Scorecard

Annfield Plain v Consett & District Cricket Club Consett CC 3rd XI on Sun 18 May 2014 at 1:45
Consett & District Cricket Club Lost by 9 wickets

Match report Eventually a first taste of action as Consett start life in Division 1 for the first time since the new structure came into place in the HLSCL. Little did they know their trip to Enterprise Park would make sure that they were in for a very rude awakening!! Conditions were glorious and temperatures reached around 20C and despite all the recent wet weather Annfield Plain had served up what looked a belting wicket for cricket.

Based on this Captain Cox went out to the middle and despite calls of being a useless tosser (which we hope related to cricketing formalities) he called correctly and decided that it looked great for his team to set a challenging total.

Bainbridge and the returning Turnbull strode to the crease and negotiated the first 6 overs with ease taking the score just beyond 30 before Kean came up with the perfect yorker to dismiss Bainbridge for a very assured looking 10, hopefully a sign of more restrained innings to come! Young Matty came in at 3 hoping to fare better than last weekend where his first 2 senior games yielded a pair of ducks (don't forget the duck hunt is on again this season). He did manage to get off the mark this week much to his relief but unfortunately he snicked behind after only 3 balls having made 2 in the very same over from Kean. This brought last seasons player of the year Wilkinson to the crease. He and Turnbull steadily accumulated taking the score in excess of 50 before Turnbull was undone by one that didn't turn for Black that clipped the top of his off stump as he attempted to cut and he departed for 21. Southern was next up and him and Wilkinson combined some lusty blows and intelligent placement to take the score along to 85/3 at the half way stage.
However the wheels were about to fall off, the third team are well known for a collapse and today was no different. Wilkinson ran past one from leg spinner Newton who was bowling his first over, and was Stumped having made a spritely 33, the skipper Cox was next up and lasted only 3 balls before falling to the same bowler clean bowled for 0. Harry Grant was next in at 7 hoping to help Southern steady the ship. Unfortunately he lasted only 2 balls and contributed 1 run and became Newton's second in two deliveries having been caught at midwicket off the first ball of his second over. Marshall was next off the conveyor belt with serious doubt as to whether or not he was fit to see 22 yards to even see the ball coming and despite usually being known for a sturdy he was happy to oblige and be beaten all ends up as Newton comprehensively bowled him and completed the hat-trick which had him with 4-2 after only 8 deliveries and Consett now really struggling at 91-7. Having talked a good game all afternoon it was now the turn of Jamie Bradley to attempt to rescue the innings alongside vice-captain Southern and for once he duly obliged playing some excellent drives and solid defensive shots as they advanced the score to 130 and thus securing 2 batting points in the process before Southern was slightly unlucky to be caught and bowled by Donnelly having made a patient and restrained 36. Remmer came up next and had made only 2 before a calamitous piece of running saw him ran out stranded mid pitch looking for 3 that Simon would probably have struggled to get. The aim now was 150 for the third batting point with Cox Jr off to get the big block out in pursuit of it. Unfortunately one shot too many resulted in Bradley being caught at mid-on and Consett being dismissed for what looked a below par 143 and as was last years perennial problem leaving 10.5 overs unused.

Tea was taken with a slight feeling of discontent (well amongst those that actually seemed interested enough to care anyway) and a jolly good tea it was, thanks to the two ladies who always do a sterling job down there! The tea break however revealed bad news that Cox Jr who was to open the bowling was going to be as much use as a chocolate fireguard as he had aggravated his recent quad injury whilst batting. Not to worry we thought, we have plenty of bowlers to make the game competitive. That was as close to it being competitive as we were ever going to get!!!

