August FCL update

The British summer has really kicked in over the past few weeks meaning we have only played 3 1st team matches this month! However they were games all against top of the league rivals and certainly played in competitive spirit.

Firstly we played Thornton at home in the league. Smarting after our Stuart Cup Final defeat we were keen to put right our mistake in the league. Put in to bat on a soggy pitch and under grey skies the omens weren't too good. A good start for Thornton before the first rain shower and we came off at 28-3, not good, Thornton eager to get back on the pitch. Rawcliffe and Amos battled in the next session of play getting us to 71-5 before another shower halted proceedings, Thornton not so keen to get back on this time! However we got back on to complete our 45 overs, with myself and Crabtree combining to reach the 100 runs mark to claim a second bonus point. Shame we got out in the last over slashing to give Thornton an extra bonus point, how crucial that becomes at the end of the season remains to be seen. After tea we were looking to get into them, and Captain Rawcliffe certainly did, destroying them along with Snape to reduce them to 11-7. Many long faces and grumblings coming from the sidelines and deep psychological scars inflicted! In the end we bowled them out for 26 for an amazing win again against our closest title rivals, taking 17 points to their 2.

More rain meant our next game was a few weeks later in the Wareing Cup, a semi final against St Annes which had already been abandoned the previous week with us on 12-3! turning up expecting a bowl off, we were informed the game was on and was to be reduved to 30 overs. A worrying slip from my first ball bowled looked ominous but we manged to bowl well and restrict their total to 109. However the talk of the first innings was the unfortunate incident involving local youths, a horn and an irate mother... We set about the task confidently, but soon were behind the run rate on a sluggish pitch and also the openers hadn't blasted away as we had hoped. With the middle order battling away it was looking close. I managed to get in to bat with 6 an over needed and was promtly run out by Amos withoiut facing a ball!! A demoralising loss leaving us only with the league to focus on.

Last weekend we faced Blackpool at home, our last league game in a rain ravaged month. Bowling first we felt confident, after restricting them to 75 off the first half of the overs, however soon Harrison had reached 50 off the change bowlers and started bashing away to reach a century in another 5 or 6 overs, including 6's, 4's and dropped catches, the Captain was not amused. Facing a massive total of 219 to win, orders were given to go for the draw. With their star player Harrison now bowling quiclly on the always amusing Cottam pitch, we lost early wickets and werelooking shaky. But the last hour call soon came and we survived 41 overs to salvage a draw, on a day when Thornton drew at Preston III, so no ground gained or lost in the title race.