Pudsey St Lawrence v Farsley CC

Date: April 18, 2009
Venue: Tofts Road, Pudsey.
Weather: Cool but dry.
Result: Pudsey St Lawrence won by 61 runs.
Points: Farsley 3 Pudsey St Lawrence 19.
Scores: Pudsey St Lawrence 210–5 (50 overs): Farsley 149 all out.

A promising bowling performance allied to some keen fielding and catching gave the Rams an opportunity of a first win of the new season at Tofts Road.

* Click here to sign up to free news and sport email alerts from Farsley Today.

With star West Indian all-rounder Lorenzo Ingram and skipper/wicket keeper Davis Syers missing for a variety of reasons however – Ingram and Syers notched up a total of 1149 runs for the Rams last season.

Even newcomer wicket keeper Chris Prowting, fresh from an excellent half century for the Combined Universities again Surrey earlier in the week, also crying off on the evening before this first game, there was nobody else on the day (apart from Shabbs, 31) seemingly able to stay around long enough with stand in skipper Ashley Metcalfe (41) to see off a non-too-difficult home team total.

* Click here for latest Farsley news.

Saints won the toss and chose to bat on a cool opening day of the new season and both sets of supporters therefore had a chance of seeing Yorkshire County Cricket's contracted fast bowler James Lee in action for the visitors against Alex Stead and Mark Robertshaw, arguably the best opening pair in the JCT Bradford League.

The pair went on to prove the point in an opening alliance of 151 runs, a start which might be amongst the best of the season to follow but to Farsley's credit they stuck to their job of containment on a quick wicket, a fast outfield and one of the League's smallest grounds.

Stead (96) and Robertshaw (62) have made a habit of plundering big runs against the Rams in recent years but from such a good start, the Toft Roaders would have expected to get a lot more than their tea time 210–5.

Near by houses and public places usually board up their windows when big hitter James Smith comes in to bat, but a boundary edge catch off the impressive Lee accounted for him before any batting onslaught could take palce.

In fact the saints score dipped from an impressive 151–1 to 165–2, 177–3, 181–4 and a final 210-5, the final 12 overs bringing a modest 61 runs to the home team's total. Speedster James Lee accounting for three victims and Chris Henry the other two in some spirited bowling by the visitors.

Big Mathew Lumb, who wasn't a regular at Farsley last season, somewhat surprisingly began the Saints' attack with left arm bowler Gary Severn, Rams' openers Anderson and Clayton both surely determined to improve on last season's poor batting campaigns.

Anderson struck two quick boundaries to give hope but soon departed at 11-1 but Shabbs and Clayton then bothj did well in taking the visitors to 58 before Dan Clayton was taken at slip.

Farsley newcomer Phillips made a few telling shots, a delightful cover drive off spinner Marsden and a ficked shot off Clough, both bringing impressive boundaries. Shabbs then departed to a debatable catch at mid-wicket, 73-3. Phillips then went LBW to Marsden and the Rams were in deep trouble at 92–5, drinks arriving at 105 – 5 with Ashley Metcalfe looking to take charge of matters from a Farsley perspective, provided that someone could give him support.

It was not to be, Ash finally falling himself going for a second batting point which just seemed to elude the disappointing Rams, spinner Chris Marsden proving too good for most of the batsmen taking a fine 6–33.