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26/8
'Sell by Sunday . . . '
Keswick 2nds travelled to BAE Barrow for a NLL Division One game and
one young player who shall remain nameless emerged from the car on the
car park yawning, sleepy eyed and oblivious to the sandwich sticker on
his forehead with the legend 'Sell by Sunday . . . ' The two youths
responsible for this wizard prank on Dan the Man, step forward Simon
Grisdale and Andrew Rigg, also spent a fair amount of the afternoon
yawning; suggesting that they have been clearly studying too hard for
their recent examinations.
On an afternoon of revelations, I also discovered that the Squawkies,
Steve and Andy Clark were, as youngsters, fully paid-up members of The
Fonz Fan Club. Steve's impersonation of The Fonz in the car enroute to
Barrow had to be seen to be believed. Yeeaaaahhhh! Thumbs up.
One of life's little niceties has also determined that son of
'Chippy' has got himself a holiday job in a chippy. It has a
certain ring to it, don't you think.
But enough of all that, let's progress to the cricket.
Another Keswick CC NLL debutant was almost the hero of the day with his
bowling skills. Fourteen year old Oliver Hinkley, Olly for short,
produced a wonderful four over spell and produced a return of 3/7 which
almost won the game for Keswick. It was a marvellous debut from the
young lad and one that should elevate him to the 2nd X1 for the
foreseeable future.
Andrew Rigg, despite all that studying, produced another excellent
innings of great maturity to hit 37. Opener Neil Swainson compiled a
patient 39 while No6 batsman Keith Richardson made a useful 25 not out,
including two sixes, as Keswick made 171/7 from their 50 overs.
BAE were never really in the hunt and concluded their innings on 140/9
with Simon Grisdale bowling accurately and effectively to take 4/38 from
12. The Old Lad came in with 1/37 from 15. This was another good result
from a 2nd X1 fielding no fewer than seven players on or under the age
of 17, including Under 13s player Simon Grundy who, although he did not
get a chance to shine on Saturday at Barrow, will one day make a very
useful medium fast opening bowler. Thanks also to his mum Jackie for
having a needle and thread handy to repair my batting glove. Much
appreciated.
12/8
Swainson's Titanic performance
There is something faintly disturbing about seeing a blow-up version of The
Titanic partially 'disappearing' into the earth on Keswick's Fitz Park. It could
even be considered to be an omen of impending doom if you are a cricketer of a
superstitious nature; in which case it would certainly be a great deal more
worrying than seeing a mallard fly over the ground as you walk out to bat.
Fortunately, Egremont did not prove to be Keswick 2nd X1's iceberg for the NLL
Division One fixture at Fitz Park last Saturday. They were definitely stubborn
opposition * much stronger than the team destroyed by Keswick 1st X1 in the
county cup some weeks earlier - and played a full part in what transpired to be
a highly entertaining and competitive game of cricket enjoyed by everyone,
including the umpires, Bill and Mary.
Egremont decided to bat first on a BP shirt front and made 210/7 from their 50
overs. Your correspondent took a fine diving catch in the deep and hit a single
stump from square leg to exact a run out; there's life in the old dog yet. In
reply Keswick opening batsman Neil Swainson, clearly refreshed after a fortnight
in sunny Croatia, hit an undefeated 104 and featured in a partnership with young
Andrew Rigg (33) who had cut short his family holiday in Greece in order to
return to Keswick for the cricket!
The partnership almost won Keswick the match and it was a good to see the
experienced Swainson and the youngster Rigg taking part in such a constructive
partnership with both players thoroughly enjoying the experience. I think it is
fair to say that young Rigg has now firmly established his North Lancashire
League credentials as a batsman. His innings included five boundaries while
Swainson (winner of the 'Man of the Match' Heroes chocolates) struck 14
boundaries in his patiently compiled 104. Under normal circumstances it was a
knock that should have won Keswick the match but some costly errors in the
field, injudicious batting from a few and the miserable light in the last few
overs, combined to bring Keswick up short on 192/7 from their 50 overs.
Unfortunately, while Andrew Rigg is on the crest of a wave his father Malcolm
appears to be on the crest of a slump. Perhaps he would have preferred to remain
in the sun instead of returning to an increasingly Autumnal-feeling Lake
District. Still, Malcolm's dodgy knees did not prevent him from bowling a tight
spell and his batting this season has been generally encouraging. Perhaps an
early morning dip in Calf Close Bay on the morning of the match might make all
the difference.
