Jack and Jack make it back-to-back for the Walsall Health 

The scoreboard was up, covers off the pitch, the track looked fantastic on a perfect summer’s day. The outfield was pristine, the stale ends of warm beer bottles cleared out of the clubhouse from the night before, all at Carter Park was set. The Walsall Health were ready, even the late and last Jack Stenson had seen off a round of 18 and made it to the ground. The lads were ready to go minutes before the start. But one very important thing was missing. An Opposition. 

Nervous glances and text messages were fired out, tee times looked into in case Lichfield never arrived, and there was even a threat of a fielding drill breaking out. Worried that the winning streak would be over before it even began, the players watched the entrance to the ground nervously for signs off life but soon the first cars started snaking round the corner and Lichfield had arrived. The visitors kindly donated the toss and apologised for the admin error that made them late. 

The Health were to bat first and after a few team low scores to start the ’25 season, the order of the day was to dig in and get some runs on the board. Dan Dunn and Stenson fought hard for the Batsman of the Year last season. They showed why at the beginning of the innings, seeing off some tricky opening bowling, the boundaries were starting to come and the run rate increased before Dunn was bowled for 14 by Rubisch (bowler’s name, not the ball that got him.) This brought Will Lauchlan to the crease, batting at 3 for the second time this season, he dug in with Stenson, both were given a couple of lives but kept the board ticking until drinks and beyond, laying a good foundation for the innings with a team season high partnership of 82.

At the risk of two leaving 9 batters in the shed though and wasting their teammates Sunday, the two decided to twist and play some attacking shots (Stenson followed this decision up with a maiden.) Lauchlan had already struck a 6 earlier in the innings and spent his last few balls trying to do the same with (very) limited success before being bowled for 32. Stenson followed soon after for the Elf’s first 50+ score of the season, eventually out caught for 56. With 3 figures on the board, the incoming batsmen, Will Tomlinson and Dave Hill had licence to swing from the hip and play some shots. Hill was out early for 2 but Tomlinson was quick through the gears and was peppering the boundaries regularly with a flurry of well-timed 4s. Nunns joined him for a double southpaw batting partnership of 37 before the two fell in quick succession, Will for 28, Alex for 15. Mac (2) and Wyatt (7) finished not out as the Elf went to a very respectable 193-6. Double their previous score on a much worse pitch than the week before. Cricket ay? 

Bowling has been the strong suit of the Elf this season. DS though, the reliable everthere, has been short of his best this year by his own admission, but there wasn’t a hint of it in this spell. Almost every ball was on a sixpence and as is often the case with Dave, the good balls were too good to get an edge. He ended up with just the 5 maidens out of 8 overs as well as two wickets for just the 9 runs. A bit expensive Dave but well bowled. Starting from the other end was last week’s hero Tomlinson who also got himself a wicket to get  Lichfield 3 down after the first 12 overs. 

Lichfield weren’t done yet, though. A partnership started to form and Tomlinson was swiped for two sixes. Following that the Lichfield batsmen took a real liking to Rich Fell, who was rewarded for giving up his end to Mark Wood/Jack Lester by being slapped to the boundary regularly before taking himself out of the attack before drinks.

The changes and drinks turned out to be a master stroke for the Health as Lester came onto bowl and began a flurry of wickets, taking two in his first over to dent any real hopes of a Lichfield comeback. Dan Dunn came on at the other end and between them, the two bowled out Lichfield well short of the target. A serious case of jug avoidance for Lester, who with one ball at the number 11 to get his first fifer, sent it harmlessly down the leg side. His four wickets, though made a big difference in a game Lichfield were looking to get back into. Three wickets for Dan Dunn, also including a ‘one of the cameras’ diving caught and bowled. Big hand also in the field to the Elf in particular Alex Nunns who came away with 3 catches and Mac for a brilliant stumping towards the end, often his hands are a bit too quick for square leg umpires to give it out but it never stops his now traditional whipping off of the bails and death stare of square leg for a decision. 

All in all, it was a solid team effort from the Health, but a double Jack was the order of the day in a convincing win. 

Walsall Health continue their season at the memorial game at Alrewas on the late May bank holiday Sunday (weather permitting.) It’s always a lovely day played in the right spirit, with a very decent ice cream van and bar so make your way down if possible.