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Rowlands Relegated by Renegades

Alan won a toss for a change and elected to field, starting with 10 until Adam Tait appeared in coloured clothing to make it 11!

Whitley Bay sent in the ominous pairing of Marcus Turner and Phil Morse, previously of Rowlands. Pratty and Dave Covell contained them well in the first six overs with only 49 the score but no chances given. Dave bowled 3-0-18-0 to be replaced by Don and Pratty 3-0-30-0 to be replaced by new recruit Sam Robson. Sam was hit for 9 then Don bowled a maiden to Marcus who somehow survived that over!
Sam then went for 42 off 3 and Don suffered 4-1-45-0 thanks to big hits from Morse that included the roof of the car that David Hymers of Whitley had borrowed for the evening out! Pratty claimed the only wicket of the night when he demolished the stumps of Turner for 58 to record 4-0-53-1. Morse hit sixes to the last ball and was 88 not out at the 14 over close. Bay made 161-1.

The reply was a tough ask against the opening attack of David Hymers and Scott Latimer. Latimer took the first three wickets with pace that forced the ball into the air; two caught and bowled: Sam Robson 3, Shaun Collins (remember him?!) 18 (2 fours) for MoM and then Roy behind the wicket off his glove. Ben Hennessey was out first ball to a viscious leg stump Yorker from Latimer who also bowled Alan Hynd for 5, unsighted by the bright sun, to record 5-23 of 3 overs. Dave Covell was bowled by Chris Dunn, brother of Morse for 4 and Adam Tait suffered the same fait. Gary Straughan was second top scorer with an impressive Rowlands career best of 10 (2 fours) before being bowled by that other Morse brother, Jack Jeffrey! Mike McIntyre enjoyed himself with 3, bowled Simon May and Pratty was caught off Jeffrey for 2 but they could not get the Don, not out no score! Rowlands capitulated with 57 all out and face the drop to Division 2.

Rats!

Rowlands assembled a strong and oversubscribed team at Corbridge to play the Ratcatchers. However two first teamers from the home side stole the show.

Alan lost the toss and Rats insisted on batting and agreed to wait another few minutes for Roy and Pratty who were slightly delayed. Ed Common at super pace removed a stump from M Keedy in the first over of 16 which conceded only 2 runs but this brought Tristan Douglas to join Ryan Billinghurst. The pair set about all the bowling and took the score to well over the three figure mark. They hit big shots and nurdles to tease Alan's constant changing of positions in the field. Chad stopped the rot by taking out Billinghurst with a spectacular, rolling caught and bowled for 51. Dave Covell eventually bowled Douglas for 102 and claimed a second wicket with a straightforward catch by Roy. Chad took a second smart c&b with Rats finishing on 176-5. Bowling was: Ed 4-0-41-1; Dave 4-0-43-2; Pratty 2-0-33-0; Don 2-0-27-0 and Chad an impressive 4-0-26-2. Humshaugh Paul kept well and youngsters Ben Hennessey and Nick McIntyre impressed in the field with Ed encouraging. One or two dropped catches gave Rats a firm edge.

Rowlands reply saw the tragic early loss of Richie Straughan for a duck to a caught behind when he did not learn his lesson from the previous ball that nearly took him the same way! Ed and Roy battled away until Roy was caught driving for 17 (2 fours). Chad blended well with Ed and made a quick 19 (4 fours) before a jaffer from Billinghurst took him out of the equation. Dave Covell showed urgency, with Rowlands not far behind the required rate, to hit 25 (2 fours) before another catch was taken. In came Ben to impress with 15 not out in good support of the tiring Ed; strimming all day, striving all night with water in demand! Man of the Match, Ed was out bowled on the last ball with light fading for a creditable 74 (7 fours) and the final score 159-5. Not so far behind and three points gained. Rats!

Alls Well that Ends Well!

Don stupidly and apologetically arranged the meet at Broadway West for a cup second round tie V Boxbreakers at Walbottle! The game started only slightly late at 6:15 with appointed skipper Roy confident enough to bat first. New recruit Chris Adams soon showed his prowess but lost Ed Common caught off the afeared Greg Applegarth for 10 ( a six and a four of course). In came Roy only to nick one behind off Greg for a another duck and Rowlands were in trouble? Dave Covell looked good but he was also caught out off Greg for 8 (1 four). Meanwhile Chris was hitting some mean balls and the rate looked good. He was the reason Greg did not celebrate with 4-0-36-3 and an acquired bad back that demands three day's rest, making him a doubt for Premier Sunderland at the weekend. Alex Twinn hit 5 supporting Chris who was still playing a commanding role. Young Ben Hennessey came in at 6 and supported Chris to the last ball when he was bowled for a valuable 13 (2 fours). Chris was still there on 103 not out with an immaculate 13 fours, a five (with overthrows of course) and 4 sixes! Rowlands set the pace with 150-5 off the 14 allotted overs.

