Spen Victoria v Farsley

Scores: Farsley 326 : Spen Victoria 86 : Farsley won by 240 Runs

Points: Farsley 20 – Spen Victoria 5

Farsley Cricket Club at last welcomed their overseas signing Lorenzo Inghram to their cricketing ranks and what a welcome it turned out to be! The West Indian newcomer has missed the Villagers' first six games but amply made up for lost time by blasting a quite magnificent 155 on his debut at Spen Victoria in a game which subsequently turned out to be one of Farsley's biggest ever victories in their history – a massive 240 runs margin accounting for a shell shocked side.

Farsley's team time 326 (they were all out in their 50th over) was a total big enough to challenge the best sides and even a well below strength First XI had too many big guns as Chris Henry and Bozza Thornton shot through the opposition, unchanged and almost unchallenged, Henry taking his best yet for Farsley with a fine 6-45 shift in less than 14 overs and Bozza grabbing 3-37 in 13 in Farsley's fifth league win of the season.

The Rams were seriously under-strength against a team who had already beaten Undercliffe this season –'Cliffe being the only side so far to have beaten Farsley – so a keen game was expected at a blustery Spen. Missing from the Farsley side were Dan Clayton, Will Kitchen and Matthew Lumb with Jonno Evans also having to cry off and Olly Howick and Charlie Hall already back home after their student studies, Farsley were down to their bare bones with several youngsters called up to fill the vacant spaces.

As matters turned out, it didn't matter and although the last 6 wickets fell for a mere 28 runs, the four wickets before that had amassed 298 runs with Inghram (155), Shabbs Rashid (66) and Ashley Metcalfe (42) all amongst the runs after Anderson had initially departed with Farsley at 4-1.

Shabbs – a not out 'ton' in his last game – is in a rich vein of form and in the absence of Dan Clayton Shabbs had opened Farsley's innings after David Syers had won the toss and he and left handed Lorenzo then entertained the crowd with some quality batsmanship which would not have looked out of place on a County ground. From their 4-1 start the pair took the Rams past 100 in their 17th over and to 'drinks' at 154-1, a score which is enough to frighten any side. Lorenzo had had a slice of luck at 143-1 when a boundary edge fieldsman stepped onto the ropes making the 'catch' but apart from a late run-out escape, the West Indian dominated anything and everything sent down to him by the Spen bowlers. Shabbs was not too far behind and when he was eventually bowled at 66 Farsley were at 160-2 with Ashley Metcalfe walking to the wicket.

Ash sensibly talked Lorenzo into not throwing his wicket away with Syers the only recognised in-form batsman still to come in for the Rams so instead of hitting sixes the West Indian chose the scorched grass approach to add to his mounting runs tally.

The West Indian went to his magnificent 'ton' just as England completed their 6 wickets victory over New Zealand at Old Trafford, the time 3.45 pm, as he and Ash also took charge against the wilting Spen attack. Ash needed a runner after injuring his hip but with still 9 overs remaining Farsley moved to 279-2 before Ashley was caught on the boundary edge for 42 runs from a shot which a fit Metcalfe would probably have dispatched to Cleckheaton Town Centre!

Lorenzo was eventually caught behind for a stunning 155 at 298, skipper Syers and then Frankland then surrendering their wickets along with others for modest runs in taking the Rams to their highest score for several years. Several Spen bowlers will not be recounting their own respective performances to their offspring in years to come but Mohammed Maroof (6-62 in 14.3 overs) and Imrim Amin (4-78 in 14 overs) were not amongst them and each did well enough.

It would take a brave man indeed, or someone of unsound mind, to have backed anything but a Farsley win as Chris Henry and Bozza Thornton opened the Rams' bowling and not long before wickets began to tumble as Spen sought the holy grail of a 327 total.

Henry took the first of his eventual 6 wickets with the home side on 33 and a run out at the same score put the cat amongst Spen's pigeons before a caught and bowled and a fine Yorker, both by Henry, had the Cleckheaton side on 45-4 and with nowhere to go.

Bozza got in on the bowling act by uprooting one unfortunate's middle peg, Syers defied gravity to pouch another Chris Henry wicket and Bozza grabbed his own second and Farsley's seventh with Spen a mere 52, only overseas left hander Naeemudin on 34 at this stage seeming able to stem the Farsley bowling tide.

Henry took the home side's eighth wicket with another neat 'c and b', Bozza saw off the overseas batsman LBW at 82-9 and Chris finished proceedings with another LBW for his own sixth wicket of a blustery afternoon.

Farley's players and their faithful following were then able to deploy to a well manicured clubhouse bar for a palatable pint or two whist Spen's players were nervously looking up their fixtures list to see when they have to visit Farsley in the return game……….

Should the opportunity arise on August 9th next, it might just be that some Spen players – particularly those with bowling inclinations – are disposed to take their annual summer holidays somewhere well away from the flailing bat of Mr. Lorenzo Inghram.

This win by Farsley left them in second spot (94 points) in the table 8 points behind Idle with 6 games of the season completed.