 Dave Farmer took over, well supported by Jonny Baratt (5), in a further stand of 32 before Barratt became Williamson’s 5th victim, though the LBW decision seemed unlucky. Dave Kendrick lasted four balls before he was comprehensively bowled for a duck, and Lindow were 129 for 7, needing 34 from the last 5 overs. Despite the pressurised situation, Josh Longmore did not disappoint, finding important boundaries, sometimes in unorthodox ways, to keep the board ticking and the pressure off Farmer. As the pair closed in the target, Bunbury’s nervousness in the field became apparent and runs flowed ever more freely, until Farmer struck a sweet six over long off in the 44th over to both win the game and take him to 51* (9x4, 1x6) at the same time. Williamson had taken 6 for 47 in vain for Bunbury, but it was Lindow that celebrated an important and morale-boosting victory and a maximum 25 point haul.
