Saturday 4th August First XI vs Walthamstow
Summer dawned bright eyed and rosy fingered over the beautiful rolling tundra of the CPCG as Walthamstow arrived in town. As 10 of the Leigh team met, high hopes of victory were in the air throughout the changing room. It would have been 11 but Lee ‘I’ll meet you there’ Willson had disappeared somewhere and would not surface until some time later, whereupon he was informed his name had been miraculously pulled out of Richard Bassett’s pants during the ‘who is going to pick up the broken glass from behind the sightscreen’ tombola (lucky man). Captain Waller had been forced to bring in some ‘relatively’ fresh faces into the side because of the absence of Leigh’s very own ‘The Three Amigos’ messers Burch, Sexton and Clarke. Steve ‘The hound’ Elliott and ‘The pied piper of Leigh’ Lee Willson came up from the twos, and the team also welcomed back Mr John Dyos and ‘Nandrolone’ Braithwaite. The bright young things assembled after a particularly bruising warm up session led by Corporal Bassett. Steve Brown taking the nastiest blow when blindsided by an unexpected throw from Matt Wallace, standing next to him, right into his (not inconsequential) nasal area. Captain Dean lost the toss and informed his troops that Leigh would be taking the first use of the CPCG strip and looking to put a total on the board to unleash their fearsome strike quadrilogy of Braithwaite, Villani, Elliott and Bassett.
The new first team opening partnership of Willson and Elliott, stylishly walked out to start the proceedings, but after negotiating the first few overs with no worries Sackov was the first to fall, playing on to his stumps attempting the ‘Sean slap’ through midwicket. Newly appointed Essex cricket Antichrist Superstar Steve Brown came to the party at 3 only to see the Wobble go in the next over after being bowled by the other Walthamstow opener. As the song says ‘when the going gets tough’ in comes Dean Waller and so at 10-2 it came to pass. Brown and Waller were able to manoeuvre the ball around the field, (Waller with slightly more power than the Antichrist it must be said). With the pitch proving to be a stern test, with the occasional ball leaping from just back of a length and the odd shooter thrown in for good measure. You could actually hear Villani and Braithwaite licking their lips at the prospect of causing carnage later on. The skipper looked unflustered whilst putting the bad balls away, and in fact was only troubled by Brown calling him through for two sharp singles to gully after he had nearly crippled himself by smashing the ball into his own foot. After using the 'guide' through the gully region one too many times Brown was snared and Rob Catchpole was the next to stride out into the heat of the kitchen. Unfortunately for the hero of Harlow, Rob was taken out before he had really got going by a ball that flicked off the crack cam camera man and then straight past Rob's ankles into the middle of his stumps. A small spate of wickets then fell with Deano going this time for 48 which on that strip was worth at least 30 more. The middle and lower order battled hard and although a few fell in quick succession, (none quite as quick as Chris Villani however who went first ball). James Braithwaite added a priceless 20 runs with Steve Elliott and Bassman also chipping to the total late on, to leave Leigh 128 all out.
The total was about 50 short of what the team were looking for but on a track that was giving exaggerated bounce (and also non bounce) Walthamstow would clearly have to bat well to get the better of the testing pitch with the Leigh sharks of Villani and Braithwaite waiting round the corner.
Leigh burst through early with both CV and JB picking up early strikes against the visitors batting line-up. The spirit of Leigh was buoyed further in knowledge that they still had the 'Grim Reaper' Sean Elliott fresh for a spell of quality fast bowling (‘you may be a King or a little street sweeper, but sooner or later you dance with the Reaper!'). Knowing that only a few more wickets would allow them to break the back of the Walthamstow line-up, Leigh led a renewed attack. Relentlessly under pressure from both bowlers, Walthamstow lost wickets fairly regularly, but they regained their footing after lobbing up a chance to Sean at silly point, Sean was unfortunately caught leaning on his scythe and the chance was missed. The visitors began to attempt to pull themselves back into the game moving toward 50-6, only needing 80 to win. A partnership of around 20 was threatening to perhaps put Leigh in trouble; however a breakthrough came 'from Russia with love' as Sackov nipped in with a timely strike, as well as bowling some unplayable deliveries (most of which were miles down the leg side). With Walthamstow 8 down Villani and Braithers were both back on and seeking to finish it like a couple of particularly bloodthirsty characters in Mortal Kombat deciding which fatality to unleash on their opponent who is swaying slightly in the breeze. Two chances to effectively end the contest went to at catch able height to gully, unfortunately Walthamstow's favourite Leigh player was unable to hang on to either. The reprieve was short lived however as 'helmet' took a sharp caught and bowled chance to end the resistance. Breakfast ending with 3 wickets, Villani with 6 and Sean amazingly survived the game and picked up one, bowling Walthamstow out for a mere 80 and giving Leigh 20 valuable points!
