“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. 

The Force was definitely against the Health as Springfield down the Elves
– again.
Springhill CC (181-2) beat Walsall Health CC (180-8) by eight wickets
Something things hardly ever change; the unpredictable British weather, the mad rush and the
inevitable queues on a Bank Holiday and Walsall Health coming away from Springhill empty handed.
After last week’s defeat at the hands of Yoxall CC at Carter Park, Walsall Health travelled to
Springhill aiming to get back to winning ways. With the absence of regular captain Alex Nunns who
was up in Yorkshire (possibly watching his beloved Warwickshire Bears knocking the runs off to earn
an important victory in the County Championship), it was left to JP lead the troops on the field for a
second week running. There were ominous signs from the very start, when despite practising the
coin toss before the game (and the opposition saying we could bat first), the stand-in skipper still
managed to lose it. However, under the clear skies, the Health batted first and Dan Dunn and Jack
Stenson went out looking to put their own stamps on the game.

Jack and Dan started off brightly, with quick runs from the beginning, putting the bowlers under
pressure going at 5 an over and looking comfortable where boundaries were coming easily. That was
until the score reached 32. Both batters, who were settled and the partnership increasing at a steady
rate, was suddenly broken when Dan Dunn was bowled by a ball that was there to hit. Any
connection would have brought up Dan’s 6 th boundary, but the only thing it connected with was the
stumps and Dan had to go after being bowled for 22. Still, there was plenty o batting to come with a
strong supporting cast to follow. In at number 3 was the youngster Will Tomlinson who was eager to
put the disappointment of last week’s low score behind him and he started with intent and
positivity. Both Will and Jack started building a good partnership until Jack – when he was on 22
came forward to defend a ball “3 or 4 yards down the wicket” as he stated later, only to be given
LBW by his “best mate” DS. It had been a steady start, but Will needed to build a strong with the
next man in who-ever that might be.

That man was none-other than the ‘Marathon Man’ Mac Perager – who had only just recovered from
his magnificent conquering of the London Marathon seven days earlier. He and Will over a period of
14 overs had lifted the score from 46-2 to 111-2. Both Will and Mac, like the pairs before them,
started to find the gaps regularly and the scoreboard was going at a health 5 an over. A consistent
run rate would surely give the Health a handy advantage. There had been a few scary moments,
when chances came and went for the bowlers, but unfortunately for Will when he was on 34, one
chance too many was taken and he was caught at mid-off with the score on 111. It looked as though
drinks came at the right time and new batter Dave ‘WG Grace’ Hill’ (who had batted superbly the
week before) and Mac started knocking it around nicely. Despite a few scares – including Mac
setting off for a run, realising there was no run and scrambling back into his crease and then going
down in stages – another partnership was building nicely until the score reached 128 and Mac was
adjudged to be out LBW when he was on 27. A good first score of the season, which will hopefully
see him gain confidence from time in the middle and this can only be good for the coming season.

With the departure of Mac, in came Hill junior as Wyatt entered the crease, possibility a little
apprehensive after his Double Duck against Yoxall, to join his Dad in one of two ‘father-son
appearances. However, any evidence of that apprehensiveness quickly vanished as each stroke that
played gave the pair renewed confidence. Dave was able to guide Wyatt along and the confidence in
Wyatt’s shot selection helped the pair put on a useful partnership of 14 until Dave was bowled for 7.
Despite a single figure score, Dave could feel pleased with his start to the season and it can only help
him when he gets out there again. The confidence he has shown after being moved up the order will
not only benefit him, but also the team.

Joining Wyatt at the crease was our 2 nd Marathon man of the week Jack Lester. The question was
would he be able the same impact as Mac after his exploits in Manchester. Like Zack Crawley at
Edgbaston in 2023, Jack creamed his first ball to the boundary. What a start! A few balls later,
another 4 from Jack. As they were starting to build something Wyatt was dismissed for 6. An innings
that he could be proud of and any worries he might have had evaporated. Well played Wyatt.
Hopefully this will surely be the start of a few more scores. Dave Stephens came out to join Jack to
rebuild the score and hit as many runs as he could. Before he could settle, his partner at the other
end was bowled for a well played 11. However, unlike last week, this was not the highest score, but
like Mac, a good knock for his first outing of the season. The next man in was our father-son duo as
Alan ‘Nicka’ Dunn came to the crease. When he arrived at the ground, I don’t think he was expecting
to be in the game as much as he was. As he said at the start “I don’t want to bowl. I’m happy to just
stand at slip”. But he came out to the crease with the intention of scoring runs through 4s and 6s. He
made a good job it too as a few lusty blows got him to 14 not out. While he was hitting away, DS
became the 8 th wicket to fall, as a ball that looked as though it was there to hit, jumped up, caught
him by surprise and was caught for 10. However, DS was going to play a major role in the second
innings. His departure brought JP in for the last few overs hoping to add a few more runs to keep us
with the early innings run rate. However, the innings closed on 180-8 – a competitive total, but was
it going to be successfully defended?