Keswick 2nds earned 10 points from the draw and a win against Ulverston at home
this Saturday would mean that Keswick have more points than they amassed
throughout the whole of last season . . . and still have three games remaining
to show a marked improvement on 2005.
I look forward to some Keswick players * in the event of a win * taking to The
Titanic for a celebratory slide; although they'll have to be quick, the blow-up
Titanic has usually been deflated and taken away on a trailer before 6.30pm at
the latest.
5/8
Sri Lankan Test player
The 2nd X1 fielded a very young side, with one or two notable exceptions, for
the game at Whitehaven where Sri Lankan Test and one day international pace
bowler Fernando was in menacing mood. Even your correspondent, batting at No3
and top scoring on 14, had to resort to wearing a helmet as Fernando sent down a
mixture of fierce bouncers and toe curdling Yorkers. Unfortunately the 2nds were
blown away for a mere 57 but it was the bowler at the other end who did most of
the damage, Stephen Miller taking 5/14.
Still this was an interesting learning curve for some of Keswick's young players
(not to mention some of the older ones as well!) and 15 year old Jamie O'Brien,
making his NLL debut, can recall with pride his 7 not out and a tidy bowling
spell.
This Saturday the 2nd X1 are back at Fitz Park where they will feature in a
hopefully more even contest against Egremont. Keswick may also field a new
signing in Prabudh Kumar who is the younger brother of Palav Kumar who now plays
for Cleator. I can recall Prabudh playing for Edenside, Carlisle, in the Eden
Valley League a few seasons ago and I thought then that he was a useful pace
bowler in the making. Ultimately I think he could be a good acquisition for
Keswick.
30/8
The 2nd X1 was also in action against Wigton 2nds in the
latter stages of the John Scott Memorial Trophy and eventually won the game in a
dramatic finale despite doing their level best to throw it away.
Batting first, Keswick made 194 with No3 batsman Paul Fleet hitting a
morale-boosting half century that included nine fours and a six. Glen Weightman,
batting at No5, made an invaluable 51 with eight boundaries and Steve Clark made
a useful 23 not out. Andrew Appleby also hit a few lusty blows to the rope.
When Keswick fielded the catches went down like confetti and A Holliday hit a
century for the visitors. Keswick prevailed in the final over at a time when a
Wigton victory was the most probable outcome. With one needed to win and the
fieldsmen round the bat Joe Gibson dived to prevent the run and threw to Andy
Clark at the non striker's end where he collected and ran out Les Gillespie.
29/8
Andrew Rigg a hero
Keswick 2nd X1's game at home to North Lancashire Division One leaders Duddon
was also a rain*affected draw. The visitors made 206/3 declared and Keswick held
out on 84/9 when the rain came to their rescue after a brave rearguard action
from young No7 batsman Andrew Rigg who made 25 and who showed, possibly contrary
to my observations last week, that he is ready now for NLL cricket. Not
only did he bat well but his fielding was exemplary and he took a cool catch on
the boundary to dismiss the Duddon Sri Lankan professional Gunarathna who made
62.
Andrew won the 'Man of the Match' chocolates, a box of marzipan sponsored by
Geordie Marrs. This weekend the 2nd X1 have another difficult fixture away to
promotion hopefuls Whitehaven while the 1st X1 is at home to Dalton and then on
Sunday all roads lead to Workington where the 1st X1 will take on Cleator in the
final of the Higson Cup (see team below).
22/7
Happy as a butcher's dog
At least Steve Clark's 2nd X1 restored club pride in the Cleator stakes when
they travelled to West Cumbria and returned to Keswick CC and Gordon Thompson's
race night fund raiser in the KCC pavilion with a haul of 14 points from a
winning 'draw.' Hero of the hour and winner of the Heroes Chocolates 'Man of the
Match' award was the captain himself who hit an undefeated 81 who held the
innings together with help from twin brother Andy (marginally second into this
world) and young Jamie D'Leny who made 31 and 32 respectively. Earlier, opener
Neil Swainson had made 21 before falling to a stunning slip catch.
