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22/7
Blencathra also won over the weekend, getting the better of
Stainton 2nds at The George Hutton Oval. Blencathra made 169/7 in reply to
Stainton's 166 as David Bragg and O'Donovan each took three wickets, the
latter's coming from 1.1 overs. Top scorers for Blencathra were Andy Rigg with
47 and James Price 45 who opened the innings. There will doubtless be claims for
young Rigg to be included in the 2nd X1 but personally I think he would be best
served at this time from opening in the Threlkeld or Blencathra teams for the
remainder of this season and continuing a learning curve that the youngster is
clearly enjoying as he grows in confidence.
In any event, someone has to keep John Webster right!
15/7
Rubber wear
Up at Threlkeld, not even John Knowles' designer rubber sandals, complete with
little perforations for draining vegetables in Nepal, could lift the gloom
surrounding defeats by the Threlkeld and Blencathra teams. Threlkeld, at home to
Temple Sowerby were bowled out for 65 with only Gary Stevens (28) making much
impression. There was one bright note when David Bragg, clearly fortified by his
goody bags from Spar, took 5/28 as Sowerby lost six wickets in reaching 66.
The top of the table clash between Blencathra and Gamblesby went the way
of the home side. The Gamblesby strip is notorious for its non-cricketing
appearance. In the wetter months it's a quagmire on which it is a considerable
achievement to get the ball to bounce and in the drier months it is best
described as interesting.
Blencathra were bowled out for 79 with Graeme Dixon top scoring on 23. Gamblesby
then made light of the conditions underfoot and hit 82/0 . . . which all goes to
prove that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Or something like that.
8/7
Rainy ups and downs
Blencathra made an impressive 231/7 at home to Penrith Wanderers with Ben
O'Donovan 55 top scoring and with good support from No3 batsman Andrew
Appleby (43) Mike Harrison (36 not out) and David Bragg (32 not out).
Unfortunately, the rain prevented any further play.
Threlkeld, on the other hand, may have been praying for rain at Rockcliffe where
they were bowled out for 115 with Keswick CC Under 15 player Tom Partington
making a creditable 32 (well done, Tom!). At the other end of the age spectrum,
Bill Richardson, several times retired but still battling on, made 33.
Rockcliffe went on to win by four wickets.
1/7
Unfortunately, Blencathra had a disappointing weekend.
In the League Cup on Sunday they made a very respectable 212/5 against Eden
Valley League First Division team Staffield with John Phillips leading the way
on 79 not out, Graham Dixon 45, Ian Dixon 25 and Rob Dixon 23 not out.
Blencathra almost achieved what would have been a great victory but Staffield
reached 214/4 from 39 overs as Phillips took 2/34.
In the league on Saturday they started early so that everyone (well, not
everyone . . . some of us managed to hold our emotions in check) could have a
good blub at England's misfortunes in the World Cup. Personally I think that
Blencathra, employing a 4-4-2 formation with Webster and Brotherton deployed as
an irresistible strike force, Bulldog at the heart of the defence and
Malcolm Stevens in goal (no scaffolding required) would have put paid to
Portugal and Scolari in normal time.
That information, incidentally, comes free of charge. I don't need the £24
million from the FA that von (sorry, Gone) Eriksson was paid (that's twenty four
million * enough to build a thousand state of the art bridges between
Keswick and Bass Lake or a number of Keswick Cottage hospitals) in order
to formulate a plan that would have won England the World Cup.
Seriously, it makes you sick.
24/6
Dicko's finest hour
John Knowles reckons that he may have to ask farmer George Hutton for even more
land ("More! You want more!" shades of Oliver Twist there) to expand the cricket
field at Threlkeld, such is the vast number of six hits being recorded at the
ground since it was extended over pastures new and named The George Hutton Oval.
Personally, I reckon he might be better off having the doors of the pavilion
widened so that Ian Dixon can gain entry following his momentous innings of 131
not out in just 40 balls; which is not, of course, to suggest that Ian is
lacking in modesty. However, he has been known from time to time to mention his
feats of daring do on the cricket field, but only in passing you understand and
always in a very shy, low profile sort of way.
On this occasion any boasting would be totally unnecessary in any event. The
facts speak for themselves: 131 not out off a mere 40 balls and with his century
coming from just 28 balls. I would be very surprised, in fact amazed, if this
was not a record in the Eden Valley League. It may be more difficult to
ascertain how exactly the innings rates on a national level, especially in
amateur cricket. For the record the fastest recorded century in first
class cricket was made by the ill-fated Australian cricketer David Hookes
(killed in an incident outside an Aussie nightclub) who took just 34 balls to
hit a century at Adelaide in 1982. And going back to 1920, only marginally
before Dicko's time (the lad is getting on a bit now) one PGH Fender used 40 to
46 balls to hit what was then considered to be the fastest century, presumably
in merry old England.
Whatever the true enormity of the innings in comparison to previous century
makers there is no doubting the fact that this was an amazing feat at any level.
It certainly put my sermon in last week's "Reminder" about innings building into
perspective, although I must add that Ian was dropped on two occasions and once
when he hadn't got a run to his name.
The facts are that Dicko hit no fewer than 12 sixes and 12 fours, one of his six
hits sailed into the pavilion through the big sliding doors on the paved balcony
(fortunately they were open at the time) while many more mowed into Geordie
Hutton's hayfield. A number of youngsters from the Threlkeld Under 11 team took
to patrolling the long grass of the field to ensure that the ball was not lost.
Another massive six entered the sewage works at the other end of the ground
where, doubtless, there were fewer volunteers to retrieve the ball; there may be
some good swimmers at landlocked Threlkeld but they're not that good . . . or
that keen.
In addition, the century was made all the more remarkable by the player's
unusual build up to the game.
"This was yet another extraordinary day in the cricketing career of Ian Dixon,"
reports our Threlkeld correspondent John Knowles. "Having been on holiday
in Sutherland, north west Scotland all week he started out at 5am on the 400
mile drive back to Threlkeld for the Blencathra match. Admitting he was tired he
then watched Caldbeck (2nds) progress to 105/1 after 25 overs before bringing
himself on to bowl and promptly took 3/25 in eight tight overs to help restrict
Caldbeck to 166/7 (James Hinkley took 2/18 from 10).
"In reply, Blencathra (captained by Ian) were struggling at 35/4 after 10 overs.
Just 10 overs later they had won by six wickets with Ian 131 not out . . .
at the other end young Sam Gibson batted extremely well to score six not out in
a partnership of 133. Ian's four innings for Blencathra have produced 288 runs
at an average of 144. In addition, in five games for Threlkeld (there are two
teams playing in the EVL at the George Hutton Oval, Threlkeld and Blencathra) he
has scored 155 runs. So his season to date in the Eden Valley League has
produced 443 runs at an average of 65.29."
Finally on this subject, it occurs to me that now that the likable and highly
enthusiastic Dicko has at long last achieved true celebrity status he will be
looking forward to an invitation to take part in the next Big Brother TV series
on Channel 4. I can just hear the somewhat hesitant Geordie voice over now: "Dicko
is in the garden . . . hitting sixes."
17/6
No Game
5/5
Blencathra managed a win at Wigton where they made 74/2 in reply to the home team's 71. James Price 4/31, Rob Dixon 3/25 and James Hinkley 3/2 off 3.3 bowled well for Blencathra. Tom Blakeley (23) James Price (22 not out) and Ben Ashcroft (16 not out) got the winning runs