CAPTAIN LEADS FROM THE FRONT WITH A TON

Acton CC   315 for 0


N Wright 176 Not Out, S Martin 108 Not Out.


Hartest and Coldham Hall CC   281 All Out


B Atkinson 139, C Long 45, J Armstrong 23




A Game of two halves not associated with Cricket but today there certainly was some similarities as the skipper lost the toss and were asked to field on a stifling hot day bowling on a fantastic batting surface.


The first half was hard graft with Jack Armstrong and Richard Carter making a solid start to contain but it was apparent that Wright and Martin had got themselves entrenched in the batting zone.


The skipper tried 8 bowlers including himself and most got the same treatment of chasing after the ball, normally it has been known for a few drop catches only two right at the death  of the innings could not stop the home side from scoring 315 for the loss of no wickets.


The team came off very dejected, tired, deflated and then had a hot dog with chips for tea, the likely hood that Acton would skittle through the visitors and go home early.


However the Captain went out with Niall Hannan to start what would be an amazing turn around in the second half although the first ball of the innings bowled Niall it didn't look like that change was coming.


Charlie Long joined Ben Atkinson and totally destroyed the opening bowlers who were visibly not wanting to bowl at the skipper who was smashing with distain to all parts of the ground.


It was a joy to behold that some pay back to the chasing in the first innings was going the other way, they did not like it, the hush on the field was deafening and soon had the field spread back onto the boundaries.


The run rate in chasing was blown away after twenty 20 Acton were 98 and at twenty overs Hartest and Coldham were 176 enough said, the word is bludgeoned.


The skipper got to his ton with a massive six into the car park and the team defending 315 were looking grim as the embarrassment not to defend that total would have be catastrophic.


Tiredness finally took its toll with Charlie Long having a couple of errors finally was caught by Martin for 45 a super controlled knock and a super foil for his skipper in a stand of 187, superb stuff.


Mark Roberts joined his skipper and soon after joined the party with runs coming again but Acton had been buoyed by the wicket and were turning the screw.


The joy of the next and probably match changing event was the scalp of the Captain whose fantastic innings finally came to an end trying to hit his twelfth six was caught just inside the long on boundary by that man Martin, the cheer of relief could have been heard back in Lawshall, the game had turned, the fairy-tale was disappearing. The skipper Ben Atkinson departed on 139 in the 26th over and the score was on 218.


The score was still 218 when Mark Roberts was also caught on the boundary for 14, but the team had seen the light and to a man all performed with gay abandon still chasing that seemingly impossible target set by Acton.


Richard Carter rode his luck but like all the players kept the momentum going with Jack "Beefy" Armstrong playing in the same vain, great stuff, Carter was out for 11, but had put on 29 with Jack, then daddy Armstrong came out, played the same way still chasing, another 26 added, Acton were very worried but wickets were falling the run rate unsurprisingly had come down plus they reverted back to their opening bowlers who were keener this time round.


Jack "Beefy" Armstrong was finally out for 23 including a super big six over the bowlers head, but the inevitable was coming, with Steve "Ghost" Ryder getting a few and Josh Borley with Nick Rutter getting to another batting point as the game had gone.


First ball of the 39th over saw Josh Borley in typical fashion of the whole team was caught on the boundary, the team had put up a superb rear-guard fight and got to 281 all out, although defeated it was a morale boosting victory.


Highlight goes without question to the Captain who made a terrific 139 in his own swashbuckling style but would be first to say that he was proud of his teams efforts and the noise from the defeated team in the pub afterwards suggested to a stranger coming in that Hartest and Coldham Hall had won, perhaps in a way we did.


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