Keswick reached 215/8 from their 50 overs and in the latter
stages of the innings your correspondent, displaying the speed for which he is
noted while running between the wickets, took a sickening blow to the head from
an incoming throw from the boundary. I battled bravely on, pausing only to
ensure that I was not suffering from decapitation (it's difficult to bat without
a head although it has never stopped generations of KCC batsmen down the years)
greatly encouraged by the raucous laughter from my team mates on the Cleator
dressing room balcony. Thanks lads . . . I was particularly taken by the
observation, made later, that I have always had an unusually shaped head but
that it was now even dafter due to the lump rapidly emerging, like an out of
season conker, from behind my left ear.
In reply, Cleator were restricted to 158/8 as 16-year-old whizz kid Dan Gaskell's spin took 3/50 from 13, youthful Jamie D'Leny's pace 2/36 from 12 and big head Keith Richardson's medium pace 2/41 from 15 off-the-belt-end overs. I also took two catches; not bad for a Kipper, or even a Haddock come to that.
Keswick 2nds remain in seventh place in the North Lancashire League's First Division but now face a couple of very demanding league fixtures, league leaders Duddon * and their Sri Lankan professional * at home this Saturday and then Whitehaven, and their Sri Lankan pro, at the West Cumbrian club's Playground arena the following weekend.
This Sunday the cup spotlight falls on the 2nd X1
when they are at home in the John Scott Memorial Cup.
15/7
Stevie's wonders
To complete an excellent weekend for Fitz Park based clubs, Steve Clark's
2nd X1 thumped Lanercost by nine wickets. It would have been 10 had not Neil
Swainson, with an impressively regal (47), not got out caught at cover with only
a handful of runs needed. At the other end, fellow opener John Phillips, playing
within himself in the intense heat, hit an undefeated 67 and is on top of his
game.
Have Keswick ever recorded a 10 wicket win in the North Lancashire League?
Perhaps BP can provide the answer for next week's Reminder?
The architect of Keswick's win was undoubtedly pace bowler Jamie D'Leny. Clearly
in a hurry to get ready for his big night out in Wukkington marra, Jamie raced
in and defied a flat track to take 5/15 and inflict some terminal damage. Your
correspondent made himself dizzy by shouting over loud and over long at a dogged
umpire for LBW decisions, while Dan Gaskell produced a very encouraging spell of
spin bowling. In fact I would go so far as to say that it is the best he has
bowled for the team since becoming a regular member of it and working really
hard at his game with both bat and ball.
The victory over Lanercost puts Keswick into a healthy seventh position in the
league.
Man of the Match Jamie D'Leny, clearly in party mood, did not hang around to
receive his 'Heroes' chocolates but I gave them to his mum Sheila for safe
keeping!
Keswick travel to Cleator this Saturday.
8/7
D'Leny rattles helmets
Keswick 2nd X1 travelled to Kirkby in Furness on Saturday for a game against a
side which is vying for promotion from the NLL First Division and I can only
recall beating Kirkby once on their own midden (literally) when Keswick's then
Australian professional Jason Young scored a record breaking double century.
Last Saturday, Keswick 2nds went to Kirkby with a relatively inexperienced side
but believed that if they gave it their best shot they might just come up with a
shock result. Keswick captain Steve Clark won the toss, put Kirkby in to bat and
within the space of three explosive deliveries from opening bowler Jamie D'Leny
knew that they were in business.
Bowling at a normally resolute opening bat, D'Leny's first high octane delivery
exploded off a length, struck the batsman on the glove and was, unfortunately
put down; this first ball opportunity perhaps catching the wicker keeper off
guard. The second ball also flew and crashed into the batsman's helmet.
Clang! The batsman appeared to be rooted to the spot and either allowed the ball
to strike himor was incapable of avoiding it, probably the latter.
He was then, thankfully, put out of his misery by the third delivery which again
hit a glove and this time was pouched by wicket keeper Stephen Bragg.
Fortunately for Kirkby, Jamie D'Leny can bowl in six over.
It is one of the sport's glaring injustices that while young bowlers are
protected against injury by being restricted to a limited number of overs per
spell * and with suitable breaks in between for recovery- older bowlers
who really ought to know better and who in some instances are verging on
antiquity in comparison with their younger colleagues * are permitted to kill
themselves for the cause, should they so wish, by bowling the maximum 15
overs off the belt end.
