VALIANT PILSLEY FALL TO DUFFIELD

PILSLEY AND CLAY CROSS 175 ALL OUT DUFFIELD 2'S 232 ALL OUT

DCCL DIVISION 6 NORTH AT RUPERT ST

7 AUGUST 2021 --- 1PM

PILSLEY AND CLAY CROSS VERSUS DUFFIELD WITH TOM HOLMES FOR THE VISITORS

An intriguing encounter saw Pilsley and Clay Cross come up what looked well short against Duffield seconds but considering the home side were two players short of their compliment but admirably opted to fulfill their fixture, there is a lesson there for others, it was a superb effort.  After 22 overs the home side replying to the visitors 232 all out were 125 for 3 well on target apart from the lack of any leeway in the wickets column.  It would be Duffield though who found the resolve to take three quick dismissals and the challenge in the end fell 57 runs short.

OPENING BOWLER FOR PILSLEY TRISTAN BOWERS

Flip Flopping around on football or cricket today after last weeks start to the season in the NCEFL for the blog was leaning towards the same variety again until late hope sprung in the weather which gave the belief that a few hours of cricket could happen.  With only a brief visit in passing it was time to get back to Pilsley a place were I enjoyed some time last season, added to that as ever a prompt response from Tristan Bowers at the club and the boots were on and the two and a half mile walk saw arrival with thirty minutes in the credit page.

FIRST CHANGE IAN WORTHY ON HIS WAY TO THREE WICKETS

Most, if not all, of the history of the area has been covered on football and cricket visits to Rupert St and of course the wonderful back drop views to both games, if the weather allows, so now is not the time to re visit this.   It was though great to keep the grass roots sport interest alive after a week of footballers moving for multi millions, probably backed up by the same in contracts, to realise that these players are so far away from the fans and basics of the game a thought that you can aim towards a lot of major sports currently.

UP FOR THE SHOUT

Looking back over the pictures before selecting a few as made this look like a study of wicketkeeper Ian Knowles but if you are undertaking that role I guess you are going to appear in the action shots, as an aside to of course having a good performance with the bat too.

GARETH HATTON FROM THE CLAY CROSS END

Both sides came into the game with contrasting recent form with the visitors losing only one in the last five whereas for Pilsley you could flip the coin.  Duffield arrived with a full team sheet with a fair few chaps looking to make their way in the game alongside a nice collection of experience.  For Pilsley the nine available looked strong but it would of course make plugging the fielding gaps even harder and the chance to deny runs was taken away in many instances.

IAN BOWYER FOR DUFFIELD

With Bowers and Pete Lacey opening the bowling for the home side a breakthrough was much sought after winning the toss and electing to field and it came with the score on 25 when Joe Smith [13] was bowled by former.  The second wicket was not to far behind on 47 when a sharp take by Knowles off Bowers sent back Tim Holmes [29] for a respectable contribution.  Ian Bowyer [27] would join Daniel Tomlinson [69] at the crease and they proved difficult to dislodge with the latter gaining in confidence and passing his fifty in what increasingly looked a confident knock.  It would take Gareth Hatton to dismiss Bowyer when he dislodged his bails after replacing Bowers who had bowled his allotment of overs.

GARETH HATTON BOWLS BOWYER WITH CRICH STAND WATCHING ON

At the drinks break, 22 overs, Duffield were registering 81 for 3 showing how well under manned Pilsley were going in their reply later at the same stage.  First change the experienced Ian Worthy was proving a difficult job to handle for the visitors and he saw off Joseph Anderson and Saranya Madina both for ducks the former efficiently stumped by Knowles and the latter caught by Jack Warsop going for a big hit.  

PILSLEY KEEPER KNOWLES SHOWS HIS ATHLETICISM

Top scorer Tomlinson who had performed excellently for his years and was only finally dismissed by keeper Knowles as he missed a Worthy delivery moving down the wicket to keep the score moving on at the desired pace.  Bowers was alert in the field to run out Oliver Cox [15] with Edwards Cockayne [10] receiving similar treatment this time by Knowles.  In the run in a forceful effort from Jacob Melling [36] added a speedy and timely contribution to the visitors total while bringing up ten and eleven captain Adam Short [17*] and Richard Jordan [7] added vital runs with the latter caught by Hatton off Will Green in the second ball of the final over.

The home sides bowling held fairly firm in the plight they found themselves in with Worthy returning 3 for 57 proving the pick of the bunch, there were two wickets for Bowers and Hatton with Green chipping in with the final dismissal.

LAST PAIR HITTING OUT FOR DUFFIELD

The tea interval would undertake a trip around the local lane to view the former pit canteen now converted into a unique house/living accommodation.  The weather was no much improved with the wind almost non existent and the drizzle that annoyed a three quarter of an hour spell in the Duffield innings thankfully was by now away elsewhere.  

FINAL TWO ADD VITAL RUNS TO THE VISITORS TOTAL

It looked a tough total but when opener Jack Warsop [18] got the reply underway with a maximum in the first over the reply was well sourced achieving just shy of seven an over in the first ten.  Keepers were to feature in the blog and the busy Warsop was looking to go big but this drew the attention of the visitors keeper who was clearly bantering to upset him and with the number one chirping back it was lively with fellow opener Knowles looking to get the young 'uns head on the next delivery.  The big hitting continued until he was finally caught by an excellent running boundary catch by top scorer Tomlinson running round from long on off Richard Jordan going for another maximum with the score on 41.  With Knowles [55] going along at a steady pace it brought Steve Wood to the crease who struggled to get the ball away and was dismissed without adding to the score caught Bowyer off Adam Short with the scoreboard registering twenty four more runs on the total.  

INTERVAL VIEW TOWARDS THE CLAY CROSS PART OF THE TEAM

Bowers joined Worthy at the crease and this was a vital partnership and somebody needed to go big on the score front.  For so long it looked on the cards as Bowers [30] settled in but Knowles came down the wicket to Jordan and his counterpart whipped off the bails as the ball evaded the Pilsley opener.  Even then with the drinks break showing after 22 overs Pilsley on 125 for 3 the target was around four an over an with a huge boundary to one side it looked to need a calm head and not big hitting, at least for the time being.  It would be a sensible approach from Worthy [24] he fell caught by Joe Smith on the boundary off the bowling of  Joseph Anderson but there was still batting in the tank for the home side.

KNOWLES WATCHES THE BALL WHILE MOVING TOWARDS HIS FIFTY

Duffield struck now with two ducks for the home side when even they were starting to get concerned that the chase was on Green was bowled by Anderson and Hatton looped one up to Cox to take off his own bowling.  The closing pair of Kyle Butterworth [3*] and Pete Lacey [22] offered up some entertainment and as the latter started to hit out there was just the thought of  'could this be on again'.  Sadly not when the latter was caught and bowled by Short to give Duffield the victory by fifty seven runs.

TRISTAN BOWERS AND THE VIEW

The visitors bowlers shared two wickets apiece with Jordan, Short, Anderson and Cox registering in equal terms.

There had to be some doubt of what to expect when the news of a short staffed team for Pilsley was declared but this was a sterling effort from the North Derbyshire outfit in a highly entertaining game which featured two well gathered half centuries Tomlinson for Duffield and Knowles for Pilsley.  Overall though Duffield earned their victory but with those two players on the pitch for the home side this would have been a nail biting finish.

An enjoyable afternoon again at Rupert Street with some genuine honest cricket played during the second innings in some lovely weather.

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