Ormskirk 2013
23/09/20 13:02 Filed in: 2013
A glorious Summer’s day at Ormskirk made the decision on winning the toss an easy one to make. In anticipation of batsmen filling their boots on a hard, dry, flat wicket the captain elected to bat. Harthan, putting himself lower down the order at 6 following his failure at Cholmondeley, expected only to be called on late in the afternoon if at all. Things don’t always go as planned however and in the first over Power’s wicket fell after getting a top edge flashing at a wide delivery. Sinker offered some stubborn resistance but his departure heralded a flurry of wickets with Reade (P) following soon after. It wouldn’t be a Bar innings without a comical run out and an unwise call by Reade (T) led to Gorton’s dismissal without facing a ball. Harthan then entered the fray with the overs bowled still in single figures and the Bar in trouble at 24-4. Harthan settled into his natural game to steady the ship whilst Reade (T) kept the runs coming with some impressive shots. When Reade retired on 50 the Bar looked in a much more comfortable position. After a slow start, Armstrong found his eye and started to crash boundaries to all parts of the ground, though mostly to cow corner. Harthan was playing through the pain barrier having sustained what would later transpire to be a broken toe and nearly ran Armstrong out with some indecisive calling. Harthan was dismissed stumped for 32 and Armstrong followed soon afterwards for 47. With wickets in hand the order was given to smash the ball around in the final few overs. Gorton was generously given another innings by Ormskirk (the Bar only had 10 men) and helped himself to a few runs whilst Gregg’s orthodox style was perhaps not best suited to a late innings thrash. With most observers expecting the Bar to declare after 35 overs with the seemingly handsome total of 172, Harthan elected to continue batting for one more over in what would later be seen as a stroke of tactical genius. At the time, in an effort to mask his tactical genius, Harthan gave his reason as being to let Prior have a bat, the international paceman having gone in at the non-striking end in the penultimate over.
Most observers felt the Bar had plenty of runs on the Board and the question was whether they could bowl Ormskirk out in 39 overs. The Bar’s bowling attack had other ideas and with a healthy run rate and few wickets down Ormskirk looked well placed at the mid-point of their innings. Armstrong sustained a ball in the face having failed to take a catch at square leg off Power’s bowling. However, the introduction of Prior to the bowling attack changed the course of the game. A stumping and catch from interim wicketkeeper Gregg led to favourable comparisons with the Bar’s usual custodian of the gloves, whilst the hobbling Harthan took a catch at Point. With 5 overs remaining all 4 results were still possible. Prior and Reade (T) bowled tightly to ensure that the Bar did not lose the game. In a close finale, the runs scored in the final over of the Bar’s innings ensured that Ormskirk came in just short with 6 wickets down. Thus an entertaining and enjoyable match ended in a draw. The day was then completed by watching a tight finish in the marginally higher standard Lancashire Cup match between Ormskirk and Heywood on the main pitch.
Man of the match; Charles Prior, with Tom Reade a close 2nd
Most observers felt the Bar had plenty of runs on the Board and the question was whether they could bowl Ormskirk out in 39 overs. The Bar’s bowling attack had other ideas and with a healthy run rate and few wickets down Ormskirk looked well placed at the mid-point of their innings. Armstrong sustained a ball in the face having failed to take a catch at square leg off Power’s bowling. However, the introduction of Prior to the bowling attack changed the course of the game. A stumping and catch from interim wicketkeeper Gregg led to favourable comparisons with the Bar’s usual custodian of the gloves, whilst the hobbling Harthan took a catch at Point. With 5 overs remaining all 4 results were still possible. Prior and Reade (T) bowled tightly to ensure that the Bar did not lose the game. In a close finale, the runs scored in the final over of the Bar’s innings ensured that Ormskirk came in just short with 6 wickets down. Thus an entertaining and enjoyable match ended in a draw. The day was then completed by watching a tight finish in the marginally higher standard Lancashire Cup match between Ormskirk and Heywood on the main pitch.
Man of the match; Charles Prior, with Tom Reade a close 2nd