Helperby Away

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Week fourteen and Stonewall trailed his men to the Helperby arena on a miserable day which threatened no cricket in the division.

Again Stonewall lost the toss and found himself trying to re-assure his troops that the freshly rotorvated wicket would play ok and the bounce would be true and straight.

Accompanied by Mr Angry, Stonewall strode out to take guard on the Helperby potato patch and commence the days proceedings.

The pitch played exactly as expected one up round the ears then one round the ankles and it was all Stonewall and Angry could do to keep their wickets intact. Eleven over's and eleven runs in disaster struck when a grubber penetrated Stonewall's defence and Blubbs were one down.

Craigie had only just managed to stumble across the mine field when the heavens opened up and down came the rain and play was halted for the next ninety minutes.

Four o'clock and the rain finally stopped leaving a thirty two over game which was Helperby's for the taking.

The track played no better when Blubb's resumed on eleven for one, Craigie and Angry knew they needed to get a shift on with only twenty one over's remaining.

The score pushed on to forty two when Craigie got a shirt fronter which he couldn't keep down and was caught for eighteen.

Potter took to the field at four to join and even angrier than normal Angry building a partnership of twenty nine before a less than magical shot saw Harry caught for thirteen.

Arnie joined Angry on the battlefield and the runs continued ticking along reaching ninety four when another "pea roller" sneaked under Angry's bat seeing him bowled for a courageous forty two.

Tichie had returned from the flooded Filey flower show to take up the number six spot and the pair saw out the remaining over adding five more to the total leaving Helperby a target of exactly one hundred for victory.

With Mad Frankie away on a bus station tour of Spain Sherman took the new ball with Stonewall backing him up at the other end.

A strange decision to put the heavy roller on at half time saw the ball deviating more than normal and Helperby struggled to take advantage of the game.

Three over's and three runs in Sherman removed dangerman Joss Spillman with a bat pad catch snaffled up by Potter at silly mid-on.

Only two balls later and quick thinking by Arnie saw Mark Spillman stranded in no man's land and run out for none and Helperby three down with only two on the board and it was game on!

Twelve more were added before it was "turret time" again and Nolan was trapped leg before by an ankle biter from Sherman.

Stonewall replaced himself with Tichie who should have been fresh from his break but his first three over's had more spray's than the Chelsea flower festival and Helperby struggled back into the game.

Tempers frayed and sledging all round finally went Blubb's way when Sowery thought he could take two to Potters arm but unfortunately struggled to make one and a half, run out for eleven and Helperby were forty six for four.

Sherman finished off his twelve and Craigie stepped up to take his place, sixty four on the board and the aussie all rounder clattered the stumps removing Cavanagh for thirty two with Helperby still thirty six short with seven over's remaining.

The game swayed back and forth with Craigie and Tichie bowling out of their skins. Stonewall came back into the attack replacing Tichie who was ready for another break. Dicko dropped a skier from Sowray then Sherman put down a chance from Swires and Helperby looked like claiming the honours.

Last over and seven required, Stonewall had the grim task of six more deliveries, two runs from the first and Helperby wanted a run a ball. A dot ball, two singles and another two and Blubbs were staring down the barrel of defeat as Helperby wanted one from one to win.

Last ball and what a pressure cooker, Stonewall brought the field in for the drop and hobble, in a rush of blood Sowray tried to moose it out of the ground and missed, in true Robin Hood style Stonewall delivery flew straight and true knocking over leg stump and leaving the scores tied and the points split and Stonewall's troops jumping for joy, what a finish, what a game.

Points Awarded Helperby: 3 Blubberhouses: 3

Fielding Points: Steven Wilkinson (2)

Fact of the day: In the comic strip Popeye many of Olive Oyl's family make guest appearances including her parents Cole and Nana Oyl, her brother Castor Oyl, her cousin Sutra Oyl, her Uncles Lubry Kent Oyl and Otto Oyl and her niece Deezil Oyl. One not mentioned who turned up at the Helperby game was her evil grandpa Clive Ass Oyl.

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