DCCL DIVISION 6 N/E AT BARLOW HILL PILSLEY SPORTS GROUND
15 AUGUST 2020 --- 1PM
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| JOHN WORTHY TAKES THE LAST RIDDINGS WICKET TO COMPLETE A FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE |
Pilsley and Clay Cross recorded their first league win of the season thanks to a fantastic team effort but they were ultimately grateful to the experienced John Worthy who slowed down the league leaders fast progress and then took half a dozen wickets to see them crumble and in the process he returned career best bowling figures added to this he then contributed a valuable twenty with the bat to give Pilsley a three wicket victory and 27 points.
Setting off to this game with the usual brisk 45 minute walk it would be an overcast and murky day in North Derbyshire with a cold chill and the option for a coat had to be taken. The choice between cricket and football was made and a visit to the welcoming Pilsley was decided upon, having secured a game on Thursday night and with cricket a clear option today with no clear rain forecast.
Having covered the two local pits and little history of the area and with this blog normally featuring other points of local interest I was struggling to come up with anything but I shouldn't have worried today would end up being very much again about the cricket and a turn up for the books. Visitors and league leaders Riddings were undefeated and with Pilsley and Clay Cross [PCCCC] having no victory in their locker they sat second from bottom of the table you had to fear for a difficult afternoon for the latter, but as ever sport as a habit of delivering the unexpected.
Just to add the small snippet of interest and this may only be for 'locals' here I decided with twenty minutes to the start time and probably five minutes away to veer off on a small diversion up Locko Lane and to reminisce about the former large Waterloo Hotel, named after this area of the village. The establishment sat on top of a steep rise in the road that commanded a superb view over the surrounding area sadly now disappearing due to further house building. Having been demolished a fair few years back a large gathering of apartment blocks appear on the site and now carry the former public houses name. Just above is an unclaimed road with a large row of terraced houses running at the opposite direction to Locko Road and although called The Acres I can only assume they were houses for the nearby Pilsley colliery, but that may be me assuming to far. Coming back onto Rupert Street just shy of The Star public house the arrival at the ground was conveniently timed as the first delivery was due to take place by Pilsley captain Tristan Bowers.
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| TWO WICKETS FOR PCCCC CAPTAIN TRISTAN BOWERS |
Lets make no bones about the opening overs PCCCC were in danger of going for 250 plus and after 10 overs the visitors aggressive hitting had seen them secure a score of 85 for 2. The opening two wickets seeing Bowers dismiss both openers Tom Spencer and Ady Elks leg before. Their replacements, captain, Chris Steele [42] and Terry Gainey [36] threatened to take the game away from the home side and they were 105 for 2 at one stage. Changes were needed to slow Riddings running away with the game before the half way stage of their innings was reached and the masterstroke was to bring on the experienced Worthy and then in tandem with Gareth Hutton. Not only did these two slow the run rate down they forced a quite amazing collapse from the top of the table side. Gainey was first to go for Worthy to secure his first while fellow strike partner Steele fell to Hatton who dislodged his bails. When two batsman go close together its often the time to re gather yourself but nothing could have foreseen this collapse that saw the remaining half a dozen batsman all dismissed for ducks. With Worthy bowling Aaron Needham, having Daniel Jackson caught by keeper Richard Lee before Bowers took an excellent catch racing out to collect a skier with the ball coming over his shoulder for a wonderful take to send back Dan Parkin. At this point I have to apologise the camera was in the bag and I was taking a bit of time to just watch the game.
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| PILSLEY CLOSE IN FIELDERS READY |
Worthy would see Jamie Simpson lbw before It was time for bowling partner Hutton, who returned 2 for 2 in 4 overs, to dismiss Ryan Cox caught behind and then Worthy would wrap up the visitors innings with Adrain Head bowled leaving last man Dean Tebbitts stranded on of course no score. By the end of that display Worthy had returned 6 for 13 in 8.2 overs which would see his best return at senior cricket if the bar had been open he would I'm sure had a few drinks bought for him.
An amazing turn around had seen Riddings bowled out in 25.2 overs in just over ninety minutes from what seemed an unassailable position after ten overs.
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| STEVE WOOD FOR PCCCC FENDS OFF THE RIDDINGS BOWLING ATTACK |
Could the home side take this challenge on board and get a first victory or in the worst case scenario hold on for a draw only time would tell and after a tea interval mini walk around by the old pit canteen again arrival back at the ground twenty minutes later would be in time for the PCCCC reply.
With the visitors fired up for this it would take patience and the home side showed that with a cautious start defending against Dan Parkin and Dean Tebbitts. Opener Pete Lacey couldn't wait much longer and he lofted one to mid on off Parkin after his resolve was tested. Man of the match Worthy came in prepared to guide anything high and slightly wide of the off stump over the slips and he added a valuable 20 to the scorecard before trying the shot once too often and was caught by Ady Elks off of Parkin with the score on 50 for 2. Riddings made the bowling change with Ryan Cox who dismissed the ever patient Steve Wood [13] with his first ball leg before he then removed Daniel Haslam with a full toss that was snapped up by Tebbitts. This brought captain Bowers [26] out to join Andy Aldis [23] at the crease and these two steadied the ship while keeping the scoreboard moving.
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| JOHN WORTHY NOW FOR THE BATTING |
With the score reaching the psychological plus of three figures Bowers was opening up but sadly fell caught by Adrain Head off of Cox and it was 103 for 5 in 29 overs. No need to panic. However when Aldis went caught by Elks off the bowling of Chris Steele PCCCC were still fourteen runs shy of victory and there was a degree of nervousness.
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| ANDY ALDIS A VITAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE PCCCC VICTORY |
It was very tense and tight now, certainly watching from the boundary edge with increasingly cold hands, but the equation was simple it was averaging two an over with four wickets in hand from the last five overs. But that simple it was not as Riddings tightened the screw with sharp fielding and PCCCC were finding it difficult to get the ball away to that effect Will Bedford tried to force the scoring and was caught by Daniel Jackson of Steele trying to loft the ball away off his legs, 125 for 7. It was time for Thomas Wildgoose [5] to join Gareth Hatton [8] at the crease and with three overs remaining four was needed with three and thankfully the former found the boundary and my hands could warm up again.
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| BOWERS LAUNCHES HIMSELF INTO THE BOWLING |
A quiet remarkable game from the superb start made by Riddings that threatened a very one side encounter to a super comeback assisted by Hatton but seen through by Worthy who then chipped in with the bat as things looked edgy at the start of PCCCC and their reply. To the end the visitors remained competitive and they knew from earlier on in the day that wickets could tumble under pressure. Thankfully on this occasion PCCCC stuck to their task and gained a superb victory that their efforts deserved. At the end of the day though cricket was the winner in this excellent game and both sides take credit for that.
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| WILL BEDFORD LOOKS TO GET THE BALL AWAY |
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