Fixture: Hawley CC Vs Pyestock CC

Date: 17 August 2003

Venue: Blackwater and Hawley Leisure Centre

 

The first match reviewed in this blog took place 10 years ago in August 2003 as Pyestock visited regular opponents Hawley CC. The home side contained regular stalwarts Craig Adams, Gary Mitchell, and Richard "Milo" Miles. Pyestock were without regular wicket keeper Barry Grigg and Peter Taylor (who was to leave the club at the end of the season after 15 years), replaced by Mike Holden and Greg Barber.

Pyestock batted first on a hot and sunny day with regular duo Mike Ensor and Paul Heath strutting out to the middle looking for a solid start against Craig Adams and Richard Miles. The bowling began tight with only a few extra's moving the scoreboard away from zero. 

The shackles were broken in the eighth over as Miles lost contol and Ensor punished with 3 trips to the fence as the score moved onto 40. another loose over saw the young bowler removed from the attack and replaced by Bird.

At the other end Adams was remaining tight, keeping both batsmen on their toes with his skiddy medium pace from only 3 paces. The Pyestock duo had seen their nemesis take enough wickets in the past to be wary of the danger. Consecutive maidens kept the experienced bowlers economy rate below 2 runs per over. Problems continued however at the other end and the run rate was climbing. Mike brought up his 50 with a couple off of Adams, then celebrated with the innings first maximum as Adams began to suffer. Paul followed suit soon after as the score reached 131 without loss after 24 overs. 

It was in the next over that the shot of the day came. advancing down the wicket Paul connected with a leg side delivery and flicked the ball away over mid wicket. The pure timing of the shot saw the ball fly away for a huge six, that pounded into the pavilion way above the heads of his appluading team-mates, before rolling back to the square to be retrieved by the beleagured Hawley fielders. It was a massive shot and symbolic of the dominance Pyestock were showing over their rivals. that Adam's over went for 13 in the end and set Pyestock up for passing 150 and then onto the next milestone, the club record patnership of 175 set by Paul Heath and Roy Holmes in 1995 against Hale CC. 

This objective was passed with ease as Mike thundered 2 boundaries from Helliwells fourth over to take him into the eighties, and Colin Butler, Pyestock's number 3, who had sat in pads in the sweltering sun for the best part of two hours, now wondered if he would ever make it to the middle. Paul Heath, who was now beginning to tire was finding singles to help Mike take the strike and help the score along, but by now was also in the eighties, and still looking solid. Adams had finished his marathon 15 over spell and Miles was reintroduced. 

This had no effect now as the pair were in ruthless mood, keen to add valuable runs to the Pyestock score, but now both had centuries in their sights. Mike reached his first in the 35th over as three fours in four balls brought deverved adulation from both home and away sides as Pyestock moved to 226 without loss. In the very next over, perhaps confirming the even nature of the pairs partnership, Paul nicked a single to bring up his 2nd century for the club as Gillard bowled an expensive solitary over. 

A relatively tidy over from Miles to finish left Pyestock on a record breaking 245 for 0 at tea as both batsmen left to a standing ovation and handshakes all round. 

Despite the celebratory mood in the Pyestock camp at tea, it was poignant to realise that a job still needed to be done. Pyestock would need to claim 10 wickets to win the match on a pitch obviously more than suitable for batting, and without Neil Butler, would have to make use of a reduced bowling attack. 

Chris Heath and Ian Townsend opened the reply with Dave Scott and Rich Helliwell looking to see Hawley to a draw or even umlikely victory, but in the third over Helliwell became the first wicket of the day to fall after 237 balls as he edged straight to Mark Padwick at first slip. 

This brought Craig Adams to the crease, a man who has previously scored a century of his own againt Pyestock, so the visitors knew they would need to claim the prominent figure early in order to progress to the victory they needed. In the 7th over, their prayers were answered, but lightning in fact would strike twice. First Colin Butler swooped from the covers to dismiss Dave Scott with a fine catch before the prize wicket of Adams came, bowled by Chris Heath who now had 3 for 27 in an entertaining and gripping spell. 