Despite D'Leny's enforced removal from the attack, wickets continued to
fall at regular intervals and at the other end Keith Richardson * who now takes
a full seven days and at least two hot baths (one before play and one
immediately afterwards) in order to be sufficiently mobile to run up to the
crease and bowl * returned figures of 5/39 from 11.3 overs; his second five
wicket-plus haul of the summer and bringing his tally thus far to 27
wickets in the league this season.
Jamie D'Leny's final return was 2/27 from six while Malcolm Rigg (after applying
WD40 following a very rusty first delivery for goodness knows how many
years) took 2/19 from three overs, this including a wicket which fell to a
father / son combination with young Andy taking a catch off his dad's bowling at
cover. John Phillips claimed 1/11 from three overs and his wicket was a superb
diving caught and bowled.
Kirkby were bowled out for 102 on what can best be described as a sporting
wicket. Keswick asked for the heavy roller to be applied to the surface during
tea and this appeared to take some of the sting out of the wicket. Keswick were
43/2 and on course for victory when the rain started to fall and refused to
stop. Openers Ian Dixon and Malcolm Rigg both made double figures.
While the rain came down and Keswick waited in vain for it to relent so that
they could resume their innings, one or two Keswick players (clearly suffering
from prolonged exposure to sea air and in need of rest ) took the opportunity to
have a little power nap in the visiting dressing room. The Big Sleep was
captured by Ian Dixon on his mobile phone (see picture of Steve Clark and John
Phillips enjoying a sponsored snooze . . . zzzz).
Incidentally, speaking as someone who has extreme difficulty understanding how
the wireless works, never mind colour pictures on the screen of a television
set, I must declare that I am completely nonplussed by mobile telephones (how do
they work in any event?) that can also take images which can then be recorded on
disc and printed in the "Reminder."
Am I alone in my confusion?
1/7
Keep on running . . .
Defining moment in cricket match, yet again, and Keswick 2nd X1 captain Steve
Clark is involved in an unfortunate run out with key batsman Neil Swainson * who
had a century written all over him against Workington 2nds last Saturday at a
sweltering Fitz Park. The difference was probably a Keswick total in excess of
200 and a very real opportunity of beating the West Cumbrians, and an eventual
total of 176.
Glen Weightman, batting at No6 made a fine 47, deserved a half century for his
application and effort, and featured in a great partnership with his pal Dan
Gaskell who made 23. It was a partnership that hauled the Keswick innings out of
the depths to a respectable total. Unfortunately it was not enough in the final
analysis and Workington made 177/4 to win as Keswick wilted in the extreme
temperatures.
22/6
The 2nd X1 was similarly poised at home to Carlisle 1st X1
and was sitting pretty on 185/4 with six overs to go and a score well in excess
of 200 beckoning. Neil Swainson (50) Malcolm Rigg (33) John Phillips (37) and
Paul Fleet (35 not out) all batted well. It was not looking at all good
for promotion-chasing Carlisle and, again., it was a blow for Keswick that what
promised to be an enthralling and perhaps memorable game was denied by the
elements.
17/6
Gale force winds at Appleby . . .
Keswick 2nd X1 is at home to Carlisle 1st X1 at Fitz Park this Saturday
in the North Lancashire League Division One and the promotion chasing
city team will present difficult opponents. They currently occupy fourth
place in the league after being hammered by Whitehaven 1st X1 at
Edenside last Saturday. So Carlisle will be doubly keen to return to
winning ways . . . and only little old Keswick 2nds stand in their way.
Certainly if Keswick are to mount any sort of serious challenge to the
'city slickers' then more of their batsmen are going to have to
build innings and partnerships, something that they have singularly
failed to do this season. With the notable exception of a strong batting
display against a moderate BAE Barrow outfit, Keswick 2nd X1's
collective batting this season has been generally woeful.
In the field and with the ball in hand they have been excellent, giving
it everything they have got and sometimes more so . . . but when it
comes to batting far too many players are hitting the straps too early
and are blatantly ignoring a vital part of the game, namely getting
themselves in and building an innings. There is no substitute for this
in cricket at whatever level, and those who think they can play flash
strokes at virtuaklly a shot a ball from the outset and make high scores
may well do so . . . but it will probably be only once a season, if
that.
