Farsley v Baildon CC

Date: Monday, May 25
Venue: Red Lane, Farsley
Weather: Fine rain later
Result: Baildon won by 5 wickets
Points: Farsley 4 : Baildon 17
Scores: Farsley 155 all out (47 overs) : Baildon 157 - 5

Farsley went undefeated last season at what became Fortress Red Lane but time and Divisions changed and a third successive defeat against unbeaten leaders Baildon has well and truly breached the walls of the fortress and Farsley are, as a team, currently under-performing by quite some way.

The Rams were without veteran Ashley Metcalfe, called up by his Yorkshire County Cricket employers to fulfil duties obviously more important than his Bank Holiday day off playing for Farsley, and bowler Akram was also absent as Baildon won the toss and rather surprisingly asked the Rams to bat and what looked like something approaching a batsman's paradise. Frankland and Phillips came in for the absent pair.

Harpal Ryatt and Harvey Anderson began the Ram' innings against Farsley duo of Hitchenor and Walker and did well enough, albeit rather too slowly, as the Villagers inched their way to 39 before the introduction of 'Mushie' Ahmed's left arm spin did for Harpal, caught at deep gulley. It also did for a few more as this turned out to be the point at which Farsley's brittle batting quickly fell apart.

West Indian Lorenzo Ingram came and went, caught suspiciously off his pad by the eager Webb of the fierily Walker and then Anderson departed LBW to 'Mushie' before a wild Ya-hoo by Shabbs saw him taking an early shower as the Rams quickly deteriorated to 46 – 4.

Drinks arrived at a torturous 59 – 4 but skipper Syers and newcomer Phillips did at least show some application in moving the home side to 87 at which time Phillips departed, again to 'Mushie', LBW, with the Rams now 87 – 5 and looking already like heralding a fifth defeat of this young season.

'Mushie' traditionally mesmerises Farsley's batsmen, whoever he faces him, and the wily one trundled away at the pavilion end without so much as a challenge to his bowling, Syers eventually succumbing to the veteran, caught at slip at 104 – 6 of which the skipper made a top scoring 32.

A run out cost the Rams a seventh wicket at 121 and but for a nice little flurry of pigeon-scattering hitting from James Lee (23 in only 9 balls) Farsley could have struggled to even make a second batting point which they did however at 155 in the 47th over. Four Rams' batsmen had passed 20 – opener Ryatt (27) and Dan Clayton (28) adding to Syers' and Lee's own individual scores but a tea time 155 all out was a poor score on a good wicket.

'Mushie's' shift of 15-6-19-4 was quite remarkable return, albeit against some, at times, very indifferent batting and ex-Rams' Walker 3-48 and Butt's 2-25 had each done a job in sending the leaders to a tea time with smiles on their faces. Farsley's own faces mirrored more the look of a side soon to taste defeat.

Baildon's smiles quickly vanished however as the Rams reduced them to 26-3 after Lee and Thornton between them had gone for 19 off the first two overs, Lee bouncing back to take all three wickets to a fiery opening. Farsley's own faces mirrored more the look of a side soon to taste defeat. Bhatti went caught behind to the diving Syers, Butt got in front of a straight one to be LBW and skipper Ian Philliskirk went second ball, caught by Barry Frankland at mid off. Game on?

Refreshing though it would have been to write of Farsley's fight back to victory from here on, in truth this was a good as it got, 'Bozza' Thornton's wayward bowling letting Baildon off the hook as ex-Farsley Niam Ashraf plundered fours at will after seeing three of his partners founder against Lee.

Niam's batting with rain in the offering bore resemblance to an MP's expense account – take what you can whilst there and where you can. Even the Yorkshire Second Eleven quickie took some harsh treatment from the Baildon's flailing bat. For fours in one over wrested the initiative away from Farsley as Lee pondered where to bowl next as the visitors passed 60-3 with less than 9 overs gone.

Chris Henry was brought on at the scoreboard end and which is akin to a foreign country for this popular quickie but he produced a telling shift better than Bozza or a now wayward Lee had managed, without any luck.

It was Lee who should have grabbed Farsley's fourth wicket however but a straight forward catch to Dan Clayton in deep – off Ashraf – was spilled at a vital part of the game. Ashraf then went to a hard hitting half century out of 74 with another clattered four off the perspiring Lee just to rub salt in to Farsley's wounds.

Baildon have three Webbs in their playing ranks and two – twin brothers Simon and Dan – took over after Niam had eventually departed, caught by Harpal off 'Enzo's bowling at 90-4 after making a fine 61.

After a half hour break for rain, Farsley's bowlers were again plundered as more rain threatened Baildon's march to victory with 'Enzo this time getting some treatment from the Baildon family duo.

Harvey Anderson introduction at 142-4 was more a case of white flag surrender than a last throw of the dice by Farsley skipper but Harvey nipped one back to bowl Dan, the army one of the pair (albeit no one was quite sure because they are as alike as the proverbial peas in a pod) for a fighting 30, leaving wicket keeper brother Simon – we think – on a well fashioned 42 not out as Baildon took 17 points from the game against Farsley's inadequate 4.

One senses there is more to this Farsley side than the recent results are indicating but some early and considerable improvement is needed if the season is not to become another fight against relegation after all the good work put in by the players and the club in winning the Division Two Championship last term.

Baildon, for their part, look a decent enough side and one clearly enjoying good team spirit and form but a neutral observer's comment that they appear to be punching above their weight is a fair enough analogy of the Jenny Laners' season's championship prospects.