It's oh so easy at Meltham!

06 July 2009

Sat 27th June 2009 Meltham 188ao vs Slaithwaite 191-3 A glorious day at Meltham’s miniature version of the Leeds Road Playing Fields, blighted by the stark backdrop of what looks like a Church for Latter Day Saints. What was once an enjoyable place to play cricket is now bereft of any atmosphere, so the 6 points were all we were there for. The home team elected to bat and it was certainly paying off as Shaw and Kenners tried to twat anything that would slow down long enough. Although somewhat unconventional and often frustrating, it was also rather entertaining to watch the steam escaping from Brucie’s ears. The Aussie cat liberator was generating some good heat and hitting perfect areas just behind a length….unfortunately for him, the only length these two wanted was width. For the most part, Sherm was warming Holty’s fingers while the batsman was still wafting his bat as if attacked by bees but every now and then the bat would connect and the ball would disappear to the boundary leaving Yosemite Sam positively incandescent. The canny veteran Berry was required to bring an end to the first wicket partnership that had done its job getting some early runs. Thorne and Raje kept the momentum going until Thorne fell to Dibby’s mystery ball for 21; Raje, however, provided the meat to Meltham’s innings and, at 179-3 off 34 overs should really have made sure his team batted the 50 overs and made the most of their early hard work, but he was bowled playing an awful shot and the innings collapsed thereafter. The chase was a formality after Waj smashed 18 from the 2nd over and 10 from 3 balls of the 4th (Holty podding overs 1 & 3 out). AT came in at the first wicket, as the sleepy chip pans were calling him, and had some success hitting the spinners down the ground until getting bowled trying the shot once too often. The balance of the runs were made by our light-fingered friend (80) who was showing off to his mum and dad, and the unbeaten Holt (62) who carried the innings perfectly to it’s close with 17 overs to spare. Lemon squeezy.