2008-06-28

TENSION PARR FOR THE COURSE AS BOWLERS WEAVE(ERHAM) SOME MAGIC

A period of quality batting and indifferent bowling, sandwiched between two spells that were quite the opposite, ensured a tense finish to the game at Weaverham.

That Lindow 2nd’s held on to win the game says much for the bowlers at the death, and also to some intuitive captaincy from Jason Donovan....sorry, Dave Kendrick.

Kendrick, removing his coat of many colours, won the toss and elected to bat. James Wild fell early, bowled through the gate, but Rob Fernyhough and Matt Barltrop ensured no further wickets fell until the 12th over, whereupon Mike Parr came to the wicket, seeking some form. There followed plenty of playing and missing (Parr) and edges (Fernyhough), put the runs started to accumulate. Fernyhough fell LBW to the deserving Roberts for 31, but Parr went on, raising his half century before departing to Douglas (5-49), top-edging a hook for 54. This included the shot of the day, a flat six struck back over the bowlers head. Kendrick ensured there weren’t too many broken hearts for the visitors as he made 28. After that, bits and pieces innings from Graeme Coldwell, Jamie Peel and Khalid Ahmed moved the score along to 181 in the penultimate over, before Lindow were bowled out. Ahmed and Laurie McClymont took the new ball (having been told by Kendrick that it was especially for them), and soon had both openers back in the hutch with six on the board. This only served to bring the home side’s two best batsmen to the crease. Progress for them was mostly serene, but Kendrick, proving that any dream will do, sensibly brought himself and Graeme Coldwell into the attack to stem the runs. They took one of the all-important wickets apiece, and further wickets put Lindow in the box seats as Weaverham slumped to 95-7. This was the beginning of the aforementioned indifferent bowling spell. Big hitting from Gerrard taking the score into the 150’s before Coldwell returned to bowl him. Alex Pate, the Carling Kid, was brought on and took a key wicket, thanks to an excellent diving catch from Barltrop. With only 12 runs required, Kendrick brought himself back on, and sealed things with a kiss, inducing an edge behind with his first ball. A good win for the seconds, coming against a side that are right up there in the push for the promotion spots. Indeed, it could be said that they stuck together when the chips were down, and that nothing could divide them.