South Kelsey 2nds 71 all out
Haxey 71-5
WITH the high amount of rain that had fallen the previous week, it took a mountain of effort from the grounds man and helpers to get the game on.
The toss was going to be crucial and so it proved, Skelton won it to maintain his 100% record. He wasted no time in sticking the opposition into bat, with the weather likely to impact on the day it was important they bowled and fielded well.
The new ball was given to the returning student A Moody and W Ahmed. Moody took the first over and his rustiness was to be expected and was issued a warning in his first over for hostile bowling, after this he settled in and bowled 4 overs for only 3 runs often beating the bat. Ahmed also found the going hard work into the wind, and was soon asked to turn to spin by Skelton who expected the pitch to grip given the wet weather, and it was he who made the break through clean bowling the opening bat with a well flighted delivery.
This brought a left hander to the crease who for the first 5 overs could not lay a bat on the turning delivery, Bisby who was drafted in as cover at late notice came on first change and was unable to get a break through despite wearing his lucky jumper (clearly the pressure was too much), but with Bisby keeping it tight it was Ahmed who claimed two more quick victims, another bowled and a great catch by the ever green Metcalfe.
So with Kelsey on 27-3 Haxey were keen to apply pressure, five successive maidens certainly helped with this. It was that man Ahmed again who claimed another bowled to end with 13 overs 4 wickets for 19 runs.
D Hughes bowled an economical spell of 4 overs for 9 runs but without causing a breakthrough.
Skelton brought himself on at the BBQ end immediately found lavish turn, much to everyone’s surprise, it was not long before he had claimed a victim caught at slip by Mark ‘Elma’ Parkin. It was then Parkin who claimed three quick wickets including a caught and bowled of his first ball of the match, Skelton then had a chance put down by Boyo Evans in the deep, but this chance didn’t prove costly as Skelton claimed another victim caught behind the stumps. The innings was ended on 70 by the newly crowned Polska fan A Fleet, who created a run out of nothing with Barlow whipping off the bails.
With drizzle in the air and the rain expected soon, Skelton sprung a surprise and opened with veteran Bisby who was told to go big early, he reacted well to this and raced on to 26, Evans who was rotating strike expertly was adjudged LBW with the ball striking him high on the hip with a wooden sound.
Fleet strode out to the crease also knowing quick runs were the order of the day, it was Bisby who fell to a grubber on 26. Skelton came out and hit a four second ball only to fall attempting more quick runs, Fleet then fell next delivery to leave Haxey 48-4 and potentially rocking Metcalfe returning to the crease after contractual discussions with the captain, soon found himself walking back after scoring 2 and the score 45-5, so it was left to specialist gully field Lewis Mann and A Moody to bring the game home without further panic.
So a full 20 points for Haxey on a day where many games were off, saw them move up the table.
Fielder of the match – M Parkin. Special mention to Ken Layton for getting the game on and to Aaron Moody for playing whilst in desperate need of a hair cut.