“A couple of early wickets here and we could have them…” JP 

Just like the stunning rolling hills of Shropshire, some sites stick with you, one of those is the view from the top of one of those summits, the Wrekin, just outside of Telford. On a clear day you can see for miles, a patchwork of farmers’ fields, countryside, and, fortunately/ unfortunately (delete as appropriate) Wales. When looking out at such an amazing view, all else can melt away around you, work and the everyday stresses of life are put on hold for a while and you live in the moment and soak it all in. Sport does that too, brilliant moments that stop you in your tracks, where nothing else matters except a simple game and the urge to come out on top. The travelling Walsall Health team enjoyed both the sites and memorable sporting moments against Wellington on a Sunday that would become one for the ages. 

Tucked in the footholes of the Wrekin is the Wellington ground, a brilliant away day with amazing views, a great bar and a balcony (still waiting on Dai Preece’s lottery win to get one of our own at the Health.)

There was no preamble of a toss. The Elf were batting on both teams’ agreement (even Alex Nunns couldn’t lose a toss, thus was the uniqueness of the day.) Jack Stenson and Will Tomlinson were heading out to bat on a backdrop of the rolling Shropshire hills and some glorious sunshine. The two looked set against a young Wellington team and with the Elf bemoaning that batsmen would have to retire on 50, it looked no issue that they would hit the target. But this is the Walsall Health and even on the brightest days and with confidence at its highest there’s always a dark cloud to come in the form of a batting collapse. 

Unfortunately, Stenson went early to a one-handed catch in the field, the Wellington players more shocked than most that it had stuck. Will Lauchlan was promoted to 3 and dug in to try and get some runs on the board and assist Tommo who was playing well against some disciplined and varied bowling. The partnership grew well on a pitch where it was tough to score but Lauchlan soon succumbed to a far from perfect ball, a mistimed hook at a full toss went awry and the horrible clattering noise of hard leather on wood from a foot or two behind you bought the end of the innings, and the start of a collapse. 

The Elf had come bolstered with a fine batting card filled with players with long histories and big scores for the club however all of them all chose the same day to have an off one. Will Tommo who was going well but soon picked out a fielder for 26, while the key wicket of Dan Dunn was taken by Wellington the ball before drinks as the usual Health opener played around a straight one. With the score 66-4 from drinks after being 53-1, it was poised finally for the second half of the innings if the slide could be arrested. For a while it looked like being the Health’s day, Dan Armstrong found the boundary with a couple of glorious attacking shots that threw down a Bazball style statement of intent. Skipper Nunns was at the other end and all was starting to look a bit better until one kept low and slid under the blade of Armstrongs bat. 

From there the batting collapse became a full blown meltdown. Jack ‘Mark Wood’ Lester fell for an entertaining 4, less said the better about Mac whose attempt at a 6 ended up resulting in a duck. Nunns then skied a ball and was caught well for 8, Jonny Preece also opened his duck trophy campaign, DS pitched in with a vital 7 runs and Josh Butler was the last man standing once DS had been bowled attempting to get the Elf to 3 figures. The team were all out. They’d packed the batting line up and come away with just 96 runs. 

At lunch, Jack Stenson was asking for the hairdryer treatment, Nunns was pushing to make the opposition work for it, but the confident voice of Jonny Preece maintained that early wickets and it would be game on. How right he proved to be. 

DS as tradition opened the bowling looking to make chances but it was always going to be spin where the game was won and lost. Wasting no time, Josh Butler took the ball from the other end, some tricky looping lefties coming out of the tree line immediately put pressure on the Wellington batsman, and the wickets started. Two ducks in two balls had Wellington scrambling, Josh was unlucky to not have a hat-trick as Wellington flapped. DS grabbed one from the other end. 7-3. That became 20-5. There was blood in the water. The game had swung and was now firmly in the Elf’s hands. Josh agonised for a few overs on 4 wickets before finally managing to get the 5th, Wellington were 6 down and not in the same postcode as the Elf score. Josh had a fifer and with more spin in the team, the boys were confident. 

But what makes our game the best is the ebbs and flows, the fightbacks and last stands. With their team reeling two Wellington batsman dug in, seeing out the good balls and profiting off the bad, barely a chance was offered as Nunns went through his arsenal of bowlers, Preece and Wood/Lester unfortunate to remain wicketless. But it looked as though all hope was gone, the required score was soon down by to single figures. The Wellington rule offered a chance though, 50 and the batter would declare unless needed when everyone else was out. A quite magnificent knock from Mee (batsman name; not me who’s writing) bought up his half century, he was off and Armstrong and Tomlinson suddenly had an end to work with. 

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Where there’s a Will (Tomlinson) there’s a way. This was one for the books. 

First wicket. Through the gate, clean bowled. Second, good work and catch by the ball magnet Jack Lester, a monster in the field all afternoon. Two in two. Hattrick ball. Silly field called for. It comes out the hand, it looks good, pitches in the line, keeps low, the bat isn’t down in the time. Onto the pads. The ball rolls away, no one knows where. No ones looking at that. 11 men in white turn to the umpire and raise the roof in appeal, the noise is biblical. A pause, a wait. The umpires face creases and slowly the finger rises up. Tomlinson is mobbed. Hattrick hero. His name into the history books. Top work Will, in the hattrick club with the greats now.

But there’s still a game to be won. Wellington are 9 down and less than 10 away from the win. What’s more the man/teenager who has tormented the Elf and got Wellington to within touching distance of the win, Mee, is back. They see out the over. Next it’s the batsman verses Dan Armstrong, he keeps the over tight, Wellington hardly survive, but they target the Hattrick man the next over, fancying there chances against the spin rather than the pace of Armstrong, it only needs one shot to win and undo all the Health’s hardwork. Tommo sends a couple down. Dot. Dot. Only a shot away. The third ball of the over Wellington twist, the big shot is out, but the ball skids past and that old familiar clunk of hit wickets and bouncing bails is heard. The Elf have done it, the most slender and unlikely win but a win non the less, the season is underway and the team are back to winning ways. Amazing days for Butler with 5, Will with 4 and DS with one. BBC Radio Pelsall want the exclusive.

It’s straight to the bar and the stunning views of the Wrekin for the victorious Elf team, jugs in and a good laugh afterwards. It’s known, but doesn’t have to be said, that this is a day that will live long in the memories of those who were there. A picture-perfect ending to a quite brilliant day. 

Walsall Health are playing next at home to Lichfield this Sunday and if it’s half as good as this game, it promises to be a sight to be seen.