Old Glossop in seventh heaven

Old Glossop continued their excellent form with a seventh victory on the trot at lowly Mottram. Mottram won the toss and elected to field, a decision that Mitchell and his troops were going to make anyway. Old Glossop lacking recent openers Allcock and super hero Tory decided to open with recently demoted James jnr. and  Airwolf.

Airwolf (6) who was not at the crease long enough to make his usual impact was caught well at slip after appearing to be in two minds as to whether or not to play at a wide one.Gerrard was no 3 and looked nervous in his first few deliveries but with James beginning to dominate the Mottram attack soon settled in. The scoreboard was beginning to tick over freely due to some excellent running between the wickets. James (36) looked set for a 50 before he was undone by a inswinger from the Mottram opener that managed to break his defences.

As is usually the case another wicket was quick in following Gerrard (22) out bowled by the young quick Mottram bowler.

Traynor and Big T were together at the crease now, Big T fresh from his knock last week had lots of confidence and Traynor (playing for his place, in his own words) managed to nurdle the Mottram bowling around and with a mixture of elegance and stubbornness. They both took Old Glossop to 120 with a steady partnership of 50+. Big T then tried to hit the returning opener for one shot too many and was out caught for (24). In between the last partnership Mottram had tried numerous bowling combinations, until they went with a 12 y/o spinner who with both control and guile not seen in one so young, put the brakes on the OG total.

Matt Parker joined Traynor at the fall of Big T and started to find a few gaps in the field to give OG more momentum. Traynor got a good one of the young spinner which turned and kept low to catch him (24) bang in front. Lawton (5) bought his usual running qualities to the game and built a steady partnership with Matt Parker, before too being bowled. Parker kept OG on target for 200 with a mixture of finesse and power. Mitchell (7) was next in and he too tried to join Parker in increasing the run rate before he was caught in the deep off Mottrams young spinner. The returning Cooper joined Parker and with a couple of lusty blows helped OG creep up to the 190's before he too was out caught in the deep.

Parker visibly tiring now was asked by CT at square leg "what he was on" to which MP honestly replied "late 30's-40's". This proved to be a mis-calculation for Parker who was not out at the end on 49, if only he was like brother Wolf or nephew Mikey and counted his runs he may have been celebrating a well earned 50.

At tea it was decided that due to his efforts in batting and his foot injury that it might be worth opening with returning first teamer Cooper and Twist. Twist produced a peach (pitching on leg and taking his middle peg out) of a delivery to get rid of the Mottram opener. Cooper was hit for four of his first ball and had a look on his face that said not again, but was soon up and at em when he got one to cut the other Mottram opener in half nicking an inside edge that Lawton brilliantly held one handed at a stretch.

The Mottram captain came to the crease and showed his usual tight defence (despite being dropped by Big T twice "it’s a sin"). Cooper soon took another wicket bowling Mottram's no 4.Mottram were 15-3 now and OG sensed blood, but to Mottram's credit they wouldn't buckle, Cooper (3-25) was in the business end again thanks to a blinding catch from James at leg slip before he was taken off due to fatigue after 10 overs (not surprisingly when he had bowled just 2 short of his seasons tally) The atmosphere was mundane with Mottram not wanting to play any shots, but due to some great banter between the players, OG spirits were still high. Even the umpire got in on the game when asking Big T "what did you score" when Big T replied "24" the umpire said "that's makes you -30, with your fielding". Parker came on for Coops and in a bizarre incident could have got 3 wickets in one ball when he trapped the Mottram batsman in front(the umpire admitting that he had his finger half way up to give him out) before it nicked his edge, then bowled him and Coops finally caught it at slip. It was decided to give him out bowled. (you might be winning the averages messrs Twist and Mitchell, but have you done that).Twist(2-26) picked another wicket before Mitchell replaced him. Lawton stumped the young Mottram no 8 off Parker with a great piece of glove work, only for Mottram square leg umpire to give not out to Lawton's disgust. Mitchell replaced Twist and was instantly successful, before two young Mottram batters were sent to the crease, Mitchell hit one in the helmet before inexplicably bowling his next ball faster and shorter at the young boy, but to the delight of the OG players the young lad pulled Mitchell away for a couple, remarks were anonymously shouted "Don’t bring any of your hostile Manchester bowling to this league" Mitchell (2-20+) finished well and it was left to Mini Pollock to grab his first wicket in senior cricket when Big T who caught a dolly at mid off, after this catch the umpire said to Big T " I know what you can do next year, umpiring I believe were short". Twist badgered Mitchell into bringing him back for the last two overs, but Mitchell correctly ignored Rhinohead and let Mini bowl again Twist then had the ball smashed at him at short square leg and due to his puppy fat clung on as the ball sunk into his gut.

No prizes for guessing who's DOD this week, in fatscouses absences the umpire judged and gave Big T DOD and Matt Parker MOM.

Tinsle next bring em on.