Farsley CC v Yeadon CC

Date: April 26 2009
Venue: Red Lane, Farsley
Weather: Cool, mainly dry
Result: Yeadon CC won by 3 runs
Points: Farsley 8 Yeadon 19
Scores: Yeadon (batting first) 282–7 (50 overs): Farsley 279 for 9

Both sets of supporters will have thoroughly enjoyed this Red Lane opener to the new season as 561 runs were plundered to all corners of this well manicured Farsley ground, and a few corners outside the ground.

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The enjoyment of course being more noticeable at the end of the game if you came from Yeadon after only 3 runs separated the two competitive teams.

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This must be one of the best batting decks in the league and home stand-in skipper Metcalfe surprisingly asked the opposition to bat when he won the toss, a vote around his team having been apparently been taken before the game as to whether to bat or bowl. As things turned out, Ash's decision backfired - but only just.

A total of 282 – 7 at a time when the daffodils are still in bloom is a fair wack of a score to chase but the Rams made a fist of rubbing off such a total and a final defeat by only 3 runs at least gave excellent cricketing pleasure to those who had turned out to watch.

The lanky Lambert got the short straw of bowing the last over to Bozza and Greenie with 13 runs required by the home side and a game of 'what ifs' finally came to an exhilarating end with Farsley just short of what would have been a remarkable victory.

The Rams are still missing David Syers (football) and the West Indian all-rounder Lorenzo Ingram (red tape) from their line up and whist both are expected to be available for the home game against Saltaire this Saturday (May 2nd) it was the Farsley bowlers who let skipper Metcalfe down with some, at times, very wayward bowling. Whist Jimmy Lee, fresh from a match winning display for Yorkshire 2nd's at Kidderminster grabbed the first two wickets, Chris Henry was bowling more like Lenny Henry at times, and Yeadon had 50 on the board by the time the Rams had delivered their first 10 overs.

When the visitors slipped to 65–3 however – Pickles, Robertson and Butt all back in the hutch, Bozza getting in on the act and Greenie taking all three wickets behind the sticks, the Rams were well into the game but that was about as good as it got as Yeadon took advantage of some wayward bowling and a couple of dropped catches.

A brief stoppage of 10 minutes for rain seemed to refresh the visitors and by the time 'drinks' came, albeit no one wanted one, Yeadon had moved to a very useful 112 – 3, opener James Todd was still there and big hitter Danny Shuffe was also going well in tandem. Todd had already passed his 50 by the time he departed at 130 – 4, Chris Henry eventually bowling a straight one to gain an LBW. Shuffe looked in fine fettle and it tok a wicket from Ash at 144 – 5 to give the Rams hope with still 17 overs remaining, Yeadon were in the driving seat.

The Rams did well to peg the visitors back for several overs but Shuffe notched his own half century out of 152 – 5 with 12 overs remaining, when things started to go down hill for Bozza has Yeadon took control. Metcalfe switched his bowlers around but not to much avail; Metcalfe, Bozza, Chris, Jimmy and Akram all getting tapped as Yeadon rattled along to a final 282 - . James Lee (2), Chris Henry (20 Ash (1) and Bozza Thornton (2) sharing the wickets but not much else in a a well below par bowling display. It wasn't difficult to see which team enjoyed their teas the more at the interval and Farsley needed a good start if any sort of challenge was to be made to overtake the visitors' total of which Shuffe had made a fine 96, Todd 52 and david Leather 41 not out.

Harvey Anderson and Dan Clayton have not enjoyed the best of their respective seasons and a bit at red Lane but a quick fire 40 – 1 in only 10 overs – Clayton falling LBW - at least gave the Farsley faithful something to cheer about over their Tetley Mild. Shabbs came in and smacked the luckless Robertson for 4,4,6, 6 off successive balls and Farsley had posted a 100 up in the fifteenth over for the loss of one wicket – game on!!

Harvey's batting lives and dies by the sword but the pair had put the Rams in with a serious chance of victory by the time the Rams had 145 – 3 on the board 'at drinks' which, this time both sets of players were happy to accept, Shabbs having made 43 and Harvey 35.

Such a half-way score-line promised much for the home team, newcomer Harpal Ryatt looked a class act making a fine 45 and with Ash chipping in with a sound 30 before getting himself stumped rather recklessly. The Rams arrived at an encouraging 206 – 5 with still over 20 overs remaining and most Farsley folk now in good spirits, and Tetley's Mild of course.

Barry Frankland also got himself stumped (again off Soames) after an unconvincing batting stay and after Akram had gone LBW and James Lee had run himself out, the Rams found themselves again running out of batsmen at 235–8 with only five overs remaining.

Soames ( a final 5-49) and big Lammy kept their cool however as 13 runs were needed by Greenie and Bozza off the last over of the game. Mathew Green smacked a four and the pair scrambled a few more but the game ended with Farsley still four runs short of victory and tasting their first defeat at Red Lane since August 25th 2007 when Manningham Mills won by eight wickets.

There were more positives than negatives in this second defeat and the hoped for arrival of Ingram and Syers ought to take this Rams' side into a decent First Division outfit.