ELECTRICITY SPORTS CHASE DOWN REVISED TARGET TO WIN CLOSE MATCH

LEICESTER ELECTRICITY SPORTS 289 FOR 5 LOUGHBOROUGH TOWN 2nd Xl 329 FOR 4
LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND CL LG 1 AT NEW BRIDGE ST
16 JUNE 2018 --- 1PM

LEICESTER ELECTRICITY SPORTS WITH TIGERS WELFORD RD IN THE BACKGROUND

Electricity Sports chased down a revised target to gain the victory that must have left visitors Loughborough Town deflated after they had set a massive 329 for 4 in their allotted 45 overs.  In a batters paradise there was a stunning effort from Neel Gandhi who went on from securing his century to reach 137 and also secure 2 for 48 with the ball.  But with the home side five down and still requiring 105 from 15 overs the rain break of around 25 minutes set up an achievable total that thanks to big hitting from Tim Phillips [34] [who also took 3 for 74] and the rock that the innings was built on Andy Deacon [118] Sports got home with two overs to spare.

NEEL GANDHI TOP SCORE FOR LOUGHBOROUGH TOWN WITH 137

Quite by chance a few years ago I discovered this little gem of a ground while walking round some of the sporting sites of Leicester while covering a game at St Andrews FC in the city in the latters promotion year, at that point the marker was set to cover a game of cricket at New Bridge St.  Sadly dodgy weather last year and then a few weeks ago put this on the back burner until today with the hope of a nearly full days play the 45 minute journey from base station was made and after a walk through Nelson Mandela Park and by the Welford Rd site of Leicester Tigers, a memory jerker took place with a look at the old Filbert St site of Leicester City sadly now much a weed strewn rubble save for a third of the site housing a student accommodation tower block.  A  brief meander along to take a look at the new home of The Foxes found the cricketers warming up with 1230 approaching it was then that I realised the start time was 1pm so a visit to the nearby Morrison's over the Aylestone Rd on the site of the former cattle market provided pre match provisions.

LEICESTER CITY'S KINGPOWER STADIUM OVERSEES PROCEEDINGS

Although the ground is now listed as New Bridge St it was formerly more recognised as new Ayestone Rd especially around 1901 when it was the main county ground for Leicestershire who took it as home until around 1946 when they moved back to their current base at Grace Rd.  With the era of cricket played here there was many a famous name gracing the ground including WG Grace, Herbert Sutcliffe, Don Bradman, Wally Hammond, Douglas Jardine, Len Hutton the list goes on so an esteemed who's who of cricket.  Leicester played 399 first class games here and it was once described as one of the biggest grounds in the country.

ELECTRICITY SPORTS WOULD SOON BE JUMPING FOR JOY

Today then the playing surface as been reduced by a triple set of mini apartment blocks which overlook the ground on the Aylestone Rd side and from what historically I guess would have been fields on the edge of the city we now have an expanse of industrial and factory units alongside the two other sporting stadia.  Although railed off with small park fence type barriers there appears to be a public walkway around most of the site.  Very much like Throncliffe CC from Chapeltown which also sits in a busy town centre this ground offers a haven of peace amongst the nearby hustle and bustle of a major route into the city centre around 3/4 of a mile away.
The star of the show is the double deck pavilion which is rather difficult to describe with its many features needless to say the windows on the top deck have been replaced from the former mini slatted variety.

LOUGHBOROUGH OPENER GANDHI KEEPS HIS EYES ON THE BALL

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat but it was looking dubious when the first wicket fell with just one on the scoreboard, Greg Hollins [68] joined opener Gandhi and they proceeded to put on 160 for the second wicket before Hollins lost his stumps to Tim Phillips.  Stuart Fielding partnered his opener for a swift 58 before the third wicket at 277 saw Gandhi dismissed but during this time he had been striking out and sending the ball to all corners of the outfield and when it did finally end the Loughborough opener had amassed a remarkable 137 which at this stage looked to have set up a match wining total of 329 for 4 which was ably added to by Ben Wooldridge [31] in the latter stages.
Tea break and off to said store again this time to sample their wonderfully exotic salad bar, yes you've heard it right SALAD, in the mixed up lyrics of The Proclaimers song 'fish and chips no moooore'!

ANDY DEACON LAUNCHES HIMSELF INTO ANOTHER BIG HIT

As ever the day was matched by some boundary conversations including a Loughborough fan who it was a pleasure to speak to, David who was with his son in the nets and we had a brief discussion about the club and a few things football and latterly Loughborough's injured opener who was out trying his arm at photography while on the side lines, as ever great to meet you thanks!

DEACON STRIKES ONE THROUGH THE OFFSIDE

The first innings proved hard word for the bowlers in finding a length that would contain the scoring and the fielding was proving difficult on this fast outfield.  Your choice of winners at this stage looked to be with the visitors but a blistering start from Electricity Sports saw them get to 50 in 5 overs thanks to Oliver Gratix [30] and Luke Clark [39] but they soon fell to 99 for 3 in the 13th over it was case of wickets being available to see the task through.  By this stage Andy Deacon had come to the crease and was slowly amassing the runs in a measured manner along the way he was joined by Jacob Humphries [20] who was bowled by Alfie Gurney brother of Notts and England international Harry.   When the a rain stoppage intervened at 225 for 5 in 30 overs it was looking a difficult ask certainly one which needed a preservation of wickets while moving the total along at the same time.  The revised target after the short delay saw eight overs lost and from the now remaining 7 a further 62 runs were needed.
Electricity Sports were more than up for this and showed their intent when Deacon hit the first ball after the restart for 4 and with Phillips bludgeoning the ball around the ground they found themselves grabbing victory.  The final ball of the 35th over saw Phillips launch it well beyond the ropes to set off some joyous scenes at the front of the clubhouse with a victory that had been set up by the superbly measured century from Deacon of 118.

SPORTS OVER THE LINE WITH A BIT MORE BIG HITTING

This must have felt like a big disappointment for the visitors but they were part of a superbly entertaining game for the neutral spectator and one that if the full total had been required who knows what would have happened, mind you with the ferocity of hitting by Phillips and Deacon at the end even that may have not been beyond Electricity Sports.
A sharp bit of movement allowed departure on the 8.05 from Leicester to base and an enjoyable day was backed up by over hearing a young child on the train discussing with his grandma about their pets he was telling her he had two pets one he bought and one he found, to which she enquired 'what's the one you found'?  He promptly replied 'a caterpillar'!