Yesterday the 3rd XI travelled to Villas Lane, Bolsover to play our chums at Cutthorpe at a beautiful ground just below Bolsover Castle; but could the 3rd XI breach the last wall of the castle in this game? Pete Kidd investigates.
It was an overcast and chilly day and one that left goose pimples on the arms of uncovered players and the constant threat of a downpour of match-wrecking proportions. The Bolsover Ground was once used by the Bolsover Colliery Cricket Club, which was formed in 1893, as well as being used to race pit ponies in the 1930s. It also hosted a Derbyshire Second XI Game v Nottinghamshire in 1974. Bolsover is also the birthplace of Stan Worthington, Derbyshire and England, an all-rounder who helped Derbyshire win their only County Championship in 1936, before he later joined Lancashire CC in the 1950s as coach and to this day remains the most terrifying individual to have coached at that club. These days, as well as being an outlying ground for the likes of Cutthorpe, Castle View Cricket Club use the ground as their home venue. They are a grass-roots club that aim to produce an England Player by 2035.
Captain Matt Parry had failed a late fitness test to play centre back for his beloved Man City in the Cup Final, judging by the result they could have done with him, and had to do with second best of winning the toss and putting Cutthorpe into bat. They opened with their redoubtable captain John McCollum and the more junior John Hazelhurst.
Opening the bowling for MCMCC were Jacob Harris, who showed once more his energy and enthusiasm as well as his controlled aggression were a real asset, and Simon Scully who has carried MCMCC under 15 XI this season with his all round performances. However in McCollum, they were up against a real talent. The wicket showed signs, through no fault of the excellent ground work done to prepare the pitch but rather through the heavy rain in the preceding week, of deteriorating early on but McCollum wisely batted out of his crease and used his feet delightfully to get forward and teach MCMCC a batting masterclass. In not letting the ball pitch much and rocking forward, he partially eliminated the challenges to pitch posed through its unpredictable bounce. As a result of this, Simon and Jacob struggled to settle before hitting their straps a little later in their spells.
First change at the Carr Vale Nature Reserve End, was Kidd. One could only presume his role was to lull Cutthorpe batters into a false sense of security. The bowlers were shuffled further by Matt P, who’s bowling changes were flawless in this game, as Tony Escott replaced Jacob at the “Mobiles R Us” end and his characteristic low skidding deliveries immediately reaped the whirlwind as he clean bowled Hazelhurst for 7.
The “Ox” Tom Oxley then appeared and though he bowled the odd yucky ball, much of his spell challenged the batters effectively. The “Ox’s” Bowling and keen fielding showed his importance in this match. At first though talented wicketkeeper and number three batter Hannah Robinson played herself in and then played some adventurous pulls on the onside and with McCollum firing on all-cylinders, as well as nearly totalling the local nature with one powerfully smote boundary, an unreachable total might have been on the cards.
Tony Escot was undaunted as after a close shout, the next ball he had Robinson trapped on the back foot lbw after she had made a very impressive 24. Wickets continued to fall as unlucky Jonathan Robinson lifted one into the onside where Simon Scully held the ball tightly.
There was then a strong cameo from the younger McCollum, as he threatened to help McCollum senior take the game away by gorging himself on several boundaries off Tony Cadman’s bowling before Cadman’s rhythm suddenly became as reliable as the inner workings of a newly constructed Deltic and he won a lbw decision against McCollum Junior. Cadman had early shown himself to be the scourge of the McCollum Family as a ball that looked like a certain four was treated to a rare loose shot from John as he spooned it to a grateful Jacob Harris in the deep. Simon and Jacob’s catching demonstrated an improvement on last week’s catching display by the 3rd XI. McCollum senior meanwhile can be delighted with his excellent knock of 66.
Escot meanwhile joined the MCMCC Hall of Fame by bowling Moore and Heidi Donald and finishing with five wickets that were well-deserved and mean fantasy league points for those MCMCC Members lucky enough to have picked him. Tony’s easy action and irreverent humour coupled with capital performances continue to inspire and entertain teammates and opponents alike.
Experienced cricketer, and pal of MCMCC’s Andy Neil, Nelis however threatened to pick up where McCollum Senior had left off and take away the game with the bat. He scored 26 and survived pressure from the returning Harris and Scully. Jacob though got Bingham to flick one up on the offside where Tony Escot put more icing on his cake with a calm catch.
