Heaton Mersey Cricket Club

Heartbreak for 3rds in Toft thriller

Written by James Emmerson

Sunday, 25 July 2010

It was three defeats in a row for Mersey 3rds as visitors Toft reached their victory target with two balls to spare on Sunday.

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Scores: Mersey 208-8 (45 overs, 151 mins)
Toft 210-5 (44.4 overs, 146 mins)

Points: Mersey 13, Toft 20

Sounds grim, doesn’t it? Three straight losses – unprecedented since I’ve been watching the 3rds – and, like the previous two, another game that could easily have been so different.

But there is no doom and gloom as far as I’m concerned. Of course, it’s nice to keep winning, and Lord knows there’s been plenty of those down the years, but when sticky patches and runs of defeats come along, it tests the attitude of individuals and can often result in stronger sides if the lessons are learned. And, of course, we’ve been without key members of the side, which has had an impact.

So in reviewing today’s game, it may sound clichéd to ‘take the positives’, but that is precisely what the 3rds must do. Not to gloss over the facts, or overlook key areas of improvement, but to look honestly and realistically at what happened.

Mersey 3rds have lost four games this season (six in all including two cup fixtures) and in every one of those games, they have been asked to bat first and then been unable to bowl a side out or contain them. Conversely, they have also won five games (six including a cup game) and, surprise surprise, all but one of those wins has come from batting second and chasing. The only exception was the demolition of bottom of the table Elworth, who aren’t as strong as in previous seasons.

So there is clearly an issue with the bowling, because the totals the side have been posting have been healthy. This is where the learning comes in, where experienced captaincy can make such a difference, and also where player development is so important. Not forgetting those little bits of fortune which deserted the team today.

On Sunday the team were an over away from clinching a highly respectable draw against a very good Toft XI – earlier this year the visitors became the first side to beat leaders and current champs Didsbury in over two seasons. But as it was Toft timed their chase well, took calculated risks which came off, and had enough power down the order to clinch the game. Congratulations to all of them.

However, with such an inexperienced XI, it was heartening to see the junior players contribute so much to the performance. The first area of encouragement was using all the overs, always a crucial part of batting first. After the early loss of Tom W, Umer and Keith were really flying before unfortunately departing in successive overs. Amar and Mehboob, with much relying on them, sadly missed out, so after Ali Raja’s brutal 51 was ended by a stinging boundary catch, it was 167-6 with still 11 overs left.

It would have been all too easy for the juniors in the lower order to get stage fright and Mersey to be all out for 180, with four or five overs given to the visitors. But Joe and Basil batted with increasing aplomb, and Tom L and Alex smacked a boundary apiece as the whole allocation was used and 208 posted.

That was a major boost for everyone, and an achievement that should not be underestimated. As these boys and others of a similar age grow physically stronger and mentally that little bit cannier, they will add 60 or 70 off the last 11 in future. But even so Mersey had set a decent target and gained maximum batting points in the process.

As I have said, the team came very close to a draw, although that mustn’t disguise the fact that we got nowhere near bowling Toft out. After a cautious start, when opener Graham Hosking played and missed half a dozen times at Tom, the experience of the Toft players started to show as they accelerated rapidly, taking 21 off Tom’s fourth and fifth overs. Amar was also copping some stick. He’s had a difficult season with the ball - wickets have been hard to come by - and although there’s no lack of effort, his confidence is clearly and understandably a bit low at the moment.

Alex remained unused so it was left to Keith and Basil to bowl a lot of the overs. The fact that the game got as close as it did is testament to them and to a really spirited effort in the field, with some excellent stops, dives, and good catches. Toft were getting way behind the rate, and at a critical juncture, Mehboob decided to give Basil one more over. Before the over started I felt that it was one too many, and as I feared, Hosking climbed into the youngster, taking 21 off 5 balls, and the game had changed dramatically. But as we all know, it’s easy from the sidelines.

With wickets in hand Hosking was quite rightly chancing his arm, and he got to within two of a fine century before another huge swirling hit was fantastically well caught by Tom W in the deep. It came down to 20 wanted off two, but with five wickets still in the bank Toft were holding all the aces. Millson and captain Roberts hit out to good effect, and it was the skip who hammered the winning six off a disconsolate Keith with just two balls left to end a gripping and thoroughly entertaining game.

Tricks were missed in the field, but again this is all part of the learning. For all the sterling work done by the team, it was far too quiet again – positive chatter and encouragement from every player is so important. On-field talk, geeing each other up, had played a big part in the 2nds’ amazing win the day before, and it is something every player in every game needs to contribute in.

But more positives. Dan B deserves a special mention after the traumas of last week’s game. You may recall that at Nantwich he conceded 31 byes and damaged his hand – but today, with his hand still not right, he conceded precisely 31 less, and you can’t ask for a bigger improvement than that. Any side with even a half-fit Joe Ingham in it is better off – he is going to be a major player for this club. Alex Ford has an outrageous amount of talent – what an eye and what an arm! Basil has made great strides this season. New ball? No brainer. Tom Laverty. And no space to mention Luke, Josh, Jordan etc.

I also haven’t space to mention the 13 points, which is not to be sneezed at – Toft only got seven more for a hard fought win. But time to stop. Suffice to say, with seven games still to play and Abbas back next weekend as Grappenhall visit, plenty to be upbeat about.

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A Spectator said:

	... What a fantastic game of cricket! I got more pleasure and entertainment watching this game than I have done from watching recent Lancashire T20 matches!
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