Fielding not enough to save Stacks

A SPIRITED effort in the field wasn’t enough to prevent a fourwicket defeat for Stacksteads CC in their second Ramsbottom Cup group match away to Read 1sts.

The game was reduced to twenty overs per side, due to a three-hour rain delay and it was Stacksteads who had the first opportunity to post a competitive score.

Accurate but not devastating bowling by Read, backed up by excellent fielding, restricted scoring opportunities for the visitors and although they made it to 14 without loss, three wickets tumbled in quick succession to reduce Stacksteads to 19 for 3.

Ansar Mahmood and Ellis Hussey were caught out attempting forceful shots early in their innings and then the in-form Will Cook-Martin departed also caught for 14, after looking well set. Andy Holt and Paul Scaife added impetuous to the innings, with the shortened format suiting their attacking style of batting. The pair put on 22 before Scaife was caught by a diving Wrathall in the gully for 12. John Hindle continued the Stacksteads fight back with Holt before the latter was spectacularly caught out by Carter running back from mid-wicket for 15. John Dawson and Matt Croney fell quickly to Eastham and Jonathan Butterworth was done by the extra bounce created by professional Walker as the visitors were reduced to 81 for 8.

Hindle was quickly running out of partners, but he found temporary support in the form of Francis Chadwick who stroked two boundaries before being bowled out by Wrathall.

With just Andy Jones left, Hindle found it difficult to maintain the strike and he was left to watch the final over from the nonstriker’s end before Jones’ name was added to list of seven others who perished to catches.

Stacksteads closed on a below par 97 all out with Hindle left stranded on 36 not out off 32 balls.

With further rain looking imminent, Read attacked from the off, taking 10 runs off Dawson’s first four balls before it was a case of one big shot too many for O’Connor as he was caught out by Scaife at deep cover on the fifth ball.

Walker then clipped a delivery from Jones off his legs to backward square leg where Holt dived low to take a difficult catch. Dawson and Jones both bowled well but with such a modest total to defend it was wickets that were required and with the score on 27, Whalley was caught by Butterworth on the drive off skipper Jones.

A partnership of 30 then followed to blunt the Stacksteads fight back and it was Hussey with the assistance of his midriff that finally brought the breakthrough as he clung on to a fiercely hit drive off Lavin.

With Read over half way to their target and the leaden skies having skirted the ground, Tom Turner set about dispatching anything loose and with a mixture of powerful hitting and a degree of luck he set about guiding his team to victory with valuable support from Wrathall. Turner survived a very close run out appeal as Dawson threw from the deep, before he was bowled by Hussey for 34.

With 26 runs still required for victory, Stacksteads tried to force another wicket, however the home team were just two runs short of victory when Holt held onto a juggling catch to dismiss Eastham off the bowling of Croney.

Wrathall quickly knocked off the remaining runs in the 16th over to give Read what seemed a comfortable victory, but they were pushed hard by the team from a lower division who rued not scoring an extra 30 runs in the first innings.

This Saturday Stacksteads are at home to Salesbury CC 2nds.