Townsend and the no doubt confident Newton strode out to start things off for Annfield Plain. Andy Remmer and Wilkinson were to open the bowling. It took them both a few overs to settle into some rhythm and find their lines and lengths (perhaps a visit to nets once in a while would help but what do I know). Enough bad balls were served up to see Annfield Plain coast to 40 without loss after only 9 overs and not a single chance created. By now a few of the fielders were already displaying appalling body language and quite frankly didn't appear interested. The writing on the wall this early was never going to bed a good sign A double bowling change saw 14 year old Matty given his first bowl in senior cricket with his crafty little off spin. He did actually bowl a very tidy 9 over spell but unfortunately only one very difficult stumping chance down the leg side was created for his efforts (I'm letting you off lighly Marshall!!) but only 2 rank bad balls in 9 overs was an extremely impressive effort for his first bowl in senior cricket. At the other end Bradley was reluctantly trudging through his leg spin and sent down 4 aimless overs whilst sporting a face like a smacked backside before finally settling on a good line and length and looking a bit more interested in proceedings, a far cry from the talented 14 year old who produced league best figures across both Sunday leagues last year...
By the time these two were done Annfield Plain had made serene progress towards their target and were already at the 100 mark just past the mid way point without having lost a wicket or ever realistically looking like doing so. The only other chance offered was that by Newton who offered a difficult diving chance to Southern at mid-wicket before coming the first of the pair to reach an excellent half century. Townsend followed up with one of his own with successive fours off Bradley. He was eventually dismissed in the next over as Southern slanted one across him which caught the edge and was snaffled by the newly sobered up Marshall behind the stumps. The score now however had progressed to 110 and any realistic chance of winning for Consett had now disappeared. A little more effort was now being shown at least but after 30 overs this wasn't exactly an ideal situation, maybe a few more wickets for points could restore some pride. Unfortunately that wasn't to be the case and Smith joined forces with Newton to knock off the runs without alarm despite some tidy overs from Southern and Bainbridge and Annfield Plain wrapped up a deserved victory with 7.5 overs to spare.

Don't think anyone would argue that Newton was a deserved man of the match having returned figures of 6-1-25-4, took a catch and finished the day 71 not out.

All in all a bad first showing from Consett in their first outing in Division One. Maybe a few need to have a little look at themselves and consider ways to improve. Attending practices may help and showing a bit more enthusiasm and commitment to help your fellow team mates otherwise it's going to be one hell of a long season. Some of you may find this match report harsh but unfortunately the truth doesn't always sound pretty like last season when everything was going so well!!! I hope I will be able to write something much more positive in the coming weeks, starting with what is likely to be a very difficult game against a Cowagate team who have consistently finished top 3 in the first division one since it's inception!!! I won't hold my breath however...

Consett & District Cricket Club Consett CC 3rd XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 7w 11b  
for 10 wickets
20
143		        
Chris Bainbridge b M Kean 10 2
27 - Stephen Turnbull b S Black 21 2 1
Matthew Kerswell ct J Dodds b M Kean 2
00 - Simon Wilkinson st J Dodds b S Newton 33 4 1
David Southern ct + b L Donnelly 36 6
48 - Ian Cox b S Newton 0 3 0
Harry Grant ct N Laidler b S Newton 1
17 - Jack Marshall b S Newton (hat-trick) 0 1 0
90 - Jamie Bradley ct S Newton b D Nobel 18 3
Andrew Remmer Run out  2
Andrew Cox Not Out  0

Annfield Plain Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
M Kean5.011326.502.60
N Laidler5.022100.004.20
S Black4.0026126.006.50
D Smith4.002000.005.00
S Newton6.012546.254.17
M Smith 5.001900.003.80
L Donnelly3.03010.000.00
D Nobel2.10818.003.69

Annfield Plain Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
3nb 4w 1b 1lb 
for 1 wickets
9
146 (37.3 overs)		     
C Townsend ct J Marshall b D Southern 52
S Newton Not Out  71
M Smith Not Out  14
J Dodds (capt + wk)  
D Smith  
N Laidler  
M Kean  
S Black  
D Nobel  
L Donnelly  
Unknown  

Consett & District Cricket Club Consett CC 3rd XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Andrew Remmer4.002000.005.00
00 - Simon Wilkinson6.002100.003.50
Matthew Kerswell9.023300.003.67
90 - Jamie Bradley9.024100.004.56
David Southern5.3119119.003.45
Chris Bainbridge4.001000.002.50

  • Umpire :
    T Halliday
  • Scorer :
    Davison brothers