Walsall Health 34-2 (12 ovs) BEAT Beaumont CC 68 all out (28 overs) by 16 runs via Duckworth Lewis

 

Elf win on Duckworth Lewis

For the first time since records began, the Elf were victorious via the Duckworth Lewis method on a rainy mid June afternoon in Aldridge.

Captain Hewlitt won the toss and invited the visitors to bat first on a wicket that looked to favour the bowlers. With overcast conditions also helping the ball swing like a cul-de-sac in Solihull, it was no surprise that Dave Stephens picked up the first wicket of ‘R Hodgson’ (shouldn’t he be in France?) for 11. However, this was not just ANY wicket, this was DS’ 100th wicket for the Elf. BIG HAND. With that he joined an elite club of players to reach that milestone. Soon after DS was up to 101 when he bowled Rando for 12. DS’ opening partner Nathan Martin, or as he is in the opposition’s book ‘N Larkin’ was again extremely unlucky to not pick up any further wickets himself, when their spells finished Beaumont were 27-2 from 12 overs. On at first change was Matt Wright who was straight into the action when Hall spooned a catch into Dollyland for skipper Hewlitt to re-open for the season. The away side nudged and nurdled their way to 55 before Davies and Wright took the final seven wickets between then for only thirteen runs. Khrisna was next to get when Tom Davies picked up his third (yes third) LBW of the season after his first ball of his spell was extremely close, it left Davies asking Hewlitt for the review.
The next over saw the end of Johnson off the bowling of Wright. Gary Fitzpatrick took a splendid catch out on the square leg boundary to see off a real dangerous batsmen. Wright moved to a ‘three for’ when we bowled Esp for three after the batsman had only survived a stumping shout because the ball had not passed the stumps for Gort to take. A real collector’s item was in store for the next wicket, Nathan Reeves gobbled up a catch at point for what has to be his first catch for the Elf. With Wrighty on a ‘Michelle’, Davies took aim and in his seventh over produced two deliveries that were no match for the Beaumont lower order. Hall had taken a few minutes to re strap his pads, move the sidescreen and scan the field leaving Davies at the top of his run up seething he could not start his over but with the first delivery he went to the McVities factory and produced an absolute jaffa which pitched on middle and swung away to clip the top of off. Davies then later in the over produced an ‘in ducker’ to Sandhu who was clean bowled. With one wicket remaining, screams of ‘jug avoidance’ for Wrighty when he could not get the illusive five for in his final over. It left Davies with his last deliver of his eight overs to trap Johnson in front to leave both bowlers a wicket short of a milestone.

Wright and Davies both produced career best figures for the Elf. Wrighty bowled his eight overs for 21 runs, 4 wickets and two maidens. Davies followed in the same fashion in the maiden and wicket column but only went for 14 runs from his spell.

With The Elf needing to chase a small target for victory, the rain began to fall but they decided to play the first 12 overs until tea and reconvene.

Elf nudged their way to 34 before the tea break for the loss of two wickets. Gort was triggered by Dave Stephens for 6 for the fourth LBW of the day and Nathan Reeves scored four before his was bowled. Gary Fitzpatrick was 12 not out the end with a couple of excellent shots to boot. Stuart Slater was 4 not out after crashing his first delivery to the boundary. At the tea interval it was decided that The Elf had to claim victory via The Duckworth Lewis method after demolishing the Beaumont batting line up.

A real top performance that was really about 3 people. Stephens for getting to a century of wickets and then Davies and Wright for producing career best spells with the leather.

The Spirit of the Elf lives on!

Batting		Runs
Gorton, A	lbw Granger	6
Fitspatrick, G	not out	12
Reeves, N	b Granger	4
Slater, S	not out	4
Hewlitt, R	dnb
Hall, C	dnb
Phillpott, G	dnb
Stephens, D	dnb
Martin, N	dnb
Davies, T	dnb
Wright, M	dnb
Extras		8
Walsall Health		34

Bowling	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Stephens, D	6	0	10	2
Martin, N	6	2	17	0
Wright, M	8	2	21	4
Davies, T	8	2	14	4