After setting a reasonable score and one that some Health players thought would be enough to get
them over the line, the Health took to the field with confidence they had the armour to defend the
score. After all, they had bowlers like DS and Dan Dunn who could keep it tight when it was needed.
So JP turned to DS and Jack Lester knowing that an early breakthrough could make all the difference.
However, the first over from DS showed that it was going to be a tough ask as the Springhill opening
pair set themselves with the aim of being there at the end. From the start of the game, the weather
conditions had changed quite rapidly, making it harder to control bowling. Any slight line or length
alteration was duly punished and sent to the ropes. Despite this DS was ever so unlucky. There must
have been 4 or 5 LBW shouts and every single one of them was dismissed. As DS claimed later “…at
least 2 or 3 were plumb”. Another day, DS may have been walking away with the match ball having
collected a 5-fer. At the end of their respective spells, DS finished with 8-0-43-0 and Jack finished
with 4-0-20-0. Unlucky both. The two opening bowlers were then replaced by Will Tomlinson and
Nicka (who wasn’t going to do anything).

Both Nicka and Will bowled tidily creating opportunities that made the batters think again. It was
Nicka’s tidy bowling that brought the first wicket. His line and length created uncertainty for the
batters and when they could run a quick two, it was none-other than DS fielding at fine leg, who
threw the ball in for Mac to take the bails off. Despite the first wicket going down and the adulationit brought, frustration was getting the better of the Health as dropped catches were mounting and
stumping attempts were being ignored. However, their efforts were not to go without reward as
Nicka finished on 8-3-11-0 and Will finished on figures of 8-2-48-1. Well bowled Nicka and Will. Soon
after drinks, JP and opening batter Dan Dunn were given the task of trying to break this impressive
partnership that had been knocking the ball around calmly, but consistently. When the good balls
came, they defended well and waited for the odd bad ball to be put away. Just like the Health
innings, there were chances towards the end, but those chances came and disappeared. Eventually,
with 5 overs left, Springhill wrapped up the victory and left some of the Health despondent. JP
finished on 5.5-0-44-0 and Dan finished on 2-0-17-0.

Despite the loss, a valiant effort was made by all who participated and hopefully a first win of the
season is not that far away for the Health. But it’s onwards and upwards for our next fixture away at
Wellington, a fixture that many will be looking forward to, fingers crossed that we will have the
weather for it.

Walsall Health CC v Springhill CC
Walsall Health 180-9. Springhill 184-2. Springhill win by 8 Wickets

The Healths reduced side of 10 fall to defeat in the closing overs.
Despite being short of players, the Health travelled to Springhill in search of their first
win of the season after last weeks ‘warm up’ game at home to Yoxall. However, more
importantly the team were looking to gain a rare win at the coin toss, and after
practicing 10 times, Captain John Preece called tails listening to the advice of, ‘Tails
never Fails’. Of course, the coin landed on Heads and the Springhill skipper put the
Health in to bat.

Jack Stenson and Dan Dunn walked out to open in the hopes of getting the Health
off to a quick start, which they did, putting the fielders under pressure by rotating the
strike and running hard. The pair also had no trouble finding the boundary either,
both looking good hitting square of the wicket. As he began to look set, Dan was
bowled for 22 by a grenade ball, clearly out of the Jack Stenson bowling armoury.
Will Tomlinson came to the crease, with him and Jack striving to continue the innings
in a fast-scoring manner. However, the later was trapped in front by the Springhill
opening quick bowler and promptly ‘triggered’ by the umpire, despite this Jack
accepted the he had been given out and didn’t say anything about it for the rest of
the day.

