Undercliffe v Farsley

Scores: Undercliffe 250-4 dec: Farsley 224 all out: Undercliffe won by 26 Runs.

Points: Farsley 6 – Undercliffe 20 Weather: Warm

Farsley's first defeat of the season was largely their own making at sunny Undercliffe when both their bowling and batting surrendered positions of strength to provide a jubilant home side with their first win of the season.

Readers of this regular column might find it difficult to comprehend how a previously disciplined side could allow the opposition to plunder 60 runs of a mere 4 overs at the end of an innings which, in Undercliffe's case, took the home side from a gettable 190 to what turned out to be an unattainable 250 in the 47, 48, 49 and 50th overs.

Whilst taking nothing away from the 'Cliffe's left handed big hitter James Hawley – who smashed his half century from only 22 balls during the home side's 'late doors' assault – Farsley bowlers were guilty of feeding his big hitting batting frenzy with bowling less than, shall we say Bradford League quality.

As if the conclusion of this blitzkrieg was not enough, the Rams fashioned a batting collapse from still a winning position of 171-3 with 15 overs remaining by losing their last 7 wickets for a paltry 53 runs, even forfeiting a 5th batting point to be all out at 224 in a display which, frankly, was simply not good enough on a day they hope not to repeat in the weeks ahead.

Dan Clayton and Jonno Evans returned for the Rams who were still lacking their opening bowler Olly Howick (studying) and Jamaican Lorenzo Inghram, the latter to the disappointment of the traveling supporters who are beginning to doubt whether they might ever meet their new overseas 'signing'. The home side took the first knock on a perfect cricket weather afternoon before a good sized home crowd, the Rams' opening bowlers Henry and Lumb aware of the presence in the Undercliffe side of the much traveled Mark Gillivar who himself plundered runs-a-plenty in recent games against Farsley. Thankfully, not on this particular occasion however.

Im fact the Villagers got off to a good start, Henry grabbing the first wicket to fall at 11 when re-distributing Heritage's leg peg and the introduced Charlie Hall taking wicket number 2 at 37. When another Undercliffe wicket fell at 45 in the, then, 17th over, the Rams could be said to be in the driving seat and such was the situation at 'drinks' with the home side on a modest enough 74-3.

That was as good as it got however for Farsley as skipper and former Notts all rounder James Clarke (a top scoring 92) and Andy Duckworth (61) put together a partnership of 135 from the earlier 45-3 before Chris Henry eventually parted the pair with his own 3rd wicket at 180-4 with a mere 7 overs remaining..

Four of these last 7 overs disappeared for the said 60 runs however and the Rams went to tea feeling a bit shell shocked after Hawley's blistering 51 made the Rams' task so much harder than it should have been, Farsley's bowlers contributing in no small way with a succession of juicy half volleys which were routinely smashed to all parts of the Undercliffe's ground – and a few parts well outside of it too!!!!!!!!!!!

Even on a run laden wicket and fast outfield the Rams knew they would have to bat well if they were to continue their winning streak and Dan Clayton and Anderson who, strangely, as leading Farsley wicket taker so far had not been asked to bowl in Undercliffe's late rampage, began the job of overhauling a 250 total.

The pair began well enough before Clayton hit a ball which should have disappeared out of sight but, instead, finished, in the safe hands of mid-wicket, Farsley 48-1. Shabbs joined Harvey but at 67 the former Idle man got the dreaded LBW finger to uphold cricket's worst law, the LBW one, and Metcalfe came in at number 4 to see if he could build on his own good start to the season.

Shabbs had made 89 in his last innings but he departed for a good few less on this occasion – the Rams 80-3 but then began Farsley's fight back to take the Villagers to a comfortable 171 score line, both Ash and big Will Kitchen each batting well in tandem. Harvey Anderson had made an impressive 33 when he was out at 67 but the 6'66'' tall Kitchen also impressed as Ash and himself came to 'drinks' at 114-3, a vastly better position than Undercliffe's had been at the same time of their own innings.

Ash was badly dropped at this score straight after the break – rumours round the ground saying miscreant had laced his orange juice with a pint of lager – and when Kitchen was eventually caught at mid-wicket after making a sound 36, the Rams could still claim to be in the winning position with 14.5 overs remaining at 171-4.

Ash followed a mighty 6 however by being caught behind the very next ball (the cricket equivalent in opponents' minds of England winning the Soccer World Cup) and when his fine 60 was quickly followed by skipper Syers' own dismissal, jubilant Undercliffe had also lifted the Cricket World Cup as well, Farsley 177-6.

When the visitors' score then toppled to 178-7 and 199-8 to a by now rampant Undercliffe attack, one sensed there would be no way back on this occasion for a disappointing Farsley. So it proved, and when Bozza was bowled at 204 and the last man Lumb caught at 224, the Rams had even failed to nail their 5th batting point from an earlier position of batting strength.

Pick of the Undercliffe bowlers was N Sardar with 5-60.

Even so, the 60 runs from the last 4 overs in Undercliffe's innings had really cost Farsley this game and the skipper and his team to ponder not why but how.