Appleby away last Saturday provided a near perfect example of this. In
the field Keswick were determined, aggressive and competitive and their
bowling was accurate, tight, and posed questions of all the home
batsmen. As a direct result Keswick needed 178 from 50 overs to win *
that's 3.56 runs per over. Heavens, you could get those in singles if
you really wanted and the occasional two or boundary would compensate
for any fallow overs and make the task all the simpler.
Did Keswick make it to the finishing line? Did they flip. With 18
points and a top six position beckoning they blew it big style. They
fell short by 37 runs and were bowled out for 142, of which 16 were
extras. Only two batsmen out of the top six, opener Malcolm Rigg (34)
and Stephen Bragg (29) made a serious start and even they might take a
long hard look at how and why they got out when they were 'in.'
Exempt from the criticism is No8 Jamie D'Leny (15 not out) who looked
as though he could have seen this through, had anyone stayed with him.
So it's back to basics for 2nd X1 batsmen * play the good uns, hit
the bad uns and build-build-build an innings; don't flatter to deceive
by playing some flashy drive and then losing your wicket the very next
ball. Apply yourselves and we could give Carlisle 1st X1 a game this
Saturday.
Despite all this critical self analysis, the 2nd X1 does generally
enjoy its cricket (even when Mr Angry is in one) and at Appleby on
Saturday there was a moment of high humour when Paul Fleet came on for
his first over, ran up to the stumps, past umpire Gilbert Johnston to
the popping crease and, in the precise moment when he stretched to
deliver his first ball, how shall I put this . . . let rip to what in
our schooldays at the Lairthwaite Academy for Under Achievers, was
politely known as a raspberry.
I swear that the eyes of the vicar trimming his hedge in a nearby
garden were seen to water. The umpire * and everyone else in the
vicinity of a metric mile * heard and saw the funny side of all this.
The umpire jokingly issued the red faced bowler with a first warning
although these, of course, are normally reserved for the persistent
bowling of bouncers, not prolonged and noisy flatulence. Fortunately,
Fleety was able to contain himself for the remainder of the over and
only bowled one more over before being taken off. I hesitate to suggest
that this early removal from the attack might have been a let off for
the batsmen.
But enough of this lavatorial humour. On a warm and sultry, if
occasionally hurricane force, summer's afternoon, Keswick had done
exceptionally well to contain Appleby (who were asked to bat first) to
177/7. Keith Richardson (who he?) bowled a tight spell to take 2/18 from
11 overs, failed to pass wind (not so that anyone would notice) and also
claimed the wicket of Appleby's Australian professional, the former
Keswick player and coach Luke Wimbridge who was ground down by the
bowler's nagging accuracy hitting a line on or just outside off stump
(six of his first seven overs were maidens and two were wicket maidens).
Wimbridge eventually miscued an attempted lofted drive and was caught by
Andy Clark at mid off. This was Richardson's 21st wicket of the season
but it was not, regrettably, his 21st birthday. Andy Clark and Andrew
Appleby also took two wickets apiece while young opening bowler Simon
Grisdale (1/23 from nine) was also very accurate and Jamie D'Leny
bowled heroically through at least two of his many injuries.
Generally, Keswick's fielding was good and a turbo-charged Paul Fleet
blasted out the middle stump at the non striker's end for a superb run
out. I would quickly add that the stump was removed by the throwing of
the cricket ball and not by any less conventional method of dismissal.
10/06
Stephen Bragg hits that century
Keswick 2nds were also among the runs at home to BAE Barrow. On a sweltering afternoon, with the temperature hitting Caribbean levels, Keswick captain Steve Clark elected to bat first after winning the toss. And his team, which has barely mastered 150 all season, came up with a total of 298/4 from 50 overs. Stephen Bragg, he of the celebrated three first ball LBW dismissals of late, came up with 106 that should finally dispose of his cricketing demons and set him up for the rest of his playing career, never mind the next match.
However, there was a situation of high farce – which could so easily have turned to midsummer murder – when the crowd applauded and cheered Stephen’s century only for the scorers (who had earlier indicated to the contrary) announced that he was only on 99. Shock horror.
