Helperby Away

A tough battle with top of the table Helperby and Tichie, Gobby and Bupa all missing from the squad left Sherman praying for rain as the season moved into week nine. Butch Dingle, Splinter and Piewalker all got the call up into the one's and the rain stayed away and it looked like it was game on when Blubbs finally got to the other side of Yorkshire. 

"Heads" was the call from Sherman and heads it was, the visitors were batting on a hot summers day with not a whiff of rain in the air and a track that looked like yielding plenty of runs during the day.

Angry was accompanied by Laves this week with Winton dropping down the order to four and the game got under way with a lively start from the bowling attack and from first slip who must have woken up with jaw ache on Sunday morning.

Three overs in and Shermans plan of opening up with the bowlers went drastically wrong when Laves missed one on the stumps and it was seven for one and Bubba was at the crease sooner than expected.

It was a grafters wicket, Bubba and Angry picking up runs at a steady rate, Bubba reached thirty before being the second wicket of the day to fall, totally missing the ball and the finger went up, caught leg before and it was fifty four for two and Winton was on his way out to the middle.

Another steady partnership saw forty nine more added to the total, Winton was looking good, good until a pull to leg went straight to hand and it was three for one hundred and three with still fifteen overs to go.

Arnie was back up the order at three and joined fellow Timbolean Angry at the crease, it was hard work with the home side bowling a good tight line bit the score ticked along to one fifteen before another catch went to hand and Arnie was making the trek back to the hut and Blubbs had lost wicket number four.

Bungle was next up joining Angry and another thirteen was added to the score before Angry mis-timed a drive through mid wicket and the ball went straight up and straight down and at one twenty eight for five the visitors started to wonder if a competitive score was still on the cards.

Butch on his first team debut was the new man in at seven, not through choice but Sherman stood his ground and sent the Ginger Wonder out to the middle to join Bungle. Bungle continued to hit and Butch pushed the ball around moving the score on to one fifty seven before up went another catch and Butch was back in the shed, six down.

Frankie went eight, Sherman hoping for quick runs but as it turned out it was a quick innings when Cavanagh smashed the stumps down and with five overs to go Blubbs had three wickets remaining to hold off the Helperby attack.

Sherman was nine, joining Bungle and in true Boycott style blocked up one end, a close call nearly saw the eighth wicket fall when Sherman edged one onto the pad and was given leg before, the bat went up and a consultation with Hotspot saw the decision reversed and Sherman was still at the crease. Bungle kept up the scoring and the defiant duo saw out the remaining overs with Blubbs finishing on one hundred and seventy for seven, but was it enough?

Winton opened up the Blubberhouses attack with Laves bowling down the slope from the other end, Helperby got off to a flyer, boundaries going to all sides of the park and the home side were on top of the game easing past fifty in only ten overs.

Sherman turned to Frankie for inspiration with almost sixty on the board and no sign of a wicket, "It's over already!" were the captains words of inspiration to the weary wannabe aussie. Four balls into the over and Frankie delivered, a stunning low catch at mid wicket by Piewalker saw the end of Blanford for twenty six and the hosts were sixty two for one.

Blubbs were rocking next over when Laves skittled Cavanagh and it was sixty two for two and the Helperby openers were back in the hutch with still another one hundred and nine needed for victory.

Laves finished off his first spell and Winton was back into the attack, removing Soweray for one from thirty two deliveries and it was eighty two for three and Blubbs were back in the game.

Frankie struck again next over bowling Willey for one and the crowd went wild, well actually they didn't but the visitors did, eighty three for four and could the big upset be on?

Eighty three for four was soon eighty seven for five and Winton had two, trapping Spilman for twenty and the league leaders were starting to crumble and tempers started to fray.

Another brief partnership of fourteen soon came to an end when Frankie picked up his third scalp of the day removing dangerman Orton for seven and the home side were silent, one hundred and one for six.

Winton bagged his third next over and Helperby were in trouble, Corner given leg before and the big upset was on the cards, one hundred and two for seven.

Frankie finished off a great spell of eight overs and Sherman decided to turn his arm over, three overs into his spell picking up the wicket of Spilman (T) for five and Blubbs closed in on victory with only two more wickets needed.

Winton finished his twelve and Laves was back into the attack and back with a vengeance, Tuley missing with the bat and hitting with the pad, one fifteen for nine and Blubbs were almost there,

Laves dealt the home side the "coup de grâce" skittling Darnell for nought and it was all over, a well deserved and much needed six points Blubbs and Helperby wondering whether to have their prize scrambled, poached or boiled!

Points: Helperby 0, Blubberhouses 6

Feilding Points: Winton (x2)

Fact of the Day: Fight fire with fire and sometimes you get your fingers burned, luckily Mad Frankie brought an extinguisher this week.

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