Ian, at the other end was proving far calmer, only conceding 6 runs from 4 overs allowing Chris to attack, but both were withdrawn after 14 overs with the score a healthy 74 for 3. with only 19 overs remaining however the win looked unlikely, however to their credit, Bird and and Gary Mitchell had attacked the bowling, and enforced the change. The decision by Paul Heath to take the pace off the ball however, worked a treat as with the first ball from Mark Padwick bamboozled Mitchell and bowled the stricken number 5 after a brisk 22. 

The real changing point came in the 22nd over however after Norrie had Strong caught by Mike Ensor for 24. The Pyestock legend claimed 3 wickets in the over as Abbas, Crane and Gillard all fell to catches to leave the hosts rudderless on 110 for 8. Smith became the spinners 5th victim in the 24th over as victory looked secure with 9 overs remaining, but Bird, who had amassed the highest score of the innings and last man Miles held firm with some impressive shots. 

Chris Heath was introduced and disturbed Miles timbers with less than 3 overs remaining to wrap up the innings and the match, but it was the two centurians and 5 wicket Norrie Short who claimed the plaudits in the post match celebrations.

 

The scorecard of the memorable day is below.

 

Innings Of: Pyestock CC
	Batsmen			Balls	4/6	How Out		Bowler		Total
1	M.Ensor			115	15/1	Not Out		~		119
2	P.Heath*			108	12/2	Not Out		~		103
3	C.Butler
4	I.Townsend
5	M.Padwick
6	M.Holden+
7	R.Sladen
8	D.Heath
9	G.Barber
10	C.Heath
11	N.Short
	* = C + = Wk			B	LB	W	NB
	EXTRA'S			4	0	16	3			23
						TOTAL		0	Wkts	245
Fall	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Score	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~
Bat	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~
	Bowler			Overs		Maidens		Runs		Wickets
1	C.Adams			15		3		68		0
2	R.Miles			9		0		77		0
3	P.Bird			6		1		37		0
4	R.Helliwell			6		0		44		0
5	A.Gillard			1		0		15		0
						Extra's		4
						Total		245

Innings Of: Hawley CC
	Batsmen			Balls	4/6	How Out		Bowler		Total
1	D.Scott			29	4/0	Ct: C.Butler		C.Heath		17
2	R.Helliwell			3	0/0	Ct: M.Padwick		C.Heath		0
3	C.Adams*			11	1/0	Bowled		C.Heath		7
4	P.Bird			57	6/0	Not Out		~		41
5	G.Mitchell			22	5/1	Bowled		M.Padwick		29
6	R.Strong			21	5/0	Ct: M.Ensor		N.Short		24
7	T.Abbas			9	1/0	Ct: N.Short		N.Short		5
8	A.Crane			2	0/0	Ct: C.Heath		N.Short		0
9	A.Gillard			1	0/0	Ct: G.Barber		N.Short		0
10	D.Smith			3	0/0	St: M.Holden		N.Short		0
11	R.Miles			22	1/0	Bowled		C.Heath		8
	* = C + = Wk			B	LB	W	NB
	EXTRA'S			1	0	8	4			13
						TOTAL		10	Wkts	144
Fall	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Score	5	26	32	74	102	110	110	110	123	144
Bat	2	1	3	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
	Bowler			Overs		Maidens		Runs		Wickets
1	C.Heath			8.1		0		48		4
2	I.Townsend			7		1		26		0
3	M.Padwick			4		1		26		1
4	N.Short			7		2		16		5
5	P.Heath			3		0		24		0
6	M.Ensor			1		0		3		0
						Extra's		1
						Total		144

Pyestock CC won by 101 runs

Man of the match: M.Ensor/P.Heath/N.Short (Joint)