Scoreboard operator Sam Simpson, already almost overcome by heat exhaustion, had no option but to roll back the numbers to 99 on the scoreboard as Braggy looked on in amazement and, doubtless, some bewilderment from the centre. Suffice to say that had he been dismissed in attempting his ‘second’ 100 of the afternoon he would not have been best placed and the scorers, bless them, might have looked a little more red faced than the tan being imposed by the currant bun braising them remorselessly against the white wall of the pavilion. Factor 60 was a must.
Fortunately, Braggy managed to score more runs and earned a second round of applause – surely the quickest double century in the history of the game! And none were prouder than Stephen’s father Irwin, sitting on a bench with the ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ bunch (and alongside an equally appreciative Ronnie Green and Derwent Swainson in their Formula 1 cars) on the River Greta side of the ground.
Stephen Bragg and Andy Clark (43 not out) put on more than a hundred for the fourth wicket while earlier, John Phillips made an entertaining 52 at the top of the order, hitting some glorious shots through the covers and midwicket. Steve Clark (45) also impressed. While the Barrow team’s fielding and bowling were not the strongest Keswick have faced this season (at times the fielding was terrible) you can only play and beat what is in front of you and Keswick certainly did that, going on to win by a massive margin of 206 runs.
The visitors were bowled out for 92 with Jamie D’Leny (2/33 from six) and Simon Grisdale (3/28 from six) causing the early damage. Keith Richardson then administered the coup de grace with a return of 4/4 from 6.5 overs, uprooting the 11th man’s middle stump (not for the faint hearted) to claim the last wicket in emphatic fashion. It should also be mentioned that Simon Grisdale took a sharp, one handed return catch while Ben Ashcroft took a good catch at mid off. The win and the 18 points that came with it strengthened Keswick’s position in mid (ish) table. This Saturday the 2nd X1 bandwagon is travelling to Appleby and a reunion with their former player and coach, the Australian Luke Wimbridge, still smarting after last summer’s Ashes defeat which, surprisingly, he very rarely mentions these days.
Can’t think why . . .
27/5
2nds battle for draw
Now in the their second season in the North Lancashire League, Keswick 2nds have
claimed some notable scalps, not least that of Carlisle 1st X1 last season. And
they went into Saturday's home game against Whitehaven 1st X1 full of optimism
that they just might produce another shock result. Sadly, it was not to be.
After a fielding and bowling display that was full of determination and resolve,
with six catches being taken and none dropped, and Keith Richardson producing
his best ever NLL figures (6/70 from 10 overs, it was 4/36 after eight) Keswick
once again failed to produce enough runs to trouble a Whitehaven side who
included their Sri Lankan professional H Fernando (there's a lot of Fernandos
about) who took 4/17 from 14 as Keswick managed only 47/6 in reply to
Whitehaven's 158 /8.
Still, Keswick managed to get eight points to Whitehaven's 10 in this
rain-affected draw.
At Gillfoot Park, Egremont, on the Monday, a much-changed Keswick 2nds chased
(if that's the right word) the same total and were bowled out for a miserable
110 after Steve Clark, Richard Webster and Paul Fleet had given them a positive
start. No other batsman got into double figures and, it has to be mentioned I'm
afraid, Steve Bragg earned the highly dubious distinction of being on the
receiving end of his third first ball dismissal. Golden ducks are rare enough,
let alone three in successive matches and by the same mode of dismissal, LBW;
which, in Braggy's case, currently stands for Lost, Bewildered and Woe is me.
Hopefully, he can bounce back from this amazing sequence of dismissals, get some
coaching advice, see the funny side of it all (yes, there is one) . . . and at
the very least discover a different method of getting out!
The highlight of the game at Egremont was that Dan Gaskell, brought in for Keith
Richardson, who had work commitments, produced the excellent bowling return of
5/42 from 12 overs. I have been very impressed by Dan's recent showing of
greater commitment and application. Young Dan has the makings of a very good all
rounder. It is also interesting to note that he has switched from his customary
leg breaks to off breaks and it clearly paid-off at Egremont.
So the team seems relatively sorted in the bowling department. All we now need
are a few more runs, 200 plus would be a luxury, and the results will surely
start to come. If I remember rightly it took a few weeks last season before a
total of 200 was achieved.
What we desperately require is a ton from Braggy!
