Tiring weekend

What a tiring yet fantastic weekend of top class FCL cricket. Rather than think since my brain hurts, here's my match report from our website:

"Legend Pete Snape MSM and Scott Taylor produced match winning performances, taking 9 wickets in 8.4 overs, to turn a game heading for a draw into a fantastic win for the champions against a competitive Thornton side.

Wyre were put into bat and Gregson and Moyes (recovering from a day at Old Trafford watching the Test match) produced a solid start on the astroturf wicket, combatting some good tight bowling. However they fell to leave Wyre 29-2 and needing some good middle order batting performances, which Cartwright (49) and Abbott (52) produced, to take Wyre to 112-2 and looking at a big total. However a middle order misfire meant the lower order needed to bolster the total which Wright, Lever and Snape (5* including a nice 4 through mid-on) did to post a total of 167/9. Paul Diver the star of Thornton's bowling with a complete innings spell of 23-8-55-7!

Thornton went at the opening bowlers with abandon, the wicket not helping Captain Rawcliffe or Bamford very much. However chances were being created regularly, but with two fielders short and chances finding gaps or being fumbled, frustration was mounting and the fight was well and truly on. A moment of inspiration from Wright producing a direct run out to remove big hitting Higson invigorated the team. But with Higson, Partington and Smith all having good innings to take Thornton to 90-1, a draw or Thornton win looked on the cards. Last hour called and only 16 overs remaining. Rawcliffe and Bamford toiled on to no avail and soon after the change bowlers came on. With only 12 overs to go containment was the order of the day, but Snape had other ideas, demolishing Thornton's middle order in figures of 5-0-13-5. Not bad for a 73 year old legend. But with experienced Paul Diver at the crease marshalling the batting and rotating the strike well with only a few overs to go, the atmosphere was tense. Then Scott produced one of the finest C&B's you will ever see. Last ball of the 3rd from last over and Diver drills the ball back towards the bowler, only a few inches off the ground. Taylor dives forward and takes a stunning catch to remove the Thornton danger man, genius! Scott then caps a fine bowling performance by taking the 10th wicket and winning the match with 8 balls to go and ending with figures of 3.4-0-14-4. What a fantastic match and a massive win for Wyre."


Not a bad start to the weekend! Sunday brought the big one, the Stuart Cup semi final v Baxi, who had brought their big guns out to play since they were struggling in the league and up for the cup! However after being put into bat, Mike and Greggy put their bowlers to the sword, scoring heavily and both making half centuries in Wyres total of 168/7. With 25 overs and some big hitters in their side it was shaping up to be a good contest. However that soon changed after four ouvers where Mike and I took four wickets, leaving them 10/4! Whilst their middle order hit out, the result was never in doubt and we coasted into our first final for many years, and my first since being at the club. Bring on Thornton at Blackpool CC on 1 July, two innings, 20 overs each, genius!