Widmer End 2nds vs Ley Hill 2nds, 5th June 2005
Will Holman
In a return to form, Ley Hill's second string inched to a one-wicket victory over Widmer End. The game was marred though by two injuries to Widmer players. All at Ley Hill wish both players a quick and full recovery.
Widmer End's wicket is treacherous at the best of times, but particularly so for this encounter, primed as it was by the previous day's deluge. The sticky track produced an unpredictable bounce with many balls rearing up at the batsman from on a length. This was the background to 18 wickets falling for less than 250 runs; Hill will be delighted to have come away victorious and with their faces no less disfigured than when they arrived.
Opening bowlers Gary Helm and Scott Peterson soon made headway with tight spells of bowling. They were well supported by some very sound fielding, a huge improvement on recent performances. Progress was slowed by some attacking strokeplay from Widmer's number three batsman, the big-hitter lofting a series of shots over both fielders and the slow outfield. He was eventually removed by Graham Harrison, who bowled excellently throughout his spell. One unlucky batsman had then to be taken to hospital after a top-edged shot resulted in a badly split lip. Widmer were finally removed for 122 - a low score but a defendable one on a difficult track.
In response, Chris Jones fell before tea, leaving Andy Spinks and Will Holman to block out for a further 20 minutes. Following a tea served from a secret nuclear bunker deep within the clubhouse, Spinks and Holman set about making headway and scored at a decent rate against the opening bowlers. Spinks was looking good but holed out in disappointing fashion - a recurring theme for the Hill innings. As it was, in support to Holman only he and Steve Jones made it into double figures, scoring 12 runs apiece: small but vital contributions on a difficult day for the batsman.
Thankfully, at the other end, Holman was showing the sort of approach that once saw him score 49 not out in 49 overs. Boring the other 21 players senseless was a necessary evil against tight and consistent first-change bowlers. When a scoring opportunity finally came, Holman unwittingly hit the ball up and into the face of a close fielder. This was a nasty injury, the ball hitting the fielder Simon full-on, just next to the eye. An ambulance was called, and thankfully it is now thought that no serious damage has been done. Oddly the incident marked a positive turning point (for Holman the result of having middled a ball for the first time this season), and the Hill then pushed on to within a few runs of the target.
But wickets had fallen steadily, and Holman himself nicked one to the keeper with the score on 121-8. It was Denis McCarthy that entered this pressure-cooker environment, and the cheeky bar steward immediately showed his class with an enchanting tickle round the corner for the winning two runs. McCarthy then embarked on a marauding run back to the pavilion and his delighted team-mates. This was a satisfying win for the Hill, though one set into context by earlier events.
Ley Hill won by 1 wicket
Widmer End: 122 all out (Dave Peterson 3 for 22, Helm 2 for 22, Scott
Peterson 2 for 32, Harrison 2 for 43)
Ley Hill: 123 for 9 (Will Holman 51)