13/5
2nd X1 go sixth in table
Meanwhile back at sunny Keswick (actually it erred on the side of grey, cold and
pretty miserable, but at least it didn't rain) the 2nd X1 was entertaining, if
that's the right word, their counterparts from Cleator. And the 1st X1 managed
to catch the second half of the game on their return from a sodden Cleator.
Keswick 2nds won the match to gain a maximum 18 points and score their first
ever back to back 'victories' (last week's at Lanercost was a 'winning draw', an
oxymoron if ever I saw one) since their elevation to the North Lancashire
League. The team is now in sixth place in the table and in the event of another
positive result at high flying Duddon this Saturday, will be positively dizzy;
with elation as well as league position.
But the game at Duddon will be a difficult one, not least because Keswick will
be up against one of those NLL First Division teams which has a professional. In
this instance it's a Sri Lankan by the name of Janaka Gunarathna.
Still, the 2nd X1 believes that it can certainly improve on its 2005 position in
the league this season and is certainly looking stronger for the inclusion of
two more experienced campaigners in the shape of opening batsman Neil Swainson
and off break bowler Andrew Appleby, both of whom played monumental,
match-winning roles in Saturday's win over Cleator.
Appleby was first up to the victory rostrum, with a magnificent bowling return
of 7/33 from 15 overs. This is the second time that Apples the postman has
delivered (sorry for the awful pun) a seven wicket haul. Cleator were bowled out
for 145 on a track that did not offer much for the medium pace bowlers. Opening
bowlers Stuart Dowson (1/24 from 11) and Simon Grisdale (0/13 from six) were
tidy while Keith Richardson took 1/46 from 15 overs.
Opening batsman Neil Swainson (74) was the rock throughout the Keswick innings
defending the good ball and putting away the bad ones with a vengeance, although
his dismissal signalled a middle order crisis as three more batsmen followed in
a relatively quick succession as the leg break bowling of Poole (5/41 from 14
overs) started to cause problems and the swift Velcroing on of pads in the home
dressing room. The panic was unnecessary and Keswick should have made easier
work of this win. Andy Clark (10 not out) and your correspondent saw Keswick
safely home on 146/6. Apples won the Keswick 2nd X1 'Man of the Match' award.
With the 1st X1 game rained-off and the FA Cup final on the television (pity
about the eventual winners), there was a good crowd present in the pavilion
during the late afternoon and, once again, the crack was sound; although there
was one unfortunate incident before the start of the game when scoreboard
operator Sam Simpson, in warming up with the team, somehow contrived to do a
backward flip that would have been the envy of Lua Lua.
Fortunately, Sam recovered in time to put in another immaculate stint on the old
scoreboard.
5/5
Success for the 2nd X1
Keswick 2nd X1 enjoyed their first success of the new season when they got the
better of Lanercost at the picturesque ground next to the Priory. Steve Clark
demonstrated that he has clearly perfected the art of losing the toss this
season. This was his fourth incorrect call in a row (that makes four out of
four) and Keswick were asked to bat on an 'interesting' surface. Whenever the
ball pitched there was a cloud of dust, not a good sign. Despite some unusual
deliveries (they go even more bizarre when Keswick came to bowl) Keswick managed
a total of 165 with opener and pinch-hitter Malcolm Rigg top scoring on 47 and
Stephen Bragg (37) making 37 at No4. Andy Clark (27) and Keith Richardson (11)
held the lower order together and added invaluable runs.
Those runs proved vital in the final analysis because Lanercost got two extra
overs (courtesy of Keswick not completing their allotted 50) and the home team
was just 16 runs off the Keswick total when their innings closed with the score
on 149/9.
Bowling for Keswick, Keith Richardson came within a whisker of claiming his
first ever five wicket haul in the North Lancashire League. But he had to be
content with a return of 4/35 from 15 overs, including one particularly
memorable delivery which quite literally rolled along the surface after pitching
(on a good length) and clean bowled a mystified home batsman. Andy Clark also
got among the home batsmen, taking 3/33 from 15 overs. At one stage there was a
genuine concern that Andy might self combust during the course of the Lanercost
innings; the player being at his vitriolic best.
