JOHNSON CENTURY SWEEPS GRASSMOOR ASIDE

GRASSMOOR WORKS 172 FOR 8 WELBECK 2'S 271 FOR 6

BASSETLAW AND DISTRICT CRICKET LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT BARNES PARK

16 JULY 2022 --- 1PM

CENTURY MAKER ETHAN JOHNSON FOR WELBECK V GRASSMOOR 

Welbecks 2's took a firm grip on second place in The Bassetlaw and District first division after this comprehensive 99 run victory over hosts Grassmoor Works on a red hot afternoon in Barnes Park.  It was a destructive century from Ethan Johnson that did most of  the damage and even in reply half centuries from opener Mark Crain and Grassmoor captain Adam Bedford were not enough as they never got close to the challenging target. 

WELBECK CAPTAIN LEWIS JONES

A red hot afternoon greeted the twenty minute amble up the two hills that approach the village from the west and once again it was time to be thankful for this local cricket club who have provided a fair bit of the summer sport for me alongside of course Pilsley and Clay Cross Cricket Club.  Last week was pretty hot but this week from a spectating point of view would allow plenty of shaded areas with the boundary tree lined in Barnes Park whereas last week at Rupert Street there was no cover from the big yellow thing. 

Today's visitors to the north east Derbyshire village are Welbecks 2nd eleven who were sat nicely in second place behind Hartrhill and so it looked a tough challenge for Grassmoor who in the last few weeks had met the high flying pedigree clubs in the league and suffered defeats against the likes of Mansfield Hosiery Mills and Kiveton Park.

JAMIE HAWKINS GRASSMOOR ON A BRIGHT AFTERNOON 

Grassmoor won the toss and elected to field on a brown outfield glistening in the sun with players donning headgear and sun cream it was time for the scattering of spectators to generally head for the shelter of the trees.

With the visitors at 54/2 Joe Bradley [2] bowled Craig Dawes and Greg Herbert [27] caught off his own bowling by a diving forward Jamie Hawkins catch, the home side would have been relatively pleased.  A steady collection of Welbeck players made valuable contributions captain Lewis Jones [25], Benjamin Haynes-Greenwood [29] and Hari Tadpatrikar [48*] who was agonisingly two short of his half century at the close. it was though really down to Johnson that this massive total was achieved.  Starting in a red helmet he soon swapped to a club cap as his free flowing innings progressed to its century with 100 off 81 balls containing 12 fours and four maximums.  He was finally dismissed with the score on 232 allowing Tadpatrikar to to continue the attack.  All of the Grassmoor bowlers took a wicket but top returner was John Donaldson woith 2 for 53.

WELBECK CAPTAIN LEWIS JONES LOOKS TO SWEEP

Venturing out of the shade for the tea interval the obligatory walk to Grassmoor Country Park was undertaken with a welcome tree booked for the return and the Grassmoor reply.

MAN OF THE MATCH ETHAN JOHNSON A CENTURY FOR WELBECK

Grassmoor set off in pursuit of the 272 target but lost Andy Woolven [5] when he got a fine edge to keeper Paul Walker off the bowling of Scott Mills in the fourth over.  This brought captain Adam Bedford [57] to the crease to join opener Mark Crain [67] who top scored for the home side.  A cautious and then fluent approach saw these two put on 117 for the second wicket and although building a base they were always behind the run rate.  

JAMES WILLIS OPENING THE BOWLING FOR WELBECK

When the push did come both fell close together to Haynes-Greenwood, Crain being bowled and Bedford caught by Greg Herbert.  The run rate looked too large now but could the incoming batsman start in fourth gear and get near the total?

Sadly from a spectating point of view no and as the bat was thrown at the following deliveries each dismissal signalled a large winning margin for Welbeck, with just Carl Bowling [14] reaching double figures in the run in.  Grassmoor could only reach 172 for 8 at the end of their 80 overs.  

Pick of the wicket takers for the visitors were Haynes-Greenwood 3 for 30, closely followed by Mills 2 for 30 but overall today this had been about the destructive batting of Johnson who guided Welbeck to victory.  They are within ten points of the leaders but have opened up at forty eight point gap over third placed Kiveton Park.

SCOTT MILLS FOR WELBCK FROM THE PAVILION END

For Grassmoor this was always going to be a big challenge but they have showed themselves more than capable of competing within this league with some excellent performances but of course there are some clubs with a good pedigree in division one that make it sometimes difficult for a small village cricket club hard to compete with.

MARK CRAIN ON HIS WAS TO BEING TOP SCORER FOR GRASSMOOR