PANTHER-LIKE REACTIONS

By Glen Sands

Champions Luddington and Snaith and District Evening League division one leaders Askern produced a real thriller on the Isle of Axholme on Thursday and there was a controversial end as Ludd squeezed home by just five runs to keep up their hopes of holding on to their title.
It was the home side who batted first after Welfare arrived following their long journey and they made a tremendous start with the in-form Darren Clark and Simon Lewis blazing a trail with some cracking shots. Clark in particular punished the visitors' opening bowlers when plundering four boundaries on what was a lightning fast outfield, while at the other end Lewis was hitting the ball crisply and found the boundary twice as the pair raced the score up to 52 in just seven overs. However, Askern soon realised that they were bowling too full and once they changed tactics to deliver the ball back of a length they began a remarkable fightback. Lewis was caught by Gareth Williams off John Morton for 19 and Clark went for 32 in the same over, caught by Matt Wilson to put a different complexion on the score at 52 for 2. Suddenly the runs dried up as Andy Lawson, Peter Tait and Anthony Fitzgerald all went cheaply - Gareth Williams, Matt Wilson and Josh Gillies picking up a wicket apiece and for eight overs Luddington crawled from 52 to just 59 as the Welfare bowlers showed just why they stood top of the table. However, Russell Fletcher and Mark Coulman dug deep and gradually began to build the innings once more. Fletcher struck three boundaries and ran really well while Coulman struck the ball well, cracking four boundaries as they took the Luddington total past three figures. He was out to the very last delivery of the innings having made 27, leaving Fletcher unbeaten on 29, both scoring valuable runs for the Isle side.
Both teams felt that they were capable of winning the game after Luddington had finished on 116 for 6, although from the home team's point of view they knew they wouild have to bowl well and keep things tight early on and that was just how things panned out with ex-Welfare player Jon Wroot in particular producing an tremendous spell of 4 overs in which he only went for four runs and he also picked up the wicket of John Morton, LBW for just five. Josh Gillies and Ashley Towler batted well but just couldn't find the boundaries they required, Towler pouncing on a couple of loose deliveries to keep them in touch but Ludd's fielding was proving to be exceptional. Scott Buttrick, Anthony Fitzgerald and Graeme Fletcher made several terrific stops to frustrate the visitors and it was Buttrick who took a phenomenal caught and bowled to send Gillies back to the pavilion for 16, reacting panther-like to a ball drill back at him ferociously. Gareth Williams joined Towler, who by now was beginning to pick up the pace and for a while they appeared set to see Welfare home until Luddington brought on Liam McAnaney who normally opens the bowling but on this occasion produced a nerveless spell at the death to help the Isle side complete a nervy win. He bowled Williams for 9 with the total on 78 but the really big wicket came when Towler was very well caught by that man Buttrick on the deep long on boundary for 42 off the bowling of Peter Tait, making it 84 for 3. Big-hitting Andy Lunn couldn't seem to get going and his innings was brought to an end in similar fashion when Darren Clark held his nerve, and the ball, to earn Tait a second wicket with the total on 102. Matt Wilson offered a straight forward caught and bowled to Tait to give him the chance of a hat-trick although Luddington would settle for a dot ball, which was exactly what they got, lweaving Askern requiring 15 to win from the final over. Then came a contentious moment when wicketkeeper Gillies hoisted a shot toward the deep long-on boundary which was caught by Graeme Fletcher who in the process of taking it appeared to touch the ground with the ball in his hand. With the game so close it was only natural that both teams felt differently about what had happened, with the Welfare umpire clouding the issue further when originally signalling a six. But once things had settled down the "catch" was deemed invalid and the six reduced to just two runs. Gillies added a further boundary to make the tension even more unbearable but he then lost the strike with a further six required to win and McAnaney duly bowled two dot balls to clinch a hard-earned 5-run victory for the Isle side, moving them level in the table with Welfare, just two points behing new leaders Fishlake who won their game at Burn.
Both teams retired to the River Don at Eastoft who once again did Luddington proud with a spledid spread and thankfully the frought atmosphere from earlier became far more amicable, which is just how it should be.
Next up for Ludd is a trip to Drax Village where once again they anticipate a tough encounter, but on this evidence they will certainly battle all the way in their attempt to hold on to the Snaith & District div one title.


DIVISION ONE
TEAM P W L NR T Pts
1. FISHLAKE 6 5 1 0 0 15
2. ASKERN WELFARE 7 4 2 1 0 13
3. LUDDINGTON 7 4 2 1 0 13
4. DRAX VILLAGE 7 3 3 1 0 10
5. SYKEHOUSE 7 2 4 1 0 7
6. BURN 6 2 4 0 0 6
7. GOOLE TOWN 6 1 5 0 0 3


DIVISION TWO
1.HENSALL 8 5 1 2 0 17
2. STURGETHORPE 8 4 1 3 0 15
3. HIRSTCOURTNEY 8 3 2 3 0 12
4. HOWDEN TOWN 8 3 4 1 0 10
5. GOOLE FIREMEN 8 2 4 2 0 8
6. CARLTON TOWERS 8 1 6 1 0 4


DIVISION THREE
1. AIRMYN 6 4 1 1 0 13
2. POLLINGTON 6 4 1 1 0 13
3. EGGBOROUGH 7 3 3 1 0 10
4. THORNE COLLIERY 7 2 4 1 0 7
5. DRAX VILLAGE 2NDS 6 1 5 0 0 3