Jamie D'Leny and Simon Grisdale (alias 'Mungrisdale') once again bowled well for
Keswick without achieving a great deal of success in terms of wickets, but those
will come. In the end, Lanercost managed to hang on for the worst of a drawn
game, but the 'winning draw' gave Keswick 14pts and catapulted them up the
division. Another positive result against Cleator this Saturday (at Keswick)
will put the 2nds into a useful mid table position.
29/4
2nd X1 short of runs
All of which does not provide a solution to the 2nd X1's current runs shortage.
The answer to that is in the experienced players in the team - and heavens
knows there are enough of them - coming up with the goods. Last Saturday's game
against league leaders Kirkby in Furness on a sunny Fitz Park was almost an
action replay of the game at Workington the previous weekend: Keswick fail to
score sufficient runs after being asked to bat first, then produce a strong
performance in the field but have left themselves too much to do because - you
guessed it - they didn't have enough runs on the board in the first place.
Keswick made 116/9 from their 50 overs with the prodigal son John Webster (31)
leading the way at No5 as Kirkby's useful attack kept Keswick on the backfoot.
Steve Clark got 20 at the top of the order but he's missing this Saturday for
the game at Lanercost because of a cracked or badly bruised rib(s) he suffered
while batting against Paul Hindmarch in the livelier end net.
In reply, Kirkby made 117/2 with wickets falling to Keith Richardson (1/17 from
10) and Jamie D'Leny (1/37 from 9.2. For the second successive week, Simon
Grisdale was impressive opening the bowling, conceding only 11 runs from his
eight overs.
The following day the 2nd X1 lost to Carlisle 1st X1 in the Sowerby Cup at Fitz
Park. A 2nd X1 strengthened by three 1st X1 players made 138 with Chris D'Leny
hitting 55. Paul Fleet's 24 suggested that he is returning to form.
Carlisle made 139/3 with their professional Murtaza Lodghar scoring 48. Andrew
Appleby was Keswick's most effective bowler, dismissing the pro and taking 1/20
from 9.3 overs.
22/4
Pinch-hitter Rigg's catching on
By an amazing coincidence, Keswick 2nds encounter against Workington 2nds at The
Ernest Valentine Ground almost went the distance. Keswick can consider
themselves unfortunate not to have come away from the game with maximum points
but it was the failure of their middle order batting which cost them dear as the
Lakelanders could only muster 110 from 49 overs. Openers Steve Clark (15) and
the pinch-hitter Malcolm Rigg (34) gave Keswick a solid base, and I was
particularly impressed with "Chippy's" belligerent innings. There were times
when the home bowlers were perplexed by his unorthodox approach (roughly
described as hitting by numbers, and hitting more often than not) and this was a
tactic - by Keswick and by the batsman himself - that I think is worth
persevering with this season.
But then that's all down to the captain Steve Clark (last season known as Clarko
because there was often a zero after his name in the scorebook) but who this
season has backed himself to top the order and, on Saturday's showing, should be
congratulated on his boldness; fortune favours the the brave.
Paul Fleet (20) batting at No3 also looked in good nick before heave hoeing and
missing and Stephen Bragg (12) looked capable of scoring more runs before
falling victim to Graham Stephenson who did what Ian Botham once did in
spectacular fashion to Geoffrey Boycott . . . namely he ran his partner out;
although in this instance the run out was unintentional rather than mischievous
as was the case with Botham.
With the exception of Keith Richardson (14 not out) the rest of the batting did
not achieve double figures and Keswick capitulated to 110 when 20 or so more
runs might well have won them the match or, at the least, earned a draw.
As it was, Keswick fought hard and almost got a result. Andrew Appleby and Keith
Richardson each conceded a miserly 23 runs from a combined total of 30 overs off
the belt end with AA taking two wickets and KTR one; and young Simon Grisdale
also bowled usefully to take 2/22 from eight. Workington managed to reach 111/7
with an over remaining, and that courtesy of Keswick's dismissal in the 49th
over of their innings.
Further words of praise also for Malcolm Rigg who made a very difficult high
catch on the run look deceptively easy, while Stephen Bragg did a good job
behind the stumps.
This Saturday, the 2nd X1 is at home to Kirkby. It will be good to play at the
park for the first time this season. Hopefully, the weather will be kind and
provide visual treats in the form of Edgar Appleby's knees. On the other hand it
may be a shade too early in the season for all that . . . you know what they
say, Edgar, don't cast a clout till May is out.