MATHEWS MASTERCLASS FOR MORTON

MORTON COLLIERY CC 267 FOR 5 SHIPLEY HALL CC 266 FOR 9
DERBYSHIRE CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION 2 @ BACK LANE
15 JULY 2017 --- 1.30PM

SECOND SHIPLEY WICKET FALLS CAUGHT AND BOWLED TO TOM COXHEAD

In a game that produced over 500 runs and 2 superb centuries it was ultimately the three figures from Morton's Blair Mathews that guided the home side over the line to victory.  Have no doubts though this was a close game with Shipley Hall posting a large total thanks in the main to their South African overseas player Angelo Yiatses who hit 107, ultimately though this was surpassed by Morton with 13 balls to spare and 5 wickets in hand.  Games that go this close are hard on the side that just misses out but Shipley Hall should be proud of a tremendous effort and their part in an highly enjoyable watch.
Not too much travelling this week with a local game just 20 minutes from bases by the stripey boys 55a service slightly delayed due to the chaos of closing part of the bypass in Chesterfield.  So with a base county watch today there was no travelling to Yorkshire and beyond and many people thought I would not be able to arrive at the ground by train, how wrong you were.

ARRIVAL PLATFORM 1 FOR MORTON  WAS COMFORTABLE IF SOMEWHAT BRIGHT

Having covered Morton and their Back Lane ground a few times before I wont go into a ground descriptor if you take a look at June last year on the index its in there.  I started off today taking a few pictures in relation to the colliery link but in the end opted not to use them thanks to some steady game pictures even though we had an overcast day for much of play, mind you by the close of play and with cans out on the boundary the sun shone brightly!

TENSION RISES ON THE BOUNDARY

Its always funny how some clubs just score a success with any hopper and Morton, I'll say it again, do just that with their friendly welcome and homely facilities for the visitors.  Having spoken to a few of the Shipley lads and looked at their ground for a visit a few times I hope to sample an afternoon their this season given the chance.  The only downside to the village is the lack of a shop that opens after 1pm and although there is history if you look for it, former station and centre of England tree, its otherwise a sleepy former mining village on Saturday and Sunday visits I find certainly no chippy to sample.

STAR JUMPS COMPETITION HAS A CLEAR WINNER

The game today was a mid table affair with nothing much resting on it except for that old classic 'local pride'.  Morton looked pretty strong they were without Jordan Lemon who picked up a hand injury playing football for Spalding Utd the previous evening at Grantham.
It was a cloudy and overcast day with thankfully hardly any of the pre match rain forecast falling and to this effect the ball was moving around in the early overs and Shipley Hall were only just into double figures when their second wicket fell to a sharp caught and bowled from Tom Coxhead.  The visitors pushed themselves on to 85 for 4 and all looked to be going well for Morton to skittle the visitors out fairly cheaply.

MITCH ADLINGTON LOOKS TO GET HIGHER THAN SECOND SLIP

That was not too take account for the arrival of Yiatses who battled sensibly and then aggressively, admittedly Colliery failed to take a couple of chances offered, but the South African took advantage and went on to a devastating spell of hitting mid innings that saw his final total of 107 include 18 fours and one maximum.  The dismissal of Morton's tormentor came with an audacious catch from Harry Wilmott as Yiatses looked to clear the boundary the Morton player sprinted round from wide long on reached out a hand and the ball stuck to the palm for a remarkable take.

ADLINGTON SENDS THE BAILS FLYING

The visitors innings was supported by Ryan North who contributed 42 as at times Morton struggled to contain Shipley and in the end the total of 266 looked a big one.  For Morton captain Paul Holmes returned 4 for 61 in what had been a hard afternoon in the field.

ANGELO YIATSES ACKNOWLEDGES THE APPLAUSE FOR HIS CENTURY

Tea at Morton is always a special affair and today looked no different with an excellent selection of food prepared by the club for the mid innings get together.
Morton started their reply at a pace with opener Wilmott launching the ball all around the park while Ashley Caunt played the early cautious approach.  The reply was going swimmingly well until Wilmott skied a top edge and was caught for 42 including 7 fours and 1 maximum with h score on 61 for 1.

THE TENSION I CAN HARDLY LOOK

The score had moved to 74 when Caunt edged to first slip and this brought a sedentary passage in play which was needed for stability but appeared to see Morton fall behind the run rate.  When wicket keeper Jack Stone was out LBW the score was 108 for in the 23rd over and this would now be a big ask for the home side.

MORTON CAPTAIN PAUL HOLMES CAN ONLY WATCH NOW AFTER TAKING 4 FOR 61

David Greaves [37] joined Blair Mathews at the crease and the fightback started with some big hitting the former was out going for another big score and 179 for 4 soon became 183 for 5 when Mitch Adlington was trapped LBW.  Out strode Jordan Crowder and the ask was at around 7 an over but by this stage Mathews was well in his stride confidently picking the right ball to send to the boundary and with the support of his new partner the run rate came down.  In the 44th over as the total became nearer Crowder pushed a single, finishing on 29 not out, to allow Mathews the strike and he confidently went to his century with a massive maximum.

BLAIR MATHEWS RECEIVES THE APPLAUSE FOR HIS MATCH WINNING CENTURY

 Moments later the single required was achieved and Morton had overhauled the total posted by Shipley which at times seemed unlikely.  Everything had to go right for the chasers and today it did and although no consolation I'm sure for Shipley they take credit in playing their part in an excellent advert for Derbyshire County League cricket.  Both sides can look at dropped catches in this game and of course the old adage 'catches win matches' rings true but from a spectator point of view this was a superb afternoons cricket to watch from the boundary, well done both sides.
The return journey was an uneventful affair and base was arrived at around 9pm after another pleasant afternoons cricket at Morton.