Following Saturday’s emphatic victory, we made the trip across the border to Todmorden for what is invariably a good contest. With reports of a storm at around six, Dale opted to bowl with the best chance of a positive result coming with a successful second innings chase.
The Angel Goes Berserk Part Two
Dan Pyke and Owen Collinge opened up, and after a promising but wicketless start, Todmorden had reached 27-0 of seven overs.
Virgil then bowled their opener with him not offering a shot which sparked a run of four wickets for the price of one run. Dan added a second leg-before three balls later, once Owen grabbed two of his own. Their other opener shoulder-armed to a ball that nipped back wickedly, before their dangerous number four played-on, leaving them in big trouble on 28-4. Todmorden fought back well, built around a chanceless knock of 84 from their keeper, to post 163-9. We felt they were probably 40-short, given there was minimal turn on a wicket that seemed to be getting better to bat on.
In Nick and Ben, it was nice to have the luxury of having two guys fresh off the back of centuries opening up. Parky, back in the side following a few games off for various football reasons, seemed determined to upstage Dale and Nick’s Saturday heroics, and took on what was an experienced opening pair from ball one. Hitting well over mid-wicket but in particularly over mid-off, including one enormous six into the school, he took us to 112-1 off 14, before being bowled for a brilliant 74 off 35 balls. That sort of dominance at the top of the innings chasing niggly totals is absolutely priceless, and the game was basically in the bag after six overs.
Nick added a typically chanceless 35 before being bowled, leaving Mike (25*) and Pricey (10*) to see us home before the cordial was even troubled (Gabriel, 2019).
So, a thrilling weekend leaves us third, with Clitheroe and Walsden within earshot just above us. We welcome the unpredictable Colne to Acre Bottom on Sunday which will take us to the half-way point in the season. With all bar one of our rivals set to visit Rammy in the second half, and some big names out of the cup, we’re well placed to make a serious push for silverware.