Holmer Green vs Ley Hill, 9th July 2005
Robin Carr
Six dropped catches proved very expensive for Ley Hill in the derby with Holmer Green. Holmer skipper Martin Little was dropped on the second ball and went on to score 43 and Steve Ellis was dropped on 3 and went onto score 44 as Holmer reached an unlikely 170-9. Other catches were missed and each batman went on to make decent scores: Maliff (21), Ward (20) and King (18) all adding to the Hill’s woes.
Ley Hill lost opening bowler Ottaway with an injured back after just four overs and although Thompson (1-34 off 12 overs), Az Shakoor (2-29 off 7), Birkett (2-26 0ff 7), Rothwell (1-22 off 8) and Rennard (1-31 off 5) all toiled long and hard in the hot conditions the 170 total was to prove to much for the Ley Hill batsmen.
Holmer Green’s fast bowler Steve Jerman (3-32) was soon amongst the wickets on Holmer’s unpredictable pitch. Kiwi John Maliff (3-31) and veteran Tom Dearing (1-33 off 12) held the Ley Hill score down and kept the wickets falling regularly. Rennard (19) looked to be on form until he was caught and a brave stand of 42 between Nick Lee (30) and Rob Thompson (17) steadied the ship for a short while but other wickets fell cheaply. A last wicket stand of 21 between Ottaway (20) and Kash Shakoor (4) took Ley Hill to within five balls of a losing draw until Shakoor walked across the front of his stumps for a plumb LBW.
Ley Hill lost by 41 runs
Holmer Green: 170 for 9 (Birkett 2 for 26, Az Shakoor 2 for 29)
Ley Hill: 129 all out (Lee 30, Ottaway 20 no, Rennard 19)