NO QUARTER TAKEN BY RAMPANT MEGGIES

By Graham Hackney

Cleethorpes bounced back from Saturday first Yorkshire league defeat at Rotherham to record a memorable 11-run win over Whitley Hall in the Quarter finals of the regional group of the ECN National Knockout cup. Sheffield side Whitley Hall , who are unbeaten in the South Yorkshire league for two years, won the toss and asked Cleethorpes to bat on what looked like a good batting strip. They soon showed their class as tight opening bowling lead to the demise of both Cleethorpes openers, Bill Kirby (0) and Rory Osmond (7) with only 16 on the board. Kirby failed to keep a clip of his legs down and was taken at square leg while Osmond’s stumps were shattered by a brutal Yorker from Wilson. Yaniv Judah and the promoted Charlie Tomlinson set about rebuilding with Tomlinson in typical aggressive mood. A number of ariel drives brought boundaries as he took advantage of the fielding restrictions. He also added two huge sixes courtesy of a clip off his legs and a strike over long off. The pair had added 75 in 79 balls for the third wicket when both perished in successive overs. The impressive off spinner Alex Welsh claimed Tomlinson soon after completing his half century when he found a leading edge and took a smart diving return catch. Judah, having played cautiously in making 25, fell unluckily when he edged to the keepers pads and the ball bounced back onto his stumps to claim a fortunate stumping. Once again Cleethorpes had to rebuild and James and Alex Osmond did just that. Following their century partnership at Rotherham the day previous the pair added another 75 for the fifth wicket. James was particularly adventurous walking down the wicket and twice clearing the ropes for sixes whilst also hitting five other boundaries. With brother Alex playing a more supportive role Cleethorpes edged to 166 before James chanced his arm once too often and lofted to cover for 44 in 43 balls. Alex now took up the mantle after seeing Windeatt depart for a duck. He had reached 47 in 66 balls when he bottom edged another short delivery from Wilson and departed bowled. Harry Clewett (15) and Peter Thompson (11 not out) ensured Cleethorpes passed 200 and Nathan Judah was run out off the final delivery as the innings closed with Cleethorpes all out for 215.
Peter Thompson’s brief cameo had resulted in a back injury which meant he was unable to field. Fortunately Martin Twyman deputised but Cleethorpes were now a bowler light. Whitley openers Welsh and Tasker looked in little trouble against Jack Harrison and Nathan Judah and added 39 in a little over 8 overs. It took the introduction of Alex Osmond to break the pair with only his second delivery as he dragged Tasker down the wicket for Windeatt to complete a neat stumping. With Harry Clewett bowling in tandem with Osmond, Cleethorpes were now able to gain control as Whitley’s batsmen found the bounce and turn awkward to play. The pair bowled a combine total of 18 overs for just 46 runs as the runs dried up and the pressure increased. Osmond claimed his second wicket trapping Welsh in front with the score on 85 in the 25th over to finish with impressive figures of 2/18 in his nine-over spell. Clewett remained wicketless as his nine overs went for just 28. With the wicket continuing to turn Skipper James Osmond took the responsibility of filling the extra bowling slot. Bowling his occasional off spin he was able to tie one end down despite Whitley Skipper Fletcher playing a brilliant innings in the middle order. Coming in at 100-4 after Harrison had removed Longhurst to a cool boundary catch from Clewett, Fletcher attacked the bowling from ball one. Smashing fours and sixes at will, he raced to fifty in just 34 balls. He took a particular liking to Judah whose seven overs went for 61. However he continued to lose partners at the other end as an array of poor shots saw wickets tumble with the rate at over eight an over. Harrison closed out his third spell to finish with 3/54 in nine overs and the 200 came up in the 42nd over. When James Osmond clean bowled Webster the Sheffield side still needs 22 to win with one wicket remaining but Fletcher continued to play his shots. Osmond made the brave call with three overs remaining to replace Judah with Bill Kirby for his first bowl of the season. And the decision paid off as his sixth ball found Fletcher’s edge and although Windeatt failed to grasp the chance standing up he was able to recover and stump Fletcher who had overbalanced much to Cleethorpes joy as the players celebrated wildly. Fletcher had hit 78 in just 47 balls. James Osmond finished with 3/38 in a vital eight overs to hand Cleethorpes a Semi-final away at Sandiacre on June 19th.