Leigh returned to the changing room to celebrate in style with jugs and laughs a plenty (although Rob Catchpole did not dare open his mouth to laugh for long periods) and then headed down stairs to have a drink with the opposition….alas they were about half an hour too late to do this, as the opposition had exited the ground to the haunting strains of 'Why, why, why Delilah' sung out of the changing room window by Richard 'Jonesy' Bassett
All in all ’a f**king good win’ (R Bassett)
LOS 128 ao
Walthamstow 80 ao
The new first team opening partnership of Willson and Elliott, stylishly walked out to start the proceedings, but after negotiating the first few overs with no worries Sackov was the first to fall, playing on to his stumps attempting the ‘Sean slap’ through midwicket. Newly appointed Essex cricket Antichrist Superstar Steve Brown came to the party at 3 only to see the Wobble go in the next over after being bowled by the other Walthamstow opener. As the song says ‘when the going gets tough’ in comes Dean Waller and so at 10-2 it came to pass. Brown and Waller were able to manoeuvre the ball around the field, (Waller with slightly more power than the Antichrist it must be said). With the pitch proving to be a stern test, with the occasional ball leaping from just back of a length and the odd shooter thrown in for good measure. You could actually hear Villani and Braithwaite licking their lips at the prospect of causing carnage later on. The skipper looked unflustered whilst putting the bad balls away, and in fact was only troubled by Brown calling him through for two sharp singles to gully after he had nearly crippled himself by smashing the ball into his own foot. After using the 'guide' through the gully region one too many times Brown was snared and Rob Catchpole was the next to stride out into the heat of the kitchen. Unfortunately for the hero of Harlow, Rob was taken out before he had really got going by a ball that flicked off the crack cam camera man and then straight past Rob's ankles into the middle of his stumps. A small spate of wickets then fell with Deano going this time for 48 which on that strip was worth at least 30 more. The middle and lower order battled hard and although a few fell in quick succession, (none quite as quick as Chris Villani however who went first ball). James Braithwaite added a priceless 20 runs with Steve Elliott and Bassman also chipping to the total late on, to leave Leigh 128 all out.
The total was about 50 short of what the team were looking for but on a track that was giving exaggerated bounce (and also non bounce) Walthamstow would clearly have to bat well to get the better of the testing pitch with the Leigh sharks of Villani and Braithwaite waiting round the corner.
Leigh burst through early with both CV and JB picking up early strikes against the visitors batting line-up. The spirit of Leigh was buoyed further in knowledge that they still had the 'Grim Reaper' Sean Elliott fresh for a spell of quality fast bowling (‘you may be a King or a little street sweeper, but sooner or later you dance with the Reaper!'). Knowing that only a few more wickets would allow them to break the back of the Walthamstow line-up, Leigh led a renewed attack. Relentlessly under pressure from both bowlers, Walthamstow lost wickets fairly regularly, but they regained their footing after lobbing up a chance to Sean at silly point, Sean was unfortunately caught leaning on his scythe and the chance was missed. The visitors began to attempt to pull themselves back into the game moving toward 50-6, only needing 80 to win. A partnership of around 20 was threatening to perhaps put Leigh in trouble; however a breakthrough came 'from Russia with love' as Sackov nipped in with a timely strike, as well as bowling some unplayable deliveries (most of which were miles down the leg side). With Walthamstow 8 down Villani and Braithers were both back on and seeking to finish it like a couple of particularly bloodthirsty characters in Mortal Kombat deciding which fatality to unleash on their opponent who is swaying slightly in the breeze. Two chances to effectively end the contest went to at catch able height to gully, unfortunately Walthamstow's favourite Leigh player was unable to hang on to either. The reprieve was short lived however as 'helmet' took a sharp caught and bowled chance to end the resistance. Breakfast ending with 3 wickets, Villani with 6 and Sean amazingly survived the game and picked up one, bowling Walthamstow out for a mere 80 and giving Leigh 20 valuable points!
Leigh returned to the changing room to celebrate in style with jugs and laughs a plenty (although Rob Catchpole did not dare open his mouth to laugh for long periods) and then headed down stairs to have a drink with the opposition….alas they were about half an hour too late to do this, as the opposition had exited the ground to the haunting strains of 'Why, why, why Delilah' sung out of the changing room window by Richard 'Jonesy' Bassett
All in all ’a f**king good win’ (R Bassett)
LOS 128 ao
Walthamstow 80 ao
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