Villains turn on heroics in Rochdale win
DECLAN Wilkinson cut a forlorn figure in the Walsden tearoom during the interval of Rochdale’s game there on Sunday.
Left to dine alone he could only pick at his food as he dwelt on his dropping of Walsden opener Josh Gale who had made only 12 when he mis-hit Casey Roche straight to him at mid on.
Wilkinson could only watch in helpless pain as Gale took Dale’s attack apart to make 122 from 128 balls.
Nor could Nick Kelly, Dale’s deputy professional, have found the tea time fare any more palatable.
He had seen his fourteen overs worth of slow left armers bludgeoned for 107 as Rochdale failed to rein in the home team as they made their late charge.
And if one Gale hadn’t been enough there was another waiting to blow. Joe, of that ilk had absolutely smashed Dale’s attack around Scott Street, posting 50 in only 16 balls.
But the wonderful game of cricket makes villains and heroes of all its participants and just over three hours later Wilkinson and Kelly were the toasts of their colleagues and Freemen of Redbrook.
They had joined together in a wonderful unbeaten partnership of 205 for the 4th wicket and seen their team pass Walsden’s seemingly unbeatable 319 with over 3 overs to spare.
Dale’s reply to this mammoth task had started boldly with openers Andrew Dawson and Zimmy Khan posting 50 in only the seventh over.
But when Dawson’s dismissal, caught behind off a bottom edge was swiftly followed by Khan’s, this an unlucky deflection off his back leg onto the wickets, the likelihood of a Dale defeat was upgraded to a foregone conclusion.
But wait! Jack Duffy entered the fray and playing with the freedom that only inevitable defeat can bring smashed 51 in 28 balls, including 5 sixes.
If Duffy’s innings was hatched from the bish bash of instant cricket, Kelly, at the other played himself in with relative quiet.
Duffy, essaying one hit too many, skied one to Nick Barker, but his short stay had provided the innings with momentum required and, although Dale still needed 204 there were 35 overs remaining.
Remarkably and astoundingly they needed only just over 31 of them to reach their goal. Kelly’s careful opening began to bear fruit.
His offside cutting and driving was a joy to watch while he was severe on anything off length.
Wilkinson, meanwhile, started like he had played little cricket so far this season (which was the case), but after a few plays and misses he quickly found his touch.
He began to play sublimely, his straight driving being particularly effective.
Twice he lofted Chirag Khurana straight into Scott Street and the scoreboard fairly ticked over.
150 came and went. Then 200, by which point the target, hitherto over the horizon and out of sight, hove into view.
Matt Dawson, the home captain, tried eight bowlers.
All, with the exception of Jamie Shackleton, who pulled up with a hamstring injury during his third over, were treated with equal disdain.
Only one chance was offered, when Wilkinson’s fierce straight drive was deflected onto his own nose by Kuhrana.
The Walsden fielders, normally a chirpy bunch, were batted into rare silence.
The handful of visiting supporters could hardly believe their eyes and the final runs came in a flash.
Kelly made a memorable, chanceless century, and no doubt Wilkinson would have passed three figures too but he was 13 short when Kelly’s sumptuous straight drive clinched the game.
The first half of the game could now be removed from the Dale’s team memory bank, although Steve Oddy will remember it rather more fondly, his 1 for 36 from 13 overs standing out like a beacon amongst the carnage suffered by all other bowlers.
Footnote: The 640 runs scored is a Lancashire League record for the aggregate total made in a single innings game.