Once again, Rolleston lost the spin of the coin and were invited to bat on a damp and very green looking track, hosts Langley Mill unable to spend much time preparing the pitch due to another week of rain. Opener Tom Yates (14) blasted the first ball of the day, a full toss from Jeff Wharton, to the mid-wicket boundary and gave a repeat performance two balls later. Gareth Marshall played himself in at the other end, flicking Jack Scott off his legs to the rope before Yates chased a wide one from the same bowler, nicked into Craig Parker’s gloves – 22 for 1 after six overs.
Paul Allen showed plenty of respect to both opening bowlers and was off the mark from the thirteenth ball faced – a quiet start to master-class in building an innings. Marshall again clipped Scott to the boundary and rotated the strike with apparent ease, moving impressively to 47 runs from 77 deliveries. However, he was undone in the thirtieth over when David Farnsworth cajoled him into an expansive drive which failed to make contact. From 109 for 2 Tom Rutter (26) and Allen milked singles, one such shot taking the latter to his half-century from 91 deliveries.
The slow outfield was limiting opportunities to score fours but both batsmen were more than capable of clearing the boundary and so it proved. Rutter looked in complete control as he dispatched spinner Andrew Bailey and Scott for sixes, and his partner dealt with Davey, Farnsworth and Bailey in similar fashion. But with the track cutting up a little, and a 52 run partnership on the board, Rutter was bowled by Scott with one that kept more than a shade low – 161 for 3 after 38 overs.
Mark James (5) chipped in and gave the strike to Allen who was by this time in full flow. The forty-something year old crashed skipper Davey for another maximum and pinched a plethora of singles before smashing the returning Wharton over the ropes to pass the ton. Alex Britton (5 no) made a brief appearance following James’ dismissal, caught by Salmon off Scott (3 for 67).
At 198 for 4 with just twelve balls left, not many would have forecast the final total of 235. But Allen demolished Mill’s opening strike-force who’d returned to find themselves being hit for five sixes and simply not knowing where best to bowl to a batsman speeding to 132 not out (10 sixes) off 135 balls.
An excellent tea was enjoyed by all before the visitors took to the field, eager to notch another 27 points. Openers Jamie Salmons(5) and the talented Paul Bailey (34) wasted no time in flying to 26 from the first four overs with Britton leaking three fours and Mick Haynes a straight six.
Salmons chanced his arm one more time but Britton’s pace forced a mistimed shot which skied to Rutter at point, the sort of chance that is very rarely spurned – 26 for 1. Jason Holmes became Britton’s second victim, trying to hit over the top, and finding skipper Haynes at mid-off holding on comfortably.
Bailey looked increasingly dangerous and forced Haynes out of the front line with a lustily hit four and six, but he appeared less happy when facing Luke Nelson. Nine consecutive dot balls from the off-spinner were followed by a short pitched ‘gimme’ that received the appropriate treatment. But the next ball was unplayable, pitching on a good length and shooting along the ground to hit middle peg, the desperately unlucky recipient taking a slow walk back to the pavilion. Sri Lankan, Sajendra Thimal (21) looked both classy and patient, eventually getting off the mark courtesy of a half-volley from Britton which zipped along the deck for four. He was a perfect foil for Aussie Wharton who pounced on anything near leg stump.
The pair gradually took the score towards three figures, their 32 run partnership ending when a Scott Baker full toss rapped Thimal’s pads in front – the first of three leg-before decisions. The Wizard continued to bowl over the wickets to left-hander Wharton, and several boundaries and wides ensued but Langley Mill were still way behind the required run rate.
All-rounder Jack Scott had bludgeoned a couple of fours off the returning Britton prior to Wharton sweetly striking Haynes (2 for 55) to the rope and promptly losing his wickets to the same bowler. Andrew Bailey fell leg-before two balls later to leave the Mill on 140 for 6 after 31 overs.
Scott went on the attack whilst partner Parker was happy to dead bat at the other end. It seemed that Scott was scoring from every delivery – a host of twos and a boundary off Haynes, a couple of sixes off Baker and he’d swiftly moved onto 49, the reply up to 194 with five to go. Seemingly having no regard to securing a personal fifty, the youngster danced down the track to Britton (3 for 54), missed the ball, and grimaced as he heard the deafening clatter of timber behind.
Nelson (2 for 44) trapped Farnsworth in front but Richard Davey (6 no) and Parker (16 no) steered the hosts home to avoid defeat. The result was a winning draw and 17 points to Rolleston, 11 points to Langley Mill and some excellent cricket played by both sides.