Matt P meanwhile finished the show with his usual “if they miss I hit philosophy” and it paid deserved dividends as he bowled Nelis and Moore to end the innings rapidly on 156 all out after 39.2 overs. It was the first time MCMCC 3rd XI had bowled any team out this season and a step in the right direction in their hoped transformation from losing draw-masters to dominant winners. Certainly the drive and passion in the field, which was backed up by better ground fielding and a capital display behind the stumps by Leopard Print Model Jo Wayne, that had flickered regularly last week glowed brightly this week.
There was just time for Kidd to consume his homemade hummus and tomato risotto combo before, under leaden skies, Messrs Dave Hill and Tony Cadman got the MCMCC innings underway with a target of 156 to tie and 157 to win. The opening bowlers of Cutthorpe made it hard for them as the experienced John Hazelhurst, sporting a quasi-Afro and toothy smile that were reminiscent of the Great Barry Richards, found his line and fired them in accurately to make best use of the wicket. At the other end, the brilliant Heidi Donald bowled quick and straight with the odd bit of movement to trouble both batters. Heidi ended her spell with 0 wickets for eight runs and the enviable economy rate of 1.60.
It was John H who got the breakthrough though as he induced Tony Cadman to offer a catch to John McCollum as he continued his excellent match. Tony was replaced with another Tony, this time Escot, as MCMCC 3rd XI showed the “Two-Tone” combo works well in competitive matches.
Escot and Hill dug in well to see off Donald and Hazelhurst who were replaced by John Nelis and John Robinson. Nelis used the wicket well to generate balls that shot through and reared up at times and he trapped Dave Hill lbw for an important 12 that had taken the edge off the bowling in a manner every good opening batter’s innings should.
Escot meanwhile showed himself to be another talented allrounder and despite not always timing it as well as possible, he showed a telepathic understanding with enthusiastic Andy Neil as the pair ran well between the wickets to up the scoring rate and test the Cutthorpe fielders more than hitherto. At drinks, taken at twenty overs, MCMCC were a little behind the run rate but Andy’s crisp, straight six immediately before the break and the fact that there were wickets in hand meant that the innings was going the right way as far as MCMCC were concerned.
Not long after the drinks break, Tony E, perhaps a little worn out from his epic excursions, let a turner from young talent Daniel McCollum breach his defences. Tony’s well made 37 though had kept the team in the game and the match winnable. He had shared in crucial partnerships of 28 with Hill and 59 with Neil. Tony E’s departure brought in Pete Kidd and after taking the tip it and run philosophy a little too literally to get off the mark; he and Andy Neil, who were first spotted on a cricket pitch together for MCMCC 13 years previously, ran well and PK wisely gave the in-form Andy much of the strike.
Andy had to show his full dexterity to keep out promising quick Jonathan Robinson who fired some quick stuff along the deck in a manner which suggests this youngster will turn into a true talent. Andy looked set for another fifty until he swung, missed and was lbw for 29 to Daniel McCollum who was showing genuine turn and ability.
This brought in Simon Scully who aims to, at the very least, become the best cricketer in his family this season. Simon’s strength is his ability to get forward and hit hard through the onside to gather his runs. This Simon did to a tee and as the bowlers began to tire he picked off anything legside with real efficiency that helped take some pressure off MCMCC.
Pete Kidd too was inspired by Simon’s display as he complimented his trademark pull to onside with two useful cover drives for boundaries off McCollum Junior. He then finished the match by sweeping the wayward Moore for a four to leg. Kidd finished on 26 not out, so as to keep his train set intact for another week. Simon meanwhile finished on 28, including a terrific pull-driven six, as they put on an unbroken 57 for the fifth wicket to make it a first real win of the season for MCMCC.
So it ended in a win against a talented and eclectic Cutthorpe CC team. The heroes this week were Escot and Scully with the ball and bat, Jo Wayne behind the stumps, Cadman , Jacob Harris and Parry-together with his wise captaincy- with the ball, Oxley in the field and with the ball and Dave Hill, Pete Kidd and Andy Neil with the bat.
For Cutthorpe John McCollum and Hannah Robinson can be proud of themselves with the bat as can Hannah for her enthusiastic keeping; while McCollum Junior, Donald, Hazelhurst, Jonathan Robinson and Nelis shone with the ball.
Other highlights included the sardonic banter and surrealistic comedy catchphrases produced in the field and the pavilion by MCMCC, some of it printable but much of not after close scrutiny by Causeway Chats’ in-house lawyers. Until the next time…
These Castle Walls: the imposing Bolsover Castle overlooks this wonderful ground.
Above: Bolsover Native Stan Worthington strikes the type of pose that put The Fear into those he coached at Lancashire County Cricket Club.
Causeway Chats 