Walsall Health 250-3 (40 overs) beat Oak n Ash 196-8 ( 30.1 overs) by 54 runs

The Elf hosted Oak n Ash today at Aldridge in a game where the sun cream was a must for all those participating.
Rob Hewlitt won the toss and decided to bat first which did not sit well with Ian Chuck who stormed off to put his pads on.
Chuck and Gort opened up on a wonderful deck and the Elf’s solid opening pair piled on the runs and the misery for the Oak n Ask lads by surpassing the 100 mark with relative ease with both of the Elf’s openers securing a half century. However it was Andy Gorton who has been out on 49 twice already this season who was out after scoring exactly 50 with the team total on 151.
Dan Armstrong assumed full all-rounder status by coming in and giving the ball a bit of tap and providing excellent support for Chuck who reached his 100 with a four through midwicket off his legs to raise his bat for the second time of the day.
Chuck was out caught shortly after and Rob Hewlitt who is used to more of a ‘dig in’ after a few captain’s knocks in recent weeks was out caught for two. Hewlitt was replaced by Greg Phillpott who hit three boundaries for his 12 but was run out in the final over pushing for the extra runs.
The final over was dominated by 18 year old Dan Armstrong who hit a couple of massive sixes to reach his maiden fifty for the Elf, somewhat deserved as well after some excellent batting recently.

The Elf began the defence of their mammoth total with Nath Martin and Dan Armstrong fresh from a great knock. Dan picked up the first wicket of Gallen for one and at first change Chris Hall got Bailey and the Elf had the visitors at around 30-2 inside the first 10 overs.
If you know anything about this Oak n Ash side you know they are a great bunch of lads and fight hard to the death and their 3rd wicket partnership was a magnificent one at that. Shepheard and Cochoran hit the Elf bowlers to all parts of the Coliseum in a great display of batting. Shepheard was the first to go bowled by Ian Chuck and Dan Armstrong picked up his 2nd of the day by knocking back Sheldon’s bails.
Cochoran was still their dismissing the ball to all parts but the nervous nineties kicked in and he hit a hard shot back to Chuck and on about the third attempt the man from Durban snaffled the catch and the Elf looked home and dry. The last four batsmen for the opposition hit 23 between them with wickets for Davies, Hall and Armstrong to see the Elf to their seventh victory of the season and also seventh in a row.
A final word for the Oak n Ash boys who played valiantly with nine men in that heat and probably would’ve won with the extra two men, well played boys.

Tea review

No Victoria Sponge. 5/10

Shower club update

The showers in the squash changing rooms are better than the main ones but you can only have two of them on at the same time plus they were boiling. 4/10.

A final mention for Rakesh Mal who turned up after getting asked at 1:30 if he could play, superb effort in the field as well on debut.

Written by Tom Davies

 

 

 

Batting		Runs
Walsall Health

Bowling	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets