CAPTAIN BOWERS LANDS THE VICTORY

PILSLEY AND CLAY CROSS 182 FOR 5 RIDDINGS 2'S 136 ALL OUT

DCCL DIVISION 7 NORTH AT RUPERT ST

17 SEPTEMBER 2022 --- 1PM

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC BOWERS IN PILSLEY V RIDDINGS

A match winning performance from Pilsley captain Tristan Bowers with a quick fire innings and 5 for 39 with the ball got them over the line to 27 points against a Riddings side who were threatening to race away with the game at 67 for one in the tenth over chasing a target of 183 at Rupert Street.  Once again James Aldis [46] would provide a vital contribution alongside 3 for 33 with his bowling.

JAMES ALDIS TOP SCORES FOR PILSLEY

Last week in the blog a heavy dose of melancholy was probably enough but today that feeling was there again and much as I journey up to Pilsley for football as well there was a collection of thoughts about the end of the cricket season when I was a young un transferring to today as well.  This time though there will be no listening to Radio 4 long wave for the cricket during the winter months and somewhere soon football will take over again, after an extended cricket season that as I have continued to enjoy as  probably gone the furthest into the football season for many a year.  So its with a heavy heart that today would be the last Saturday of the cricket season with an added bonus of Pilsley needing a maximum 27 points to stand a chance of second place and promotion to a league they fell out of last season even though they finished one place above the relegation zone, but due to league re alignment they lost their spot.  It has to be a day in their favour with Duffield 3's needing maximum to deny them the spot in a tight top of the table made all the more so by Pilsley's defeat at Duffield last week by just one wicket.

MID WICKET MEETING FOR JACK CARTWRIGHT AND GRAHAM TURNER

So in reverse order this week here is the action with Pilsley in search of those maximum points they looked on rocky ground as Riddings chased down the target of 183 and reached 67/1 after ten overs and victory looked a long way off.  But an inspired performance with the ball from captain Bowers, who had earlier contributed a quick fire thirty two with the bat, proved to be the visitors undoing.  Looking comfortable Riddings collapsed to 68/5 with Aldis starting the downfall with the second wicket but it would be Bowers who added Robert Robbins [30], Ewan Smith and Finlay West for ducks to his opening over wicket of Josh Bacon who also failed to score and when he bowled Adrian Head [10] the visitors were 90/6 and the Pilsley captain had bagged a remarkable 'fifer'.

TURNER HITS OUT BEFORE RETIRING INJURED

At the half way stage Riddings were well up with the run rate at 103/6 but they could not hold onto their wickets as Steve Wood swept up two late victims including the resilient Neil Glover [23].

Bowers returned 5 for 39, Aldis 3 for 33 and it was 2 for 18 for Wood.

ITS GONE HIGH

Earlier in the afternoon it had been slow going for Pilsley as it proved difficult to get the ball away and some tight early bowling also limited the runs.  It was Aldis [46] who get the scoreboard moving along with Graham Turner [30*] who had to retire hurt when he took a ball into his face causing a nasty cut above the left eye.  It left captain Bowers to play a decisive innings that alongside a cameo from Shaun Fisher [20*] and they would get Pilsley up to 182 and eventual victory by 46 runs to secure the 27 points.

GREAT AFTERNOON WITH THE BALL FOR THE PILSLEY CAPTAIN

Sadly Duffield would secure their 27 points and with Staveley Welfare also obtaining 27 points from a Bakewell forfeit it left Pilsley in third place and just five points adrift, hoping maybe the league may realign and this time take them back up for next season.  Last weeks tight game at Duffield made it hard for Pilsley had they have snatched victory or in any of those 4 early season games taken the final opposition wicket that resulted in winning draws of course it would all look very different now.  

It is also rather hard to see Staveley having four fixtures forfeited to them and securing maximum points without playing whereas Pilsley had nobody cry off against themselves.

FIFER FOR BOWERS AS HE BOWLS ADRIAN HEAD

Oh well now is not the time to worry as its been a very enjoyable season watching on 'the ridge' in a dry summer that has only seen a few minutes lost to showers all season.  Its been a pleasure visiting and hopefully next season can just be as exciting.

But for now to use the football quote in relation to the 2022 cricket season 'they think its all over, it is now'

GARETH HATTON SENSES A CLOSE CALL