Farsley CC v East Bierley CC

Date: Sunday, June 14
Venue: Red Lane
Weather: Warm and sunny
Result: East Bierley won by 141 runs
Points: Farsley 5, East Bierley 20
Scores: East Bierley 247 all out (49.3 overs): Farsley 106 all out.

Contrary to the rotten weather that both of these two clubs usually experience on this particular match date – it was long ago as 2004 when weather did not ruin this fixture – the two teams played in front of a big crowd, happily basking in warm sunshine on this occasion.

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The only pity for those with red lane inclinations was that their side failed miserably to compete against a side who, in truth, never looked other than winners.

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The visitors looked a class apart from the Rams and there was almost a "Men v Boys" element about the game and Bierley surely, on this form look destined to battle hard for a Championship success by the time mid-September arrives.

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Farsley came in to the came after a win over bottom placed Hanging Heaton but Bierley arrived on the back of a rare defeat – their second –against another Championship contender Bradford and Bingley but both teams need points for quite different reasons as Farsley brought in young Joe Greaves (the teenager made a 'ton' the day before for Farsley 2nds) for the missing Dan Clayton and Bierley played as per the programme, Scotland cricket captain Gavin Hamilton include.

Bierley batted first on the same track used the day before against 'Heaton and the Rams claimed an early wicket when ex Farsley opener Steve Simpson went LBW to Chris Henry at 26-1 and, not long after, fellow opener Razak also departed, well caught behind off fiery James Lee, the visitors 38-2 and Farsley were off to a good start.

Some ambitious keeping by skipper Syers, standing up to Chris Henry back fired as four fours came off one over, two of them not off the bat, and Bierley had progressed from 38 to 54 from one wayward over to set the scene for what was to follow.

Lee Goddard and Greg Wood who have both played County Cricket each showed their class as they set about forging a partnership which was to drain the Farsley bowlers and put a smile on the face of the visiting fans.

The pair moved the score from the earlier 38-2 then to 115 at 'drinks' (a welcome break for all the players), then past 150 and 175 (batting points target and eventually to 199, a partnership of 161 quality runs which no Farsley bowler ever looked like breaking. The alliance only then ended when a quite stunning catch by Lorenzo Ingram off the bowling of Ayyas Akram sent Goddard back to the pavilion after making a very fine 86.

All of Farsley's bowlers had tried in vain to stem the flow of runs from Goddard and Wood but from a very commanding 199-3 with still 16v overs remaining Bierley somehow managed to take their foot off the gas as wickets started to tumble at regular intervals. Wood eventually departed for a fine 74 but when he left the sun-baked scene at211-4 (caught 'Enzo again, bowled Henry) Rennison went caught behind off Akram for a dozen, Scott Douglas went for 6, LBW to Chris Henry and Bierley were suddenly 6 down with 236 on the board.

Gavin Hamilton and Kez Ahmed eased a few more on to the board but their respective departures for 14 and 2 brought about the end for the visitors, Hutchinson and Jarvis not troubling the scorers between them as Chris Henry cleaned up in some style at the end to finish with an impressive 15-1-57-5 shift.

Jimmy Lee also did well in coming back from near death with 11-1-25-3 and Akram enjoyed a decent 2-35 in 7.

Bierley had looked like making 300+ and probably would have done but had to settle for a tea time total a good deal less but a target nevertheless was ample for a Rams side not known for their skills at chasing totals, let alone big ones like this.

For those people of a nervous disposition, they should probably read no further because when the Rams began their reply an obviously out of sorts Ashley Metcalfe departed to his first ball, a lame shot ending up in Gulley's clutching hands, 8-1.

Gareth Phillips, in at 3, departed after losing his middle peg to Bierleys fiery overseas bowler Azhar, 31-2, Shabbs was similarly despatched with the sound of falling timber ringing in his ears courtesy of former Yorkshire paceman Hutchinson, 34-3 and when young Ryatt and then 'Enzo left for an early shower the Rams were staring down two barrels at 36-5.

'Enzo (an 8 wicket taker the day before but wicket less today) is finding life with the bat difficult this time round and will be already well aware of the big gulf between Division 2 and Division 1 in this League but the West Indians has class and all Rams' fans will be hoping it will come to the fore before much longer.

From a 36-5 scoreline skipper Syers then went LBW to Hutchinson – 46-6 – youngster Joe Greaves also lost his middle peg as Bierley's Azhar was much too quick for the teenager, Farsley 50-7.

James Lee lasted about as long as it takes for me to type his name, another bowled victim of the genuinely quick Azhar, 55-8, before Chris Henry departed shortly afterwards at 73-9 in a quite awful batting display by all and sundry, not the first time such a chord has been struck in these reports.

'Bozza' Thornton and Akram at least offered some more determined last ditch defiance albeit Bierley had noticeably taken their foot off the pedal, but the pair, to their credit, added 33 runs to take the Rams to 106 before 'Bozza' was last out to leave the visitors victors by quite some margin, Bierley's overseas quickie finishing with a handsome collection for his fiery and sustained efforts.

Although this was a disappointing result for the young Rams' side, the two home weekend games have produced a decently productive 23 points from a playing point of view and Farsley's biggest Sunday crowd for several years brought in some welcome income.

Club President Ray Illingworth, recovering in hospital after recent surgery, would probably have settled for what came Farsley's way in all respects. At the same time and in order to facilitate his early recovery he would have been well advised to look away from the other Sunday match results where both sides below Farsley in the League Table won their matches.