Report from the Newbold team: -

After the frolics of the six a side and the hysterics of the 1st XI game the 89ers welcomed the Huncote Spearheads to Alans Way. Well the 89ers would have welcomed them if they weren’t so damm hung over after Dawson had led his merry men on a pink pub crawl of Hinckley.

Lord Bernard of Verdon was handed the new ball – but it seemed that he’d had one too many hock n seltzers the night before – and the result was wayward to say the least. At the other end Gaz Bell stormed in looking a real menace with his Pietersen like hair cut. Swanny and Wilson couldn’t have asked for a more accommodating pair of opening bowlers and with the odd expansive drive and vicious cut the score was advancing rapidly. But Wilson (15) got too cocky and was deceived by flight and guile, being caught Bird bowled Bell.

That brought Kirby (of the T variety) to the wicket. It would have been nice to dig deep into the thesaurus of cricketing terms to describe TK’s array of attacking strokeplay but his stay was all too brief as he too went the way of the Bell, this time caught by a Ball for a measly 15. Skipper Bird quickly got into the action himself dismissing Dyke and then Adcock in quick succession.

With the run rate dropping at an alarming rate Swanny and Betty set about restoring some pride in Huncote’s middle order which had been brutally exposed. Harmo tried his arm at becoming Farmer Giles and was joined by fellow spin buddies Jamie F and baby Bernard.

In a desperate attempt to feed some more runs Bird brought on Forrest who (as usual) hadn’t read the script and by some miracle managed to hit the stumps of both Betty (19) and Swanny – but not before young master Swann had amassed a stylish 65. The other Kirby (16 – P) threatened for a while but DC had the better of him pulling off a stunning caught and bowled chance.

That left Huncote in the hands of their youth policy. Three very capable young men Hogan, Thompson and Randall (another one) rode their luck with a skill that belied their tender years. With the odd lusty blow from Scrimshire at the end, Huncote reached a respectable 192 on a pitch that had something in it for the bowlers.

After a fine tea Forrest and Adcock set about chasing the total. Scrimshire opened from one end – giving the ball plenty of flight with the accurate youth Randall at the other. Wanger bravely fought back the pain of his bad back in amassing 24 before becoming Pete Kirby’s first and only victim. That brought Sheephead to the wicket who shrugged off his fish bowl blues to amass a thrilling 52 despite some nagging bowling from Kev Dyke who extracted considerable bounce. Sheephead’s stroke play was rapidly putting the game out of Huncote’s reach. 

Clearly it was going to take something significant to send him back to his pen and so it proved. Soon after reaching his 50 he lost his contact lens and Betty happily sent him back with his white stick tapping all the way. That brought a rather nervous Chapman to the wicket but he survived a dangerous first ball, scored off his second and therefore got rid of any chance of being out for the third time in the row for a duck. At the other end Forrest fell sweeping to Tim Kirby (well he had to get something out of the game) but by then the game was all but won. Harmo – who had started the day in the most glamorous pair of pink tights – came in to finish the game with one of his brutal blows. Imagine his dismay then, when he watched the carefully, correct Chapman bludgeon a six himself to finish things off with a flurry.

A good, well fought game with plenty of laughs and chuckles along the way.

Huncote man of the match James Swann

Newbold man of the match Baby Bernard (for that catch!!!)

Man of the Match- James Swann

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