Two-run loss painful for Stacksteads
STACKSTEADS CC A MUCH-IMPROVED performance from Stacksteads CC couldn’t prevent them falling to their third consecutive defeat as Burnley Belvedere snatched a two-run victory in a tense final over at New Hall Hey.
Belvedere were put into bat and got off to a flying start as Shakoor looked to punish anything full of a length before being bowled out by John Dawson with the score on 30.
The opening bowlers were then frustrated for a period of time as Belvedere’s batters played-and-missed on numerous occasions with Mukhtar proving to be very proficient in this skill.
Mukhtar was finally dismissed as he inside edged a wide delivery in Matt Hussey’s first over onto his stumps for 17, which then prompted a brace of quick wickets as Tom Thompson had Darr stumped out by Hindle, before Akbar was caught out off Hussey as the visitors were reduced to 90 for 4.
The middle order of Qasim and Shabar attacked the leg-spin bowling of Thompson to put on 60 runs before the former was well caught at long-on by Dawson.
Thompson then trapped Shabar LBW as he attempted to sweep a straight delivery and then followed it up immediately when Ahmed was stumped out without scoring as Belvedere was reduced to 159 for 7.
Ryan Noon mopped up the final two batsmen with incisive bowling as ten-man Belvedere were all out for 170 in the 44th over.
Stacksteads’ reply started well with the consistent duo of John Hindle and Jonathan Butterworth working the ball round with relative ease, taking full advantage of there being one fielder short. Hindle looked on course for a well deserved half century when he was given out LBW for 47 in an opening stand of 77. Belvedere then bowled themselves back into ●● Ellis Hussey the game as Matt Croney was caught behind without scoring and Butterworth was caught out driving for 27.
With Pete Hoskin following soon after, also without troubling the scorer, Stacksteads were now wobbling on 95 for 4.
Ellis Hussey and Andy Holt both played sensible innings to lead the fightback, managing to control their natural attacking instincts to maintain the four runs an over required for victory.
Hussey had progressed to 36 when he was out LBW, then Holt followed eight runs later LBW for 13.
Dawson was batting confidently and had been able to pierce the in-field to good effect to close in the winning target, however he was running out of partners as both Thompson and Noon were caught out miss-timing drives on a slow and low wicket.
The home team still looked well placed for victory at the start of the final over with Dawson on strike with just three runs required.
After a dot ball, Dawson bottom edged the second delivery onto his stumps for 17 which brought last man Jones to the crease.
He was welcomed by a wide on his first ball meaning just two runs were needed off four deliveries, however after hitting his first ball straight at a fielder he was unable to make contact with the next three resulting in Hussey being run out attempting a single to the keeper in order to steal a tie.
Stacksteads have no game this week with the final game of the season on Sunday 10th September away to Salesbury 2nds.