What the f#%k was that?

The 1^st XI match against High Lane was instantly forgettable for a number of reasons, not least for the fact that we managed to lose against a team which, with the greatest respect, will take this season to be a success if they finish in their current position of 7^th, whereas the talk at Old Glossop is of a return to the 1^st division – not if we play like this it won’t be !

To be fair, at tea everything was rosy in the home camp, having bowled High Lane out for 109, a total probably 30 or so too high, but certainly acceptable given the state of the playing conditions, a result of the constant rain in the few days prior.

Only Patel with 40 looked capable for High Lane, possibly a little harsh on some of the other High Lane batsmen, but they did nothing to suggest otherwise in their time at the crease.

Lenny Allsopp bowled a 17 over spell for just 22 runs, picking up 5 wickets in the process, and Declan Hall with 4 for 44 at the other end, proved to be the pick of the bowlers used on the day.

However, chasing this meagre total the OG batsmen transformed into lemmings, patiently waiting for their turn to surrender their wickets to the bowling of Hanson and Bellieu, which, albeit accurate, was certainly not as unplayable as the Old Glossop line up made it appear. Only Lenny Allsopp escaped with any credit being stranded not out at the end, his nick name intact !

From a position of almost resignation the High Laners gradually came to realise that the game could be won as each OG batsmen arrived and departed, until with OG 58 for 9 their wildest dreams came true with the final wicket taken and the most unlikely victory secured.

To their credit they bowled reasonably well but for Hanson and Bellieu to record bowling figures of 4 for 24 and 6 for 30 respectively, would surely have been a long shot if suggested prior to the commencement of the game.

Old Glossop have been let off the hook as their nearest rivals were either rained off or beaten this weekend, so it is ‘as you were’ in the league. Extremely fortunate are we !