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Moonrakers end long wait for win

WINNING WAYS ... Tom Read kept the score ticking along on a difficult wicket at Werneth where Middleton earned their first CLL win since 7 June.
28/ 8/2008

MIDDLETON finally registered their third win of the campaign in a thrilling finish against Werneth at the Coppice on Saturday.

Setting the hosts 132 for victory, a collapse of epic proportions saw Werneth fall short by the most narrow of margins – just one run.

On a damp wicket, skipper won John Punchard won the toss and decided to bat first, hoping the surface would become trickier as it dried out later on in the day.

The Middleton innings began slowly with only 12 runs added after six overs. Batting was difficult, both Steve Davey and Scott Stanworth finding it tricky to manoeuvre the ball around on a wicket that wasn’t coming on.

Stanworth was the first out with the score on 12 when he edged a leg side ball from Michael Wilson to wicketkeeper Nathan Griffin for just three. The young left-hander’s frustration was apparent to all as he walked back to the dressing room for getting out to a ball which would have most certainly been a wide.

Steve Davey and Werner Coetsee steadied the ship in another careful partnership of 28.

Batting became quite treacherous on a wicket of a bygone era of uncovered, drying out pitches. Leg-spinning professional Kaushal Lokuarachchi made full use of the conditions in his favour, and bowled a tidy spell of five for 44 which mesmerised the Moonrakers batsmen on more than one occasion.

Davey was looking set before he played around a straight one and was bowled by Mark Dronsfield for 22 with the score on 40.

Next in was Jimmy Ryan, and together with Coetsee, scored very cautiously. The pair hit 55 runs in over an hour. As runs were difficult to come by, not for the first time this season the pair tried to take quick singles when they could – and put the Werneth fielders on their toes in the process, making it difficult for them too in conditions hardly ideal for fielding.

With overs running out, and needing their set men to stay at the wicket and hopefully see them to a total of 150+, disaster struck. Coetsee was given out to a very dubious caught behind decision from Loku – after it appeared he had hit his pad with his bat for 39, which heralded a collapse for the visitors.

Due to the difficult batting conditions, it was hard for the lower order to come in and score runs at once.

Seven wickets fell for just 36 runs in the final overs, although Razz Hussain once again looked good, while Tom Read did his best to hold the innings together and at the same time keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Loku bowled well, while wicketkeeper Nathan Griffin claimed five victims to get himself in the handbook for 2009. For the Moonrakers, both Ryan and Davey passed 400 runs for the season during this innings.

Having set the Coppice men 132 for victory, Middleton knew early wickets were crucial. Openers Read and Philip Tomlinson didn’t disappoint with a tight spell which put the Werneth opening batsmen under pressure early on. That pressure exploded on seven when Read had Matthew Taylor well caught by Stanworth low down for two.

Dronsfield then decided to attack the seam bowlers, and sensing spin might win the day, Punchard brought himself and Coetsee into the attack.

The ploy worked when he had Dronsfield bowled for 19 with a wonderful in-swinging delivery.

With Coetsee extracting large spin from the Score Box End, Punchard sacrificed himself and brought on his leading wicket taker, Dale Highton, at the Pavilion End. Highton at once repaid his captain’s faith by removing the dangerous Griffin for two.

At 59 for three it was still game on for both sides. The dangerous John Slater was the next man to go when he holed out to Hussain off Coetsee for 43.

Loku and Dronsfield added some valuable runs for the home side which took the Coppice men nearer to victory.

With only 12 runs needed for victory and six wickets left, Werneth were in the box seat and with Loku still there they could feel confident of victory. However, rain began to fall and Loku decided to hit his side to victory. In trying to go for a maximum he was bowled by the returning Punchard for 25 in what was a crucial wicket for the visitors.

When Dronsfield went, stumped off Coetsee for 17 an over later, the tide of the game had turned again.

With the dismissal, players were brought from the field as the rain fell heavier with the game poised at 120 for six – Werneth needing just 12 runs with four wickets left.

An hour and a half of play was lost before the action resumed. With the darkness creeping in and the wicket damper, a tense atmosphere lingered over the ground. When Punchard had Michael Wilson caught by Stuart Fitton at mid off without a run scored – Werneth still needing 12 but with just three wickets left – the game was finely balanced.

Two vital runs were added, but Joe Taylor decided to take a suicidal run to arm of Coetsee and was run out by a good number of yards to leave the home side eight down.

Werneth skipper Matthew Walker now decided to hit his side to victory, and got his side to within two runs of victory before this topsy-turvy finish took another twist when he was stumped by Stanworth off Coetsee to leave Werneth nine down

Last man standing was the left handed Rehman who played his first ball back to Coetsee somewhat timidly. However, next ball Coetsee slipped in a quicker delivery and the Moonrakers went crazy with a leg before wicket appeal which umpire Tom Hendrick adjudged out to send both Middleton players and spectators alike wild knowing they had had registered their first victory in the Central Lancashire League since defeating Monton and Weaste way back on 7 June.