28th JUNE 2015

WHCC v Solihull Municipal

Walsall Health beat Solihull Municipal by 5 Wickets

In the polar opposite of a Tom Davies match report processed in the Sunday I am afraid that this weeks write up is rather late. To which I squarely blame the Skipper who’s works 20/20 game at Walsall CC I went to watch on Tuesday night and as you know that’s normally the time I get things written up.

Hopefully worth the wait, yet for the star of last weeks show I am sure he is eager to read the exploits of his land mark achievement.

With Nathan Reeves on Action Man duties and the Ice Man Chris Hall still recovering from a broken finger Matt Wright and Mike Sayers were propelled into the team. Good job the Solihull boys delivered a comprehensive tea.

With no helipad available and a dodgy ground postcode resident Casanova, International Man of Mystery and last of the play boys Stuart Slater like many of us ended up on an industrial estate prior to locating the ground. However, seasoned, elf legend Super Andy Gorton knew where he was going and arrived in his kit incase an earlier bowls match over ran. A thumping Bowls victory meant he was one of the first to arrive.

The Mighty Elf have once again found come consistent and cohesive form with bat and ball and a strong unit in the field.

Openers Gorton & Chuck establishing a great play form. Yet there were some strong words regarding the sight screen. With chucky having a sense of humour bypass when Hewlett, Fell & Wright formed a human extension to the screen rather than moving it. Chuck economical with the ball too. 69 runs with the bat capped a great day. Yet some little petulant outbursts have to be noted.

The Gort making 30 is coming back to form, but with the gloves the magic is always there and he never fails to disappoint with some comedic Velcro glove antics and bobbling balls to the brow! And of course he took some stumpings. ‪#‎standard‬.

Rich Fell not as prolific with the bat as in recent weeks, but you just can’t beat 6 time fielder of the year when it comes to his efforts in the field, unless your stood at mid wicket taking dolly catches!!

Slater & Sayers put the yards in the field. Mike with a fine catch and Slater cutting off many runs and every game the distance off his arm is improving. Both made 2 with the bat.

It was a warm day and Fitz was wearing more layers than a vienetta. And the ball kept coming his way in the early stages. Once he stripped off of course his action quietened down. Before the game practicing his bowling on the match wicket was a little bit ‘village’ but 45 Not Out with the bat was a brilliant knock that contained 8 boundaries of which two of the hits were 6’s!

The skipper didn’t bat today but had a little cameo with the ball with his two overs going for a miserly 5 runs. A real all rounder as he always sets the example in the field too. Not afraid to reprimand when needed, a stern word with Chuck after a fielding flounce was swift and to the point.

Nathan Martin took a wicket going for less than 4 an over. A great spell. It’s the power of the hair band! Yet we all had a chuckle when he through the ball backwards on one of his approaches. It would more hair and less anger is key for fast fetlock fizzer!

Out other opener Tom Davies despite not taking a wicket contained an end and had great figures. Arguably some of his best bowling and with a great performance in the field after a early error had a very very strong game.

It’s been said by Chris Hall that if he did the match reports he’s wouldn’t just point out the good things he would also slate people for the bad. So let’s put this to the test…
Matt Wright took 2 wickets in 6 overs. In his first two overs only went for 1 run each. However… His third over went for 18 And his fourth for 9 runs. This clearly needs to be improved on and more focus applied. The Ice Man found this level of inconsistency unacceptable and must be improved upon!

Vice Skipper Rob Hewlett in recent weeks has been leading by example. And today the long levered leader entered a very special club. Taking 6 wickets from 8 overs going for 31 ones runs was IMMENSE! Entering the century and Fifer club. And the first 5for since the PSB C.Hall took 5 for’s in one season!

Throw in a couple of catches and some red ink in the score book with 5 not out, does an afternoon of cricket get any better than this.

A great game of cricket and a fund enjoyable day. The individual performance was fantastic from Rob but the victory goes to a great team performance cementing ‘The Golden Generation’ into the Elf’s history books.

Batting		Runs
Gorton, A	lbw b Mcdonald	30
Chuck, I	c Dallow b Talbot	69
Fell, R	b O’Leary	5
Sayers, M	B O’Leary	2
Slater, S	c Mcdonald b Talbot	2
Fitzpatrick, G	not out	45
Hewlitt, R	not out	5
Preece, D	DNB
Wright, M	DNB
Davies, T	DNB
Martin, N	DNB
Extras		11
Walsall Health		170

Bowling	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Martin, N	8	0	31	1
Davies, T	8	0	28	0
Chuck, I	8	2	26	0
Preece, D	2	0	5	0
Hewlitt, R	8	1	31	6
Wright, M	6	0	43	2

AOB
Solihull Municipal were very friendly opposition a great bunch of lads with good facilities and a lovely tea. Reasonable prices bar in the social club and an all round great day.

However, with only two showers a 3 way wash with Fitz, Wright & Fell would surely have been one for ladies everywhere if it had been caught on film. Prime beef, ripped, eye candy + Matt & Trigg!

It was guilty pleasure week with song choices. Let’s just say Rob Hewlett was the one and only for the day having the time of his life.

MAN OF THE MATCH
& TOP BOWLER
Despite JP saying it should be Mike Sayers before he left the ground, it can only be one man…. Mr Robert Charles Hewlett Esq.

TOP BATSMAN
Chucky had a great knock for everyone’s favourite ’69’ however, But our serious SAFA scored runs for fun week in week out, so I’m tipping the scales in favour of Gary Fitz Patrick who smashed the ball around to take us over the line.

TOP FIELDER
Mike Sayers took a great catch. Fitz involved early on and you just can’t keep 6 time Rich Fell out of the mix, but after an early error through the legs Tom Davies became a wall and really showed some steel in the field mopping up all that came his way.

RACHEL GORTON’S – POP SCENE
Chauffeuring and chaperoning the Ice Man, Rachel Arrived at the ground looking as lovely as ever, but the Elf ‘IT’ Girl was spicing up the afternoon with a lusty paper back, with extracts read that might have made The Ice Man melt.

Despite the availability of a fine Solihull tea on offer Rachel had a home made salad minus a fork, but it was the gallant Mike Sayers who rounded up some fighting Irons.

DAI WATCH
Great to have Dai & JP at the game for a while. The Father and Son duo scored the game in a complex scoring hut that had pull cords, flip boards and the requirement of a ladder to show the figures!

 

Written by Matthew Wright