Cricket 1sts limp to defeat in season opener

Vanner bowled in the first over

The 1sts went into their first BUCS game on Sunday under prepared with no practice matches and only one net session, owing to the ever troublesome term dates. With the smell of newly cut grass and freshly oiled willow in his nostrils, new skipper Vanner, filled with his infamous self assurance, asked the opposition to field.

The skipper himself alongside team talisman Hudson opened proceedings, and before the scorer had completed the batting order Vanner was swiftly returning to the dressing room, clean bowled for a disappointing duck. There was early movement for the bowlers but Hudson and Murrils battled patiently, tied down to a meagre run rate of one an over for the first ten, before the pressure told and a Murrils’ top edge was gratefully accepted by mid wicket. Next, was Emmerson, sporting a hair cut more suited to a seedy German porn flick than the arena of Grace and Compton, who added much needed impetus to the innings with some fine strokes, as York played themselves back into the game.

Unfortunately for York, Emmerson made the inexplicable decision to meet a full ball on middle stump with a limp front pad rather than an authoritative blade. Then debutant “00” Memon strode into bat and lived up to his name by departing for an unimpressive second ball duck, followed closely by Walsh clean bowled by a sharp in ducker. All the while Hudson batted on, passing his half century studiously, his scoring rate hampered by his team mates' failures. Wilson fell at 26 with overs running out as did Hudson who was caught in the outfield looking to accelerate. The lower order struggled a long to 186, around 60 runs below par.

The 1sts needed quick wickets to get the cat among the proverbial pigeons and Martin did exactly that trapping the Durham opener LBW second ball in an otherwise erratic over. Walsh struggled for accuracy too as Durham scored consistently, but disaster struck when Martin’s drop of a sharp caught and bowled resulted in a trip to A and E.

Thankfully Iszatt replaced Martin on the field but York’s bowlers struggled to take wickets on an improving pitch and hastened outfield. The usually reliable Emmerson erred too full and was driven copiously, despite picking up one wicket. Hudson struggled for turn and kept things tight, but more was needed with such a meagre total on the board. “00” Memon tried his luck but inconsistency was not the required tonic and the omnipresent Butterfield, in his testimonial year, found the leg side bushes more than the wickets column, leaving the visitors to cruise home with plenty of lead left on the scorer’s pencil.

No doubt the first team have been struck two considerable blows by the graduation of Hiley and N. Hudson but Durham 2nds were always the stronger side. However the top order needs to assert greater concentration and intelligence concerning where and how they craft their scores. With Martin injured for Friday’s clash with Leeds Met, an already depleted bowling department will be further exposed. There will be many changes wrought by Captain Vanner for Friday’s game, hopefully in mentality as well as personnel.

Player of the Match: T. Hudson

Team: N. Vanner*, T. Hudson, E. Murrils, A. Emmerson, K. Memon, M. Walsh, E. Wilson, R. Remington†, S. Martin, A. Butterfield, R. Hoggart.

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