The Boxbreakers had still beaten this sort of target and it was game on! Ed and Pratty began the attack with early wickets. One of these was Applegarth bowled the Pratty! Ed was economical with 2-0-12-1 but Pratty took 3 for 33 off 4. Roy (assisted by Ed and Pratty in the placings) varied his bowling to give Dave Covell an over then switched him to allow Don on the sensible end. Boxbreakers batted deep but Rowlands contained. Don was economical with 4-0-23-1 but the main wicket taker was Dave Covell with 3.1-0-24-FIVE and all ten wickets were bowled. Rowlands had won against the odds with ten men including very late recruits,the two good supporting Dickensons, and all had contributed to restrict Boxbreakers to 100 all out in 13.1 overs. Chris was excellent also as keeper and everyone fielded well for the Rowlands cause. Next up in the cup is a home tie to be arranged against Aletasters for a semi final place at Whitley Bay who defeated Cramlington tonight.

Next week we are at home again in the league at Percy Main on Monday to our friends the Adders. Need to stuff them!

Please respond availabilities yes/no soonest to Pratty please:

imk_pratt@hotmail.co.uk

07973 532 764

Rowlands outPlayed

Alan lost the toss and so allowed ORP first use of a good track for 16 overs in the bright sunshine at Percy Main.

Players had Xohaib Shahid and Ian Tew opening and they hit 110 for the first wicket without much trouble. Bob Wilson suffered 43 runs off his first 3 overs and Dave Covell bowled 2 for 11 runs with only 1 run off his second. Alan unleashed the Royster who had Tew caught by Ben o'Brien for 41. Don then, after a few close things, had Xohaib caught by Bob Wilson in the deep for 66. At 126-2 Players were looking comfortable. However, Roy and Don turned the screw a little. Don bowled Turnbull for 14 and Roy bowled Amir for 4. Don bowled out with 4-0-36-2 and Roy 3-0-32-2. By the way Richie Munro bowled before Roy and went for 20 off 1 over, sadly not quite ready to make a comeback! After 12 overs the score was not too embarassing at 138-4. However, Bob returned to complete 4-0-67-0 and Dave 4-0-45-0. Players amassed 206-4 with Hassan hitting 43 not out in a final ORP push for glory runs.

The Rowlands batting lineup looked fragile, especially when Roy went bowled Hassan for a duck in the first over. Ben o'Brien went on to make 33 (4 fours and a six) and was just starting to entertain with reverse sweeps and big shots when he was caught near the deep mid off boundary. Dave Covell meanwhile was tragically run out, after Ben's over enthusiastic call, haiving made 15 with 2 good fours. New recruit Ben Hennessey scored a single but was bowled; Richie Munro made 2 and went the same way. Alan Hynd batted well and hit his top score for Rowlands this season with 23 (a THREE! and 3 fours) before being bowled like most of us. Bob Wilson stood up well and hit a resistant 16 with 2 fours, Gary Straughan made 2; Mike o'Brien got in at the wrong end and did not face since Don lost his middle stump to Xohaib first ball batting as the 10th and final man. At least 113 all out secured a batting point! Players took maximum 11 points with Hassan a superb 4-0-23-1, Amir 4-0-21-2, Ahmed 3-1-17-3 and Xohaib cleaned up with 1.4-0-10-2.

A few drinks in the bar was good as minds turn to the next challenge which is a cup tie on Thursday; away to Boxbreakers at Broadway West.

Two points gained by scratch team at GEM

Roy lost the toss and we were asked to field as GEM kindly waited ofr the late arrivals of Pratty and new boy Harry Greaves. Bob Wilson has desperate car trouble so escapedthis windy and sun blinding encounter.

Dave Covell started off well from the advantage end and contained but Pratty suffered into thesun and wind with 4-0-47-0. It took the introduction of Harry to snap up three wickets with a respectable Man of the Match 4-0-34-3 as his spin bowled 2 and Lee took a stumping. Don was introduced from the tricky end and got well hammered for 43 runs off 2 overs after Aqeel was dropped on the short mid on boundary. Dave came back to win the bonus point with 4-0-34-1 but GEM posted 168-4, Aqeel making 61 not out.

Rowlands started their reply with Roy and Aiden in now even more tricky conditions. Aiden went for 1, bowled by offy Hassan who also had Dave Covell caught for 6. Another new boy Alex Twinn who had just got his gear down out of the loft after three years looked good and made 14 including a six. Roy was then lbw going back to Baig for 9 (1 four). Rowlands in anticipated trouble by now but soldiered on. Lee hit 15 including three boundaries and at number six, Pratty set about the bowling with 13 not out including 2 fours to win us a batting point. Young Alex Dickenson showed his U15 prowess but no runs before offering a simple catch that three fielders debated the pleasure of. This left Don to face three invisible balls and survive to deny GEM a second bowling bonus point at 93-6, Super game and GEM now top the table!