With
England's World Cup quarter final against Portugal on everybodies
mind it was quite favourable for Kings that there opponents could
only muster eight players, with several youngsters in that eight.
As a result, and with the kind co-operation of the Cockwood boys
Kings arranged an inter-club match, with the 14 tourists being
split down the middle and the 8 from Cockwood doing the same.
The resultant 25 over match between the "Spitting Cobras"
(Captain's team) and the "Splinter Cell" (VC's team)
was played on a lively green wicket offering plenty of help to
the bowlers.
The 'Cobras' batted first and this saw Joel Miah steaming in to
Dave Perry the first ball of which fizzed past the end of Perry's
nose. When Perry did get one to hit he saw his flashing shot through
gulley snatched up one handed by his usual opening batting partner
Dave Miller (0-1). Worse was to follow for the Cobras though when
Nick Tighe square cut Gordon Young straight to Miller at backward
point (0-2). This was not the start Cobras had wanted and when
Simon Pipe was caught and bowled by Gordon Young (oh! No!) it
left the Cobras floundering at 6-3. This became 15-4 when Evans
drove the impressive James Melligan to Young at cover. There then
followed a reasonable stand as James from Cockwood and Wright
started to get some runs on the board but Melligan remained a
threat and he picked up both to reduce Cobras to 32-5 and then
36-6 to finish with 3-14 from his four overs. Cobra's Skipper
Young took the score to 42 before he was bowled and Owen Mears
added a further nine to take the score to 51-8. Some good hitting
by the two Cockwood youngsters then dragged the score to 67 before
the innings was finished with two wickets in two balls.
The Splinter Cell were confident at the break that they would
canter to victory but the ever reliable Simon Pipe reeled a maiden
which Miller seemed happy to play out but in the next over Evans
trapped Miller in front and the umpire (South African) ruled in
favour of his countryman, much to the dismay of the Kings opener
(10-1). The talented Joel Miah was next to go, when he top edged
Pipe behind into the gloves of Dave Perry (27-2). But still the
Splinter Cell seemed well on track to cruise to victory. Cockwood's
Mather was playing well until Mears bowled him (41-3) and when
Melligan was bowled by Mears the pressure started to mount (57-4).
Cockwood's Cram was then bowled by Nick Tighe (58-5), and then
Cockwood's James Bell took two wickets in three balls to turn
the game on its head, first Mackenzie was bowled (58-6) and then
Baker was dismissed in similar fashion (59-7). Some cool batting
by Gordon Young brought the scores level before Wheaton was bowled
by Tighe (67-8) to bring Steve Smith into bat. Cobra's needed
two wickets, and Cell just one run - the next ball produced 4
byes and the winning runs! It was then off as quickly as possible
to the British Legion to watch England lose to Portugal!!!
