Pateley Bridge Away

After Superman Simpson destroyed the Blubbs bowling attack at home there was only one thing on Shermans mind as the first team congregated at Pateley for week eighteen of the season......revenge! No keeper meant Angry was behind the sticks and for the second week running Bob Brennan remained in the side with Bupa boy stepping in for the AWOL Butch Dingle.

On winning the toss Sherman had no hesitation in sticking the homeside into bat on a damp deck with rain forecast during the afternoon, for once even Mad Frankie was happy with the decision.

Mad Frankie took the honours with the new ball at the Showground end and was on the money from ball one as the first over ended with no runs on the board.

Winton took over number two from the Playground End, the ball zipping around early made it difficult for the Pateley openers to settle down, Winton nearly kneecapped Sherman with an extra wide delivery and Pateley were off the mark.

It wasn't long before Wintons radar tuned in, a streaky four from Gray to backward point got the steam blowing from Wintons ears almost making his tan run, next ball fizzed off the deck and through Grays defence knocking middle stump back and Pateley were five for one.

Pateleys innings took another dent next over when "Fruiteer" Frankie sent down a peach which Light couldn't get out of the way of, nicking an easy catch to Teflon Angry behind the sticks and Pateley were five for two in the fifth over.

Dangerman Simpson was at the crease early with two quick wickets falling and the field spread in anticipation, Winton almost removed him early with a short delivery catching Simpson off guard which he could only glove up to short gulley, sadly there was no short gulley and the homeside breathed a sigh of relief.

Twenty five on the board and the Pateley innings took another massive blow and Mad Frankie picked up the scalp of Simpson who mis-judged the pace and bounce off the deck sending a looping catch  straight to Bungle at deep mid-off, Bungle still in catching form from Wednesday had no trouble clasping onto the catch and Pateley were three down.

Pateley started nailing up the shutters as the onslaught continued, Winton and Frankie keeping up the pressure with the ball. Eventually the homeside started to build a partnership and runs flowed at a steady rate, the score passing fifty and three figures were soon in sight. 

Bubba replaced Winton in the seventeenth over and immediately looked like he'd got the breakthrough when Chadwick took the case off one, Angry snapping up what should have been catch number two. Cries of "It bounced!", "I never hit it!", "He wasn't ready" echoed round the park, "Not out" was the decision and the game continued.

Frankie finished up another good spell and Sherman brought himself into the attack with twenty two overs gone, the change brought the wicket and Chadwick was back in the shed after a badly timed sweep shot went straight up and straight down, Winton catching what should have been the keepers ball, ninety seven for four.

Twenty eight overs into the game and there was a minor trauma on the field, "Broken Down" Bubba feigning a twisted lip had to be replaced in the attack by Gobby from the Park End. 

Pateley reached one forty nine in the thirty fifth over just as the heavens opened up and down came the rain, the umpires decided enough was enough and both teams left the field, Dicko reckoned that was it for the day but Angry thought otherwise.

The rains continued to fall and the day looked over, tea was taken at five meaning the homesides innings was over and should there be any more play today Blubbs would be chasing one fifty for victory.

A lot of umming and ahhing, plenty of sawdust, a stiff breeze and a bit of sunshine finally saw the Blubberhouses openers take to the field at six thirty needing just over four an over for victory.

The Blubbs pair got off to a good start, Winton looking to score quickly and finish the game before any more rain came down which would no doubt have been the end of the fixture, thirty five on the board and Blubbs lost their first wicket, Angry gifting Chadwick a scalp with a lobbed catch to mid-wicket.

Bubba joined Winton at the crease, fourteen runs later he gifted Chadwick another wicket, almost a duplicate shot of Angrys and Blubbs were forty nine for two and Gobby was next to bat.

The number one and number four began to pile on the runs and the pressure as the score move towards the hundred mark, the more boundaries hit, bigger the sawdust mound grew at the Showground End, which was now starting to look like an ant hill.

The partnership finally came to an end on one thirty six, Gobby holing out on a respectable twenty and with Dicko next in the game looked like it was going Blubberhouses' way.

Winton closed in on another ton for the season, Dicko played out a maiden, ten runs from victory and eleven short of his ton Winton became the fourth wicket to fall, a drive over mid-off didn't have the legs dropping straight to the fielder.

Bungle joined Dicko in the middle, ten to win and Arnie played out a maiden, Bungle missed a straight one, Eglin hit the target and at one forty three for five Sherman wondered if it was time for the collapse!

Bupa went in seven and got off to a nervy start, Arnie played out a maiden, Winton started to bubble, Arnie played out another maiden, Winton started to boil.

Finally Arnie hit the ball off the square and over the boundary, three to win, two balls later it was all over, another shot to leg from Arnie bounced off the fielders boot and rolled off over the line and Blubbs were home and dry with five points in the bag.

Points:Pateley Bridge:1, Blubberhouses: 5

Fielding Points: Dicko (x2)

Fact of the day:  Nick - A shortened version of the name Nicholas; to pinch or steal something; to edge the ball as in cricket. Blubberhouses on Saturday had a nick nicked off them, sounds a bit like Jim Davidson doesn't it!!

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