GleamingGargoylesConcludeCampaigninDuffieldDarkness

Alstonefieldv.Duffield

WhatafinewaytofinishtheGargoyles’2018seasonwithyetanothernail-biter.Afull-scaleteamperformancewitheveryplayersparkling,lightinguptheGargoylesgalleryofheroes.Winningthetoss,AndyBraychosetobatandthenproceededtoplayhismostfluentinningsformanyyears. Showing a full rangeof shots including a delicious cut just behindpoint, an effortless 6 andnumerouswell-judgedsingles.Hejustlookedcalmandorganisedatthecrease.Hisopeningpartner,(Ironman)AlanHayesopenedwithhimandspankedhisfirstballfor4.Hethenmanagedtokeephiswicket intactwith a non-foot-moving stabbing action,which is uniquelyAlan. Caught for 5 hewasreplacedby JonLanewhohitarumbustious 17beforegettingcarriedawaywith thebelief thathewasVivRichards.ShahidAlicameinandregaleduswithhissignaturesprintingatthebowler,butwewere also to be entertained by both his right and left-handed batting.Wonderful pull for 4, left-handed.DavidJoycewasinthemoodfora50andspoonedtheball intounusualareas.Neitherhenorthefieldingcaptainweretotallyclearwheretheballwouldgonext,butthecrowdwerealivewiththe intrigue.WithDavid out, LiamDuffy joined Shahid and played one glorious cover drive beforebeingcaughtandbowledbyPhilJones.Asharpcatchbyaverygoodcricketer.BenKing,SteveKing,TonyGuestallperishedanditwaslefttoHarryJonesandAndyFarmertowinkleoutafewmoreruns.AndyBray,havingretiredon50,returnedforthelastballandlauncheditfor4.Theinningsclosedon167for9. Afineteawasenjoyedbyall intheimpressivenewDuffieldpavilionbeforethehomesidetookthefieldtobat.ThebowlingofPhil Joneswasgoodbuthisbattingwasbrutal.He retiredon53and ifhehadhadmore than one ball at the end of the game the result would have been different. There werewonderfulopeningspells fromBenKingandTonyGuest,and inthefaceofahardhittertheywereupright, stiff-lipped and firm. Tony Guest even managed to bowl a maiden. Ben made thebreakthroughwithHarryJonestakingasmartcatch.Tonygotsomerewardforhistoilingwithaplum

LBW.ShahidandLiamtook thenext fewoverswithShahidbowlingwithgreat skillandguile, Liamlessso!AndyBrayadvancedPhilJones'sdeparturewithastrategic17runover.Aseverherespondedinthenextoverwithawicketandwesawthefirstpieceoffieldingmagic.Aloopingshot,JonLaneonthechargeandlikeaFredDibnahdemolitionhelungedattheballandtookitcentimetresfromtheground.Injuredandrefusingtogiveintopainhelaythereinthemoistgroundglowingwithprideaswewavedgoodbyetoanotherbatsman.AndyremovedhimselffromtheattackandbroughtonSteve"pitchitup,nothingshortorit'sinthefield,keepyourarmupanddon'tdothetriplebouncer"King.WiththesesupportivewordsofwisdomechoingfromhisconcernedteammatesStevebowledahalf-tracker,whichwaswhackedintheairtoleg.AndyFarmerinthedeep,runs,checks,turnstothesideand snaffles the catch. The Farmer trade-mark arm in the air (soDenis Law) is unleashed and theKing/Farmercombostrikesablowforthekeenestofcricketers.Stevebowledthebest5overshehasprobablyeverbowledandwasthedeservedmanofthematchforthem.

SteveKinginactionaspartofaterrificallroundteamperformance

AndyFarmerhadafewoversbutcouldn'tquitereachtheheadyheightsofhisperformanceversusAshbourne.Liambowledhisquotaremovingonebatsman,butitwaslefttoShahidandBentodealwith the tricky last 5 overs. Generally needing between 4.75 and 5.75 per over, the tension wasmounting.Therainwasfallingandthegloomwasglooming.Wonderful fieldingbyDavidJoyce inaparticularlynimblestopandthrow,buteventhispaledcomparedtothederring-doofAlan"Ironman"Hayeswhohadtakenafull-bloodedcutfromJonesrightinthechest.Bouncedofflikeafeather.ThemanHayesismadeofgritstone.Afewincheshigherandhewasoutforthecount.With fourovers to goBenand Shahidbowled tightones, and so15wasneededoff twoand thendown to 9 off the last over. A big heave and the ball travels towards Jon Lane on the long offboundary.Itisseriouslydarkandhemakesagreatfistofcatchingit,butfalls.Infallinghepushestheballawayfromtherope.TheDuffieldplayersturnforthefourthrun.BenKingpicksuptheballandhurls it back to the bowler’s end. Whether anyone shouts “leave it”wewill never know, but thedirecthit fromtheboundarysavesarunandkeepsthehard-hitting Jonesoffstrikewithtwoballsremaining.Abye.3totieand4towinforMrJones.Shahidpauses,sprintsinandbowlsacorkerwhichhurriesthroughtoHarrywhorunsoutthelastman.Astunningendtoamixedseason.Duffield164allout.Alstonefieldwinby3runs!

The 2018 season was looking like another one for the club’s record books with an eight matchunbeatenrunuptothemid-weekmatchatChatsworthinJuly,whichtriggeredarunoffivedefeats.Lastballvictoriesintwoofthelastthreematchesgivestheseasonahealthy9to6winlossratio,withonematchdrawn.ALSTONEFIELDCC167FOR9BEATDUFFIELDCC164ALLOUTBY3RUNSALSTONEFIELDCCSEASON2018:PLAYED16,WON9,DRAWN1,LOST6.