HALLAM BEAT LEAGUE LEADERS

HALLAM CC 156 FOR 5 [43 OVS] V SHEFFIELD COLLEGIATE CC 167 ALL OUT [49.4 0VS]
YORKSHIRE SOUTH PREMIER LEAGUE @ SANDYGATE
22 JULY 2017 12 NOON [DELAYED START 1230]

HALLAM CC AT SANDYAGTE

Hallam upset the applecart by defeating league leaders Collegiate who suffered only their second loss of the season.  The home side were well on their way to victory when the rain came down but by this stage they were well ahead and secured victory by the infamous Duckworth Lewis method.  The methodical 167 from Collegiate looked to be a good total with most people thinking par was around 150 but Hallam thanks to captain Nick Dymock [54] were always ahead of the run rate and chalked the runs off calmly without losing their focus to gain a well deserved result.
All week the sport was cricket and this game until the lovely weather intervened and rugby league became an option but a late change on the BBC weather forecast around Sheffield highlighted the possibility of taking in a near full days play after all and so it turned out.

CRAIG MOFFAT RACES IN FOR HALLAM

Short hop on the train to Sheffield found the city waking up for its now famous Tramline Festival and although preparing for another day of music by the time I was to return things were in full swing with quite a few beverages being ordered for the evening when I made a hasty retreat to the station in the early evening.  First bus service 51 took the blog on the climb out to Sandygate through the bustling Broomhill and then Crosspool the village shopping area nearest to Hallam CC.  The further climb out to todays venue backs up the theory of Sheffield as the hilly city.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE BALL

The ground is shared with Hallam FC and of course this has been covered on the blog before but its a totally different experience watching the cricket here I'm not normally to keen on watching cricket on a football ground a bit like the latter on an athletics stadium but today was a must with its history.
Much of the back catalogue comes through The Plough public house opposite the ground, sadly now boarded up and up for sale with a local residents group hoping to secure it from the seller.  The football club was formed here and allegedly the rules of the game with the oldest ground adjacent but always, weirdly to me, the oldest club is fellow city team Sheffield FC.  Now cricket wise Hallam CC were founded in 1804 by the then Plough landlord and are the second oldest club in Yorkshire and the oldest club UK wise to play consistently on the same ground.

THE PLOUGH SADLY SEEN BETTER DAYS OVERVIEWS COLLEGIATE'S INNINGS

Most people will be aware of the famous slope at Sandygate and of course the cricket has the same through its outfield.  Sadly the pavilion and clubhouse are closed for first team games as the club awaits re development, the changing rooms are not big enough but thankfully on site are the football clubs that are and thanks to their generosity they are also able to use Hallam FC's clubhouse too.  The ground is nicely walled with a fair selection of the green stuff with a rare glimpse of moorland occasionally visible along the Manchester Rd area.  The scoreboard is of an old variety with minimalistic information provided but Hallam are a newly promoted club and obviously advancements will take time.

SHEFFIELD COLLEGIATE DEFEND

A small crowd had gathered by the time stumps were pitched and here I would like to thank todays umpires Ray Knowles and Carl Williams for their assistance with the team cards.  The visitors were without Billy Root, brother of England captain Joe, on duty with Notts and Azeem Raffiq also serving with Yorkshire CC.  For the home side a mid table placing so far is a good return but today they would be tested by a strong club in Collegiate.

COLLEGIATE'S CHRIS PURSHOUSE HITS SHANE SMITH FOR A MAXIMUM

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat with a slow start they were at 50 for 3 in the 19th with overseas player Australian Tom Rowley falling for 15.  Eliot Callis [41] and Chris Purshouse [39] rescued proceedings somewhat and it was 119 when the fourth wicket of Callis fell.  A handy contribution from Michael Simpson of 29 added to the visitors total before they were all out 2 balls short of their full compliment for 167.  The wicket had seemed to throw up a few balls that kept low there was also plenty in it for all the bowlers and runs off the square seemed hard to come by on a slow outfield that had probably had the pace taken out of it by overnight rain.  For Hallam South African overseas player Shane Smith returned 4 for 49.

HALLAM'S JOE COOPER STEAMS IN

Before the start of play it was good to catch up with quite a few in the crowd including Hallam secretary Richard who has just celebrated a recognition by the club of 30 years in the role, like most helpers he was busy all afternoon and saw little of the proceedings.  Thanks for an interesting chat and your enthusiasm for your club was self evident long may your help continue for Hallam CC.  Also during the first innings Hallam opening bowler Craig Moffat's dad was a very interesting visitor down from Workington to watch his lad whose now based in Sheffield.  Needless to say we had an interesting sporting chat including updating the Cumbrian football, rugby league and cricket scene.  There was also time to discuss former Workington player Geoff Martin, who now lives near by to the blog, and his time playing for the Cumbrian club in their football league days, good to meet you and later Craig a pleasure guys.

HALLAM'S MARK WILLIAMS FLYING IN

Tea interval saw a brisk walk into Crosspool, down the hill, to the big 'T's although in this case it was a small 'T's in the form of an express for goodies, with a good bus service the use of the day ticket for 2 stops avoided the big hill walk and saw arrival back at the ground in the first over of Hallam's reply.
A steady start by the home side saw them lose their second wicket at 53 in the 15th but they were nicely on target if heads could be kept.  Here into the equation rode captain Dymock who secured 54 in 87 balls to keep the scoreboard moving after his opening partnership he went onto have further pairings with Harry Bliss [20], Humphrey Emery [27] and Joe Cooper [26 not out] all who stuck to the task of keeping the run rate fed.

HALLAM CAPTAIN NICK DYMOCK ON HIS WAY TO A HALF CENTURY

The weather looked in the balance after a major darkening of the skies from 5pm it looked only a matter of time before the rains came even though the BBC were still saying no!  Finally at 20 minutes to seven the rain came sharply and with the umpires taking the players off there were just 7 overs to bowl and the game would be awarded by the D/L method to Hallam by 24 runs.

HARRY BLISS HALLAM CC

A superb win by the home side who measured their reply well while keeping ahead of the run rate all the way through their innings.  Its always feels like a disappointing way to win when it would have been more satisfactory to get over the line with the required runs but the often complicated D/L method produced the correct match result here and Hallam had beaten the league leaders from Abbeydale.
With the rain brisk now I was grateful for the arrival of this excellent bus service to arrive and whisk me back into Sheffield and soon out of the station to arrive back in base transport hub[?] just 7.30pm.
An enjoyable visit to an historic club in a lovely setting accompanied by a tight game of enthralling cricket.