BCC - 2004 (42kb)

LINCOLN WEEK-END LEAGUE DIVISION 1 - 2004WEEK-END XI review -2004

WEEK-END XI review -2004

What is that old footballing cliché, “it was a game of two halves”; well the 2004 season for Blankney Cricket Club was just that, “a season of two halves”. Discounting cup games, in the first half of the season we won six of our eight games but then in the second half we won just one, and that was against bottom side Hykeham who failed to win a game all season.

The season opened with a trip to Bardney in the less than popular Premier Trophy. The home side had seen their wicket damaged overnight but had managed to make it playable. Blankney batted first making 141-6 with Dave Pearse hitting 43 (this turned out to be his highest score of the season). When Bardney batted they crumbled under some positive bowling with Ian Holvey taking 4-21, Barry King 2-7 and Phil Allen 2-1 and were bowled out for 44.

The next game should have seen us entertained a relegated Washingborough side but they failed to raise a team. Then on a rainy day we saw Reepham as our guests. They chose to put us in to bat and in a rain interrupted innings we struggled to 71 all out. After tea the sun decided to shine and despite losing four wickets Reepham beat us with Paul Clark the pick of our bowlers with 2-16.

In the next game we bounced back in style with an emphatic win at one of “favourite grounds”, Nettleham (joke).! They made 178-6 with Barry King taking 3-34 but then Simon Behan (91 no)(top score of season) and skipper Phil Woodcock (59 no) hit a club record stand of 181 to see us to a ten wicket victory.

Back at home Middle Rasen were the visitors. This time 77 from Phil Wodocock saw us to 160-5. Then an excellent spell from Barry King with him claiming 5-27 saw us pick up ten more points. In the next leg of the Premier Trophy we met Cherry Willingham but this game was abandoned with them winning a bowl off for the points. Mid week saw us meet Owmby in the Village Trophy but we lost by 71 runs with them making 165-2 thanks to midweek club player Craig Toyne (66) and R. Chand (67 no) putting on 122 in 41 minutes. We could not live with this and made just 94-4. With Phil Woodcock 49 n.o.

Back into league business we visited Southcliffe where we were set to chase 112 after Paul Clark had taken 3-16 and Phil Allen 3-22. We got off to a good reply with an opening stand of 61 but then lost four quick wickets. This signalled some “sledging” by the home side but vice-captain Andy Foster saw us to victory with three fours in succession after scoring just two from 24 balls.

The next game we completed our Premier Trophy involvement in a game against Reepham which was a non event match as Cherry Willingham had qualified for the semi (following our bowl off match). Chasing 116 after Paul Clark had taken 3-12 we won by six wickets thanks to a fifth wicket stand of 73 between Phil Woodcock (50 no) and Lee Allman (36 no) Going into July we visited bottom side Hykeham who batted first making one of their highest scores of the season with 157-7. In reply, after losing three wickets Will Pillinger (53 no) and Lee Allman (31 no) saw us win with a stand of 71.

Then at Ruskington we saw a superb spell of bowling from Phil Allen. When they were 66-2 Phil came on to bowl and with figures of 7-3-9-7 he bowled them out for 80. Despite losing four wickets another ten points were in the bag to put us top of the league but this win was to signal the start of a major blip in our season.

Old adversaries Nettleham came to us an in positive mood and made 200-4 (the highest score we have conceded at home). Matt O’Halloran hit 102. We made a decent effort in reply but fell 28 runs short to suffer only our second league defeat. Our confidence was obviously shot as in our return game with Hykeham we struggled to beat them when chasing 132 and eventually won by two wickets. The only highlight was Barry King claiming his second five wicket haul with 5-19. Then without skipper Phil Woodcock we visited main title rivals Reepham on a dubious wicket. Putting them into bat we bowled them out for 60 (but had seen them at one point 22-7). Ian Holvey took 4-15. We in reply scored our lowest ever total with 31 as Ian Glendenning took 6-9.

Our other main rivals Middle Rasen were our next opposition on another interesting wicket. Winning the toss was the key here and they won it and put us in to bat but we could manage only 78-6. They knocked them off without loss for our second defeat in a row to put our promotion challenge in doubt. Wanting to get back on track we entertained Southcliffe but having reached 54-1 a cloud burst ended the game and another ten points were lost.

With two games left confidence was at an all time low and when second to bottom side Ruskington visited us, we again failed to put enough runs on the board, making 147-5. The visitors in reply reached the target inside 34 overs to see us totally slip out of the promotion race.

The last game in fairness for us was a non event with fourth place secured (similar to the last two seasons). Phil Woodcock took his seasons total run to 514 with a fine 81 (for an average of 46.73) but with no one else contributing we made only 134. Saxilby reached the target with their last pair at the wicket to inflict our sixth defeat of the season on us (the last four coming in our final five games).

So as stated at the beginning of this review it was certainly a season of two halves and once again we missed out on promotion to the Premier League. In the end it was to be Reepham and Middle Rasen who take their places in the top flight but although it might be a little “sour grapes” it was their wickets which have been a key factor in their achievements.