Cuckney V Glapwell

Bassetlaw Division 1 21st April 2007

Cuckney 199 for 7 (Richard Stroh 96) beat Glapwell 120 for 10 (Steve Randall 3 for 26, Karl Musgrove 3 for 24) by 79 runs. Cuckney 20 Glapwell 3

The first game of the season was always going to be a big game and what made it even bigger was all the expectation from the players and myself.

It couldn't have started any worse than it did with Cuckney losing the toss on rather green looking track. No surprises when we got inserted and we knew it was going to be tough batting first on a track that we thought 180 would be a good score on.

Cuckney got off to a good solid start at 36 without loss until loosing an inform looking Jogia for 17, played some good looking strokes until miss hitting a pull and being caught out by a great one handed diving catch. Soon to follow was the dismissal of Danny Brown who in his new role of opening the innings looked solid until edging a delivery from the Glapwell Pro through to the keeper for 15.

Butler was then giving out LBW shortly after the fall of Brown for 5. Cuckney at this stage in trouble as new signing Steve Bentley joined cuckneys very own secretary Richard Stroh at the crease. Stroh and Bentley batted nicely together and looked in no trouble, on what was then a good cricket wicket after the new ball lost its firmness.

Stroh then fended one off his hips for 1 which never was completed with both batsmen at one end, Bentley was the batsmen that had to go, Stroh then knew he had to make up for an error on his part with the bat, and make up he did as he hit 13 boundaries on the way to his elegant 96. Very important contributions came from another new signing Steve Randall as he also looked in good nick with the bat is his valuable 10, which supported Stroh by spending time in the middle while the Giraffe took advantage at the other end. Raggs will be a big part of the line up this season with a little experience in the lower order, which is what lacked last season. Elliott Hind's cameo of 26 not out off as many balls proved to be most valuable and showed his class and cool approach with finishing the innings off with the Giraffe (Stroh) who unfortunately fell just 4 short of which would have been a deserved ton. Will Ullyott then came for the last 3 balls and didn't trouble the scorers as he got out off the last ball of the innings as Cuckney finished on 199 for 7 off our 50 overs.

After skipper Will Butler sat the boys down and gave them the orders of bowling good lengths on a pitch that will definitely offer sideways movement up front, keep it tight and field well, which is key this season as we are a young side.

Up front Stroh and Stephenson started well and bowled tight and exploited the conditions very well as Glapwell struggled to come to terms with the pressure and the tight bowling Stroh bowled the Glapwell opener Davison for 8. After 10 overs Glappy only managed 25 as they lost their skipper for just 9 as the Slaphead trapped his in front without offering a shot. After a tight start Butler then turned to Randall and what a reply he got as he trapped Topham LBW with his first ball for Cuckney in a league fixture. Glapwell then went about their work quietly as Hope and Graney put together a 40 run partnership to take Glappy to drinks.

At drinks Glapwell were 79 for 3 and it looked like it was going to be a tight game, until Cuckney turned to Karl Musgrave who provided the turning point in one over, as he got both Hope and Graney in his first over. Raggs and Mushy bowled really well in tandem and took the game away from Glapwell as wickets kept falling with Mushie bowling 4 overs 3 for 24 and Raggs 9 overs 3 for 36. Cuckney then turned to there pro Richard "The show pony" Stroh and Cliff "the cowboy" Adwick to finish off the game and finish it the cowboy did as he only needed 1 over and 1 ball in his short but fierce spell of 1.1 overs 2 for 1. Cuckney had bowled Glapwell out for 120.

Positives out of the game were that all the new signing fitted in well and the buzz and enjoyment factors were in there as well as good cricket being played. Also to add to the positives will be Tom Ullyott when he comes into the side, which will strengthen the side in all areas as well as his mouth! The game was exactly what we needed at the start and we are now looking forward to the rest of the season. If we play cricket in this positive frame of mind we will definitely be right up there in the mix for the title race.

WB

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