We all stand together: TURNER POWERS PILSLEY

PILSLEY AND CLAY CROSS 138/3 ASHOVER BARBARIANS 2'S 137/9

DCCL DIVISION 6 NORTH AT RUPERT STREET

25 MAY 2024 --- 1PM

PILSLEY AND CLAY CROSS V ASHOVER BARBARIANS 2'S GRAHAM TURNER PILSLEY

Graham Turner in usual swashbuckling style powered Pilsley over the line to a seven wicket victory over Ashover 2's at Rupert St and earlier in the afternoon home bowler Brad Garfoot had taken 4 for 22 to set up a modest target for the men from Rupert Street.

CHARLIE JOHNSON RECEIVES THE CONGRATULATIONS FOR HIS FIRST WICKET

At last a cricket match after a long, long football season that had become much extended after the wet weather and countless postponements of games had led to matches continuing through until the end of May.

Today would offer a return to one of the local favourites in Pilsley and Clay Cross and although I wasn't sure if I would be able to watch the whole game, thankfully I did, it was a different anticipation to today's cricket return.

JACK WARSOP AND RICHARD LEE IN DISCUSSION

After a beautiful morning were the dreams of attending in a T shirt were to the fore that all went out of the window when by noon it had turned overcast and breezy. With cheeky taxi booked for me, brolly, portable seat and camera bag arrival was nicely on time as the players came out with Ashover winning the toss and deciding to bat. Thankfully earlier in the morning I had made contact with Tristan Bowers club captain who confirmed all was good to go, of course the crickets already been going on for a few weeks already without us football addicts.

AN ALERT CAMERON LEE IN THE COVERS

With a fair few pictures from today's game there may be a shortage of words to go around and not too many between these pictures with the early ones offering some profiles of the players on show today, hopefully I've got names correct.

As regular readers will know its a ground that sits on a ridge offering some commanding views to east and the north although the south has now been filled in by the new housing estate which looks to have completed since my visit last season.

It was certainly top coat weather and even though I never used the seat all afternoon I managed the five hours doing about three or so circuits with a gradually wedging ridge in my shoulder where the seats strap rested for all of that time.

A SMILING START FOR THE PILSLEY CAPTAIN

It was a strong start from Pilsley with three wickets down early on With Jack Fletcher [2], James Carley [8] and Dale Crowder [1] all back early the victims of Tristan Bowers and the latter two to Charlie Johnson.

Stability arrived in the shape of Josh Stanley [41] and Jon Howard [32] who moved the scoreboard nicely to rescue the disappointing start for the visitors. Stanley fell bowled by the ever reliable Ian Worthy 1 for 28 in seven and Howard was the first of Garfoot's four wickets.

THE EXPERIENCED IAN WORTHY

Double figure contributions from Asitha Gunawardana [11] and Brandon Marrows [10*] moved Ashover through the early 100's. By the end of their allotted 45 overs they looked short of runs but had actually put in a creditable return after their early collapse and at least had something to bowl at after the tea interval.

Ashover finished on 137 for 9 and for the home sides bowling as aside to the four for Garfoot the other wicket takers were Charlie Johnson 2 for 16, Bowers 1 for 22 and the one wicket for Worthy added to a run out of Thomas Sorrell by keeper Richard Lee.

FOUR WICKETS FOR BRADLEY GARFOOT

The normal walk around Back Lane and the Old Canteen house, former pit eatery, was done on a return from Pilsley News for a stock up on a few provisions for my own tea interval.

It had become a regular walk for a few seasons but was interesting to catch up with it again today after a good few months away.

Arrival back at the ground again was well timed as the sides came out to re commence play with Pilsley needing 138.

GARETH HATTON ALWAYS KEEPING IT LIVELY

Pilsley opened at a pace with the ever attacking Jack Warsop [28] and the cautious Andrew Parker [15], Warsop had been put down twice and he did finally fall after his brief but exciting cameo when he was bowled by Carley. Parker was joined by Graham Turner [60] who we had seen before if he gets away can be dangerous and so it turned out today with a match winning performance and when Parker went also bowled by Carley it brought captain Bowers to the middle.

With Turner becoming ever more attacking Bowers [23*] kept his tally ticking along and just as it looked likely they would both see the target achieved without the loss of another wicket the inevitable happened.

MAN OF THE MATCH GRAHAM TURNER IN THE FIELD

Just five short of the target Turner lofted one high off the bowling of Harry Spencer to be caught by former Clay Cross Town FC player Dale Crowder. It brought Malc Jelly to the crease but the wining runs were soon struck by Bowers with a boundary that would complete a seven wicket victory with 14 overs to spare.

CLASSIC JACK WARSOP POSE

James Carley would take 2 for 23 and the only other wicket of course fell to Harry Spencer who was early in his spell 1 for 15 off three. There had been some good early bowling from Carley and Ian Cooke but overall the bowlers just didn't have enough to bowl at and we saw an attacking start from Warsop that put the visitors on the back foot straight away. Added to this a man of the match knock from Graham Turner and Pilsley had collected 22 points that moves them up to second in the early table placings.

SCENIC BACKDROP AS ANDREW PARKER DEFENDS

A brisk walk back to base saw arrival just after 7pm where the seat strapping by now was forcibly removed from my shoulder, ha, ha.

An enjoyable afternoon catching up with quite a few people at the club and hopefully the next visit can be on a warmer and brighter afternoon, but always good to see some cricket and visit this club.