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Moonrakers forced to settle for a damp squib of a draw

14/ 5/2008

RAIN ruined what could have become a very interesting game at Scott Street on Saturday, as Middleton and Walsden battled it out in a Lake Garage Central Lancashire League encounter.

After the home side had amassed 231 for seven declared the Moonrakers were well poised at 157 for five before time ran out and the game was called a draw.

More than two hours had been lost during the Walsden innings due to a deluge.

Captain John Punchard won the toss and invited the home side to bat on what was a greenish wicket in overcast conditions. Hoping that his seam bowlers would take early wickets, Punchard put faith in his opening attack of Matthew Currin and Phil Tomlinson to do some damage to the Walsden top order. But the pair struggled against the aggressive stroke play of Mark Hooson and James Rawlinson who put on 62 in 10 overs.

Tom Read replaced Tomlinson, without luck, and when the score moved to 100 without loss in the 19th over it became clear to Punchard that his slow-men would hold the key to the breakthrough. Bowling in tandem with professional Coetsee, Punchard and the South African began to cause real problems for the batsmen.

Coetsee trapped Rawlinson leg before in his first over. Sri Lankan Janaka Gunarantha joined Hooson, and they conservatively moved the score along.

Frustratingly, for both players and spectators alike, rain then interrupted play for well over two hours as the once bright sunny day turned into a November-like grey and cold afternoon.

At 5.55pm play resumed. Knowing that only a declaration could possibly provide a positive outcome Walsden began to attack, and wickets fell.

Gunarantha was the first to go, caught by Davey at gully for 26, then David Blake fell after making a brisk 19.

A sensational catch by Tom Read, at cover, removed Nick Barker for 13, and when Hooson departed for a superb 70, again off Coetsee, a declaration seemed logically imminent. But no declaration came.

Walsden continued to accumulate runs for the next couple of overs, and it was 7pm when the Villagers called a halt to their innings, after 41.2 overs, with the score on 231 for seven.

Coetsee finished with six for 60.

By delaying their declaration Walsden eroded any chance of a positive outcome for either side, and with league rules stating that only 10 overs can be bowled after 8.15, it meant Middleton had around 28 overs to bat, not enough for them to realistically knock the runs off or for Walsden to bowl them out.

Still, the Moonrakers went for the win. Scott Stanworth went out all guns blazing and together with Steve Davey put on 50 in five overs. Stanworth’s stroke play was sensational. His 29-ball 39 included nine boundaries.

The introduction of spinner Chris Dewhurst changed things slightly as, with his second ball, he clean bowled Stanworth.

Dewhurst then removed Coetsee in his second over to leave Middleton 78 for two.

Davey carried on the assault. The big left-hander launched into Dewhurst and Gunarantha, and he and Jimmy Ryan brought up the 100 in the 15th over - Ryan putting a massive six into a nearby house.

Ryan departed in the next over, but Tom Read continued the good work with Davey before the opener tried to go for a maximum and was caught by Thomson on the boundary for a brutal 46 off 53 balls.

With the darkness creeping in, things became more difficult for the batsmen. Only one more wicket was to fall - Stuart Fitton run out for one - before the match fizzled out into the inevitable draw, with Read and Sam Warren unbeaten on 26 and 15 respectively.

Walsden
M Hooson c Stanworth b Coetsee 70
J Rawlinson lbw Coetsee 51
J Gunarantha c Davey b Coetsee 26
D Blake c and b Coetsee 19
N Barker c Read b Coetsee 13
S Hansen c Coetsee b Punchard 11
M Thomson c Read b Coetsee 15
S Barker not out 0
Extras 26
Total (for 7 wkts dec, 41.2 overs) 231
Bowling: M Currin 5-0-27-0; P Tomlinson 4-1-18-0; T Read 4-0-32-0; J Punchard 16-0-92-1; W Coetsee 12.2-1-60-6.

Middleton
S Stanworth b Dewhurst 39
S Davey c Thomson b Dewhurst 46
W Coestee st Howley b Dewhurst 1
J Ryan st Howley b Dewhurst 20
T Read not out 26
S Fitton run out 1
S Warren not out 15
Extras 9
Total (for 5 wkts, 30 overs) 157
Bowling: M Thomson 3-0-25-0; S Barker 3-0-28-0; J Gunarantha 12-1-51-0; C Dewhurst 12-1-49-4.

REPORT courtesy of Middleton CC website and Sam Warren