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BOYES THE HERO, REED JUNIOR SENT TO BED EARLY, NO TEA
Alan Boyes, playing his best innings in years, was the hero for CCC, engineering yet another thrilling run chase victory at sunny Heaton yesterday.
CCC won the toss and put Mallards into bat. CCC legends Tim Hall and Dave Graham were loaned to the visitors who were short-staffed, which meant that both teams had nine players. Jack Reed, 11, volunteered to 'plug the gap' by fielding for both teams - more of him later.
Mallards batted well and acored 165-7 off 34.5 overs (Taylor 21, Whitehall 49 and Stone 42). The CCC wickets were shared by Gerry (3), John (3), and Guy (1).
This looked a challenging total on a ground with a slow bumpy outfield and the usual slowish Heaton strip offering something for the dibbly-dobbly bowlers. Peter and Keith (in his last innings for CCC) ensured a brisk start, whilst Tom Featherstone, in his first innings for two years, chipped in with an excellent 29.
With the run rate rising as high as seven, Alan kept the score ticking with some lovely drives and cuts. With approximately 50 needed from the last eight overs, Mallards asked Jack Reed to bowl. John Reed, his father, treated him with some disdain, lifting him for a one-bounce four over midwicket, but it was Jack who got his revenge with a plum lbw off his penultimate ball as john attempted to repeat the shot. With his ultimate ball, Gerry ill-advisedly danced down the track atempting to loft the youngster into hyperspace, only to miss it completely, and - turning as if in slow-motion - see the keeper smash his stumps down. It was total humiliation for Gerry who left the pitch with his head in his hands.
Alan kept out the hat-trick ball an over later, and he and Mark played intelligently and skilfully in an unbroken last-wicket partnership of 40+ to see CCC home (Alan 47 not out, Mark 11 not out).
Team: Peter, Keith H, Tom F, Simon E, Alan, Guy, John, Gerry, Mark, Jack
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