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SBCI 2022 – May 2022 review
Well, we’ve still to lose a single over of senior cricket to the rain but aside from the weekend when our Saturday sides played Booth, it’s not been overly warm.
Here are Lewis and my collective thoughts on all things SBCI for the month of May.
Senior Cricket
1st Team
The first Saturday of May was an unusual one this year in that it brought the first round of the Parish Cup, previously played on Sundays. Tom Wood’s 76 led the way to 208/8 – not a mammoth score on the small Bridgeholme ground – but something we were confident in defending. And so it proved, as 4 for 24 from Alex Scholefield was well supported by 3 wickets apiece for Olly Benson and Dan Sykes (the latter not conceding a single run), Bridgeholme finishing 64 all out.
The following week saw the game of the season so far as Olly took two wickets with the scores level on 197 to rescue a thrilling tie at Booth. We batted first and despite all of the top seven making it into double figures, none passed fifty. Alex’s 47 was the top score, and his 4 for 47 left Booth reeling in response. However, a significant 7th-wicket partnership turned the tide and Booth looked like favourites until Arun CK had Rob Laycock caught behind for 52. In the end, Booth needed just 3 runs off 2 overs – with 3 wickets in hand – but Arun also had number eight Ian Sharkey caught behind for 41. This paved the way for Olly to return and remove the tail, and secure 9 points for the ‘Stute, skipper Simon Wood having taken five catches behind the stumps.
Triangle were the visitors for what was only our second home game of the season, and will have been delighted to have won the toss and bowled first when the score showed 42/5, with all of our top five back in the pavilion. Arun’s patient but positive 46, ably supported by Dylan Evans in a 49-run partnership, was the crucial knock and 12 and 11 by Ikhlaq Ahmed and Rishav Tandon respectively pushed us up to 119. It didn’t look like being enough, but gave us a slim chance.
It was a chance we took, however, Olly being at his imperious best to take 5 for 29, well supported by Alex to leave Triangle’s order in tatters at 35/7. Though the visitors did threaten to stage a recovery, two quick wickets for Lewis left Alex to bowl their number nine and in doing so polish off a 44 run win.
The final weekend of the month comprised two short trips up the lane to Warley. The league game on the Saturday was a tough outing as Warley racked up 266/8, and our response, though led brilliantly by Adam Fawcett’s 79, ended up with us being bowled out some 101 runs short.
The Parish Cup game which followed started much more brightly, despite Warley again winning the toss and electing to bat, as we had them 38/4, with Alex having taken all of the wickets. Warley grew into the game and some solid partnerships had them looking good for another 200+ score. Lewis came on to take four wickets – including a hat trick – and we managed to restrict them to 178, a score we were confident was gettable. It wasn’t to be, though, as despite 58 from Alex – and a rapid 22 not out from Rob Larkin – we wound up an agonising 5 runs short, and missing out on a quarter final spot.
Overall a slightly disappointing month, but the side still sits in the top half of the league table so there is room for optimism as the season continues.
2nd Team
A disappointing narrow Crossley Shield defeat to first division Copley started off May for the 2nd Team, despite 4 for 31 from Albie Earle and 73 and 35 from Mark Fellows and Mike Veitch, respectively. 28 runs from Simon Hampshire sadly, couldn’t see us reach the Copley target and we bowed out at the first hurdle for the first time in many a year. Such a shame as some big names from the Premier Division also fell by the wayside…. There’s always next year!!!
The league form has been more encouraging, and we sit in 2nd place at the end of May- just two points off the top of the table, with just the one point ‘dropped’ this month.
12 points at home to Booth was excellent despite having been bowled out for 131- Tyson and Brad led the way with the bat with 44 and 36 respectively, before Brad, Tyson and Mike took three wickets a piece to see us home by 14 runs.
Chris Dalby was an obvious man of the match the following week away at Warley. Taking a good sprawling catch in the gully- which gave him his first fielding mark in “absolutely years” was then backed up with 93* to see us home by 2 wickets- more than ably supported by Abeel as they put on 71 for the 7th wicket after we’d been reduced to 78-6. Earlier on in the day, Mike and Matty Keast had taken two wickets a piece to restrict Warley to a below par 178/7.
Onto the final match of the month and a weakened side took to the field against Triangle but we still came home with the 12 points. After restricting our visitors to 117 all out – Rob Larkin 5 for 23 and Tyson 4 for 35, we knocked the required runs off with more than 16 overs and nine wickets in hand. Tony Kirby who had, earlier kept wicket for the first time for the club (with two catches thrown into the mix) with 39* and Chris Dalby scoring at more than a run a ball with 61* to see us comfortably over the winning line.
Sunday Side
Let’s not dwell too long on the 24 all out away at Mount on the first day of the month. 10 dropped catches didn’t help our cause, despite bowling well with Greg the pick of the bowlers taking 4 for 47.
We entertained Stones CC a week later and failed to pick up a single point, despite a much better batting performance that had Aditya top scoring with 21 and Bash not too far behind him with 20. Greg took the solitary wicket to fall as our visitors romped home by 9 wickets.
Onto Rod Warhurst round-robin cup action and a much, much better performance away at Low Moor with Dave Grundy and Robin Hanson (41 and 49) scoring the majority of our 149 for 3 with Abeel hitting a quick-fire 25 from 20 balls as the overs ran out. 2 for 20 from Aditya when we took to the field wasn’t enough as Low Moor ran out comfortable winners by 6 wickets and with 8.2 overs remaining. We did, however, give everyone who wanted to turn their arm over a go – part of the reason for having a Sunday side- so every cloud and all that.
Away to Illingworth, we lost Aditya on the morning of the match through illness, which didn’t help our cause. Another sub 100 score with Dave Grundy, Sudanshu and Extras the only players to make double figures. Captain Boocock took 4 for 20 in the Illingworth reply and another wicket during their run chase would have made it really interesting, but it wasn’t to be.
The final match of our Rod Warhurst round-robin was against Bradford league side Buttershaw St Pauls, and despite a great effort with the ball and in the field by our relatively inexperienced side, we were bowled out for 76 to give us our third defeat of the cup campaign. A big welcome to the club to Ken Major who made his debut in this match. Aditya Singh with 3 for 31 was the pick of the bowlers with Phil Earle and Arshad Mahmood the only players to make double figures with the bat against an opposition bowling attack that would have been more suited to Saturday afternoon cricket.
Junior Cricket
We’ve had a couple of training sessions wiped out by inclement Friday afternoon weather, but our three junior sides are well into their 2022 seasons.
It’s two wins and two losses for the Under 9’s so far. Our two defeats have been against a very strong Copley side with our wins coming against Lightcliffe and (ahem) Thornton, who didn’t realise there was a game on, so had to forfeit!!!
It’s three wins from 4 for the Under 11 side with one match succumbing to the weather.
Two wins in April for the Under 13 side has been followed by three defeats on the spin. Pleased to report that our young side has competed well in all of our fixtures so far, with the game against Blackley being the only one where we were well beaten.
Some fantastic individual performances across all three age groups, with our overall mentality of our junior section is ensuring that everyone gets to have a go and enjoys themselves.
For all age-groups, the final fixtures of a chilly May were washed out because of the inclement weather.
As always, we are always looking for new players, regardless of age or ability, so please do get in touch if you know anyone who might be looking to get into cricket in 2022.
All Stars
Our 2022 All Stars season started on 8th May and will carry on until Sunday 26th June. 13/14 5-8 year olds already signed-up but plenty of room for more. Please see @SBCI_CC (via Twitter) for more details.
Lewis & Dave