Safety secured despite losses
LANGLEY 1st XI entertained neighbours Peover and endured a day of mixed emotions – they secured their league status in League 3 but narrowly lost out in a hard fought but good spirited game.
Skipper Frame elected to bowl on a very wet wicket but Peover got off to a sold start as M Nightingale and Goslng added 20 before the former left a ball from Turner and lost his off stump. Owen and Gosling found runs hard to come by, though Gosling did unleash one mighty blow that landed on the clubhouse. They took the score to 40 off 18 overs when Frame trapped Owen 1 LBW.
Ingorolla (1) soon followed caught at slip off Betteridge and when Gosling (21) suffered the same fate off Frame the visitors were in trouble on 47-4.
The elegant Stubbs and Tucker fought back, pushing the score to 70 until Stubbs (14) chipped Betteridge to deep mid wicket and Hobbs took a good catch.
Tucker began to chance his arm and along with Goldstraw they brought up the 100. The score reached 107 when Tucker (34) mistimed a drive and was caught at cover off Turner. With five overs remaining, the lower order chanced their arm.
Goldstraw (7) was caught at deep mid on by Hughes off Berzins. Rushton (14) was caught at deep mid wicket by Hobbs off Berzins and Rottenbury was well caught at deep mid on by Pattison off Turner as Peover posted 137-9 off their 45 overs.
For Langley, Turner 3-40 off 12 overs, Betteridge 2-12 off 11 overs, Berzins 2-31 off 8 overs and Frame 2-41 off 14 overs, all bowled well.
After a superb tea prepared by Matt Bettteridge, Langley went out to bat.
Pattison hit the first two balls to the boundary but then hit the fourth straight to mid wicket. Hobbs joined Gregory and the pair found life tough as Peover bowled very well, the score reached 20 when Gregory (4) was caught behind.
Hughes and Hobbs showed great tenacity and put Langley in a strong position. They took the score to 61 when Hughes (12) miscued a drive and was caught in the covers. Hobbs (34) soon followed when he was caught behind.
The game was evenly poised and the score reached 79 when Dunne (14) was also caught behind. Betteridge (0) was then stumped attempting a huge blow.
At 80-6 Langley had their backs to the wall. Luke Cartwright and Berzins took the score to 97, when both fell – Cartwright (7) caught at mid wicket and the luckless Berzins (9) was superbly caught by Goldstraw diving in front of the sightscreen. When Turner (4) chipped to mid wicket, the game looked over as Langley struggled to 106-9 with 12 overs left.
Frame and super sub Barry Pattison had other ideas. They scrambled the odd run and repelled some fine bowling. With two overs to go 12 runs were required. However, Pattison struggled to get a bat on a fine Mills over and the first ball of the final over saw Frame (18) adjudged LBW leaving Pattison (7no) as Langley suffered heartbreaking defeat.
Peover bowled superbly Mills 3-20, Tucker 3-34, Ingarolla 3-47 all bowled well.
Skipper Frame reflected: “It was a great game of cricket played in a great spirit – 125 was about par on that pitch, nevertheless 137 was within our compass, at 60-2 we were well set, once again the middle order didn’t deliver. We almost pulled it off at the end but the lower order shouldn’t be winning the game for us”.
Langley then ended the campaign with a disappointing display away at Stretton.
The hosts won the toss, elected to bat and got off to a solid start, adding 28 before Berzins superbly caught and bowled Malik (14). Ali joined Malik and the pair pushed the score to 58 before Berzins struck again, bowling Malik (18).
Ali continued to bat well along with skipper Akram and the total reached 93 when Luke Cartwright bowled the latter for 6. The hosts then had a collapse, losing three wickets with the score on 106. Cartwright had Mohammed (0) stumped and then caught and bowled Ratnagari for a duck while Hobbs had Khan (11) caught at mid on.
Ali and Bhal led a recovery, before skipper Frame introduced himself and claimed three quick wickets. Bhal (11) was caught at gully, he then bowled Raza (4) and Kalal (0). Ali and Ashraf added 17 for the last wicket before Turner returned and bowled Ali for a well made 77 as Stretton closed on 158 all out.
Frame 3-11 off 5 overs, Cartwright 3-32 off 8 overs, Berzins 2-27 off 7 overs were the pick.
In reply, Langley lost Hobbs second ball LBW. Gregory and Chris Pattison steadied the ship before, with the score on 23, the usual collapse took place. Pattison (4) was caught at slip, Gregory (18) was bowled, Betteridge (0) was also bowled, Hughes (2) edged to slip and when Berzins (4) went in similar fashion, Langley had slipped to 38-6.
Frame and Barry Pattison showed some resistance, adding 30 before Frame (23) mistimed a drive and was caught in the covers. Cartwright (0) went second ball, another to be caught at slip. Si Patterson (12) hit some lusty blows, Turner and the gritty Pattison ensured three figures were reached before Turner (7) was last man out bowled, Pattison left (19no), a fine effort by the veteran.
For Stretton, Bahl was superb taking 6-20 off 15 overs.
Skipper Frame was left downcast: “I decided to give a few people a bowl and we all bowled well, 158 was about par. We never got going with the bat and like most of the season we performed below standard. Barry Pattison showed with a bit of application what can be achieved.”
Langley finished the season in eighth place and have lots of work to do over the winter to match their off field efforts on the pitch.
Leading run scorer was Ben Hobbs with 600 (average 33) , followed by Chris Pattison with 518 (average 29) and then Dave Gregory 231 runs (average 15).
The leading bowler was David Frame 41 wickets (average 11), Matty Betteridge 29 wickets (average 13) and Alex Berzins 23 wickets (average 17).