With the wind blowing directly from the sewerage works adding a ripe aroma to the coldness Huncote arrived at Wigston and surveyed the pitch, once it had been made clear which strip was being used by adding the stumps (there being no clear indication beforehand), the general consensus of the senior players being that nobody had any idea of what it may or may not do.  It was thus decided that the toss would be a good one to lose.  Which Tim Kirby promptly did and Huncote were put into bat.

Some excellent bowling to start the game from Andy Jones, 7 maidens to start his spell, kept the runs to a minimum also picking up the wicket of Frank Hubbard to a catch from the keeper, thus relieving Luke Dyke of Conehead.  At the other end Ian Crossley was looking in fine form until a dubious LBW decision was given to one of the few balls that bounced above the knee.

Pete Kirby went in at 4 to join Tim Kirby who’d gone in at 3 as Huncote tried to add some stability on what was going to be a difficult batting track, especially with the controlled bowling of Wigston’s opening pair.  It didn’t last long with Tim Kirby’s call for a quick single eventually causing Pete Kirby to set off but the delay proved fatal and Pete Kirby found himself floundering at the bowlers end, but hey, he’d got himself a cuddly toy as a result and Conehead had his second new owner of the day.

Mark Schutz came in at 5 and having gauged the situation, which was calling for a controlled and lengthy innings, and hit his second ball over cover for 4 and edged his fifth ball over slips to third man for another.  Things then calmed down, Jones still bowling a very controlled line at one end and Walton, having replaced Finneymore from the other, doing likewise. 

Jones eventually bowled a loose ball and Tim Kirby, having faced 67 balls for just 19 runs up till then, went after it and, as is nearly always the case in these situations, found himself caught by Kennedy at gully/point.  Max Swords came and went having been bowled by Walton with one that cut back and James Brewin arrived and, as is customary went after the bowling from the off, unfortunately he was given LBW to Walton for his second wicket of the over and Huncote were now 6 down for not many.

Conehead found his third new owner of the day.  Schutz was still there, and despite being dropped at both square leg and cover, and indeed being caught acrobatically at long off only to have the catcher roll nicely onto the ropes in the process, was hanging around and attempting to keep the runs at least trickling along. A full toss from Walton was despatched over cow for his second six of the day and a couple of balls later he was dropped for the third time at point having nailed a half volley that still found the boundary having passed through both the fielders hands and his 50 came up.  He was promptly bowled next over by Finneymore off his pads for 51 and Huncote had reached 96-7.

Mitch Hubbard was well caught by Helmn for 10 and this brought young James Swann to the crease to join Luke Dyke for the final run chase, a very successful one as the ball was slapped to each corner of the field and saw Dyke finish on 26 not out and Swann on 7, at 151-8 Huncote had something to bowl with on a pitch where the bounce was becoming more unpredictable as the game went on.

Wigston opened with Helmn and M Dunkley, Helmn quickly being sent back to the shed by Luke Dyke for 1.  Wigston steadied themselves, Hensman was hitting anything loose to the boundary at a rapid rate of knots whiles Dunckley, who wasn’t looking particularly comfortable when facing Dyke, dropped anchor, but was bowled for 26.

The introduction of Tim Kirby into the attack, and back into form, soon saw Hensman loft one too many into the air and was snatched up with ease by Ian Crossley, Wigston’s keeper Ceredon soon followed by offering a catch to Mitch Hubbard which was accepted with grace.

James Swann was thrown the ball as Dyke took a breather and a fine introduction it was to as he took the wicket Wordsworth in his first over to end any serious thoughts Wigston had of chasing, it also ended any serious thoughts of a friendly relaxed game when the Huncote players were informed of what the Wigston players had been saying about Huncote’s players as they’d been in the field.

Finneymore came in and after a few hefty blows ran himself out with a terrible call of YES as the ball was hit straight to Crossley at square leg who had all the time in the world to run him out at the strikers end of the bowling of Swann.  Swann finished his impressive 7 over spell with three maidens and two more wickets, Bradshaw bowled for 4 and Jones caught by Mitch Hubbard for just 5.

When Tim Kirby had Kennedy given LBW for a duck Huncote had 5 overs at the final pair to seal victory, with Swann’s overs completed Dyke was brought back into the attack and promptly cleaned D Dunkley up with the fifth ball of his first over to complete the victory by 55 runs as Wigston finished 96 all out.

Man of the Match- Mark Schutz

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