Jacks’ replacement at the middle was Mac Perager fresh from his completion of the
London Marathon (Congrats Mac). In the hopes of avoiding another capitulation of
the batting line up, Mac and Will took their time and played by the phrase put away
the bad ball. This saw the Health through to the drinks break 2 down and well set up
to try and push on for a big score.

Quickly after the drinks break, Mac fell, he didn’t get out but rather ran to fast for his
own good, ending up on his stomach following a quick single. Not long after this,
Tomlinson got himself out on 34 to a signature hoick straight to the Mid on fielder.
Mac was then accompanied by Dave Hill, who from the outset looked to play
positively. Before the partnership could get going though Mac found himself out for
LBW for 27, a very tidy knock.

This wicket brought Wytt Hill to the crease, looking to get his season underway with
the bat, and get a higher score than his dad. Dave was soon bowled on 7, giving
Wyatt a chance to go 1-0 up against his dad due to last weeks scores not counting.
However, he fell just short on 6, as he was also bowled.

The new partnership was Jack Lester and Dave Stephens, the former also off the
back of a marathon of his own (Congrats Jack). Lester completely ignored the advice
of teammates telling him to take his time, as he dispatched his first 2 deliveries for 4.
DS then followed suit with a couple of boundaries of his own. Lester then copied his
teammates by being clean bowled after a solid start. The 9 th Health batter to step up

was Allan (Nicka) Dunn, who said before going out, ‘Ill just have a slog’, which is
what he did, looking to put the ball into the next field. At the other end, DS looked to
loft one over cover but rather gave the fielder catching practice. With only 1 or 2
overs remaining by now skipper JP came out to finish the innings with Nicka as the
two saw the Health through the allotted 40 overs, finishing on a total of 180-9.

With a decent total to defend on a pitch that was definitely bowling friendly, the
Health headed out in search of early wickets. DS was to open, however, struggled to
find a rhythm early on and gave up a few uncharacteristic boundaries. He soon
found his line and length, finding the opening batters’ pads on multiple occasions,
but all shouts for LBW were swiftly turned down by the umpire, much to DS’s
frustration. It was Jack Lester (Mark Wood) at the other end, who bowled some
testing deliveries alongside a few ‘harsh’ wides.

Towards the back end of Lester’s short spell one of his rapid deliveries was flicked
down to fine leg where DS was waiting to gather the ball and take advantage of a
mix up between the batters. He threw in to the gloves of ever-capable wicket keeper
Mac who whipped the bails off for the Healths first wicket. Despite this wicket, JP
decided a change in the bowling was in order for the Health, brining on Nicka to try
and slow the scoring rate. Which he did, ending up with the best figures of the
Walsall Health attack.

As DS’s 8 overs came to a close, Tomlinson came on knowing a couple of wickets
could bring the game into the Healths favour. However, couldn’t seem to find a
consistent line and length and not troubling the batters in his first few overs. Although
there weren’t many chances coming the way of the fielding side, dot balls were piling
up at both ends, slowly increasing the required run rate. This eventually enticed a
false shot from the number 3 batter, as he missed a delivery that kept low and
clipped the off stump. Unfortunately, this was a good as it got for the Health, as the
number 4 took advantage of some poor bowling by Tomlinson, dispatching him
around the ground, releasing the pressure that Nicka and Will had been building.

At the end of Nicka’s spell, JP brought himself into the attack, but the opening batter
and number 4 were now set at the crease and ticking the score over with ease. The
Walsall Health side didn’t give up in the field though, still chasing every ball and
putting their bodies on the line to try and stem the flow of runs. A big part of this was
Springhill player ‘Ritchie’(helping make up 11 for the Health), who fielded brilliantly
even when the ball seemed to follow him around. Tomlinson was replaced by fellow
part time spinner Dan Dunn in a last effort to try and change the game, who looked
to have his wicket. The square leg umpire disagreed however, turning down a very
confident appeal from both the wicket keeper and bowler for a stumping. The game
continued to ebb away from the Health as the boundaries carried on flowing and
ended quite unspectacularly with the Springhill batter helping a poor delivery from
Dunn the younger to the cover boundary with a few overs to spare.

Next week the Health travel to Wellington, looking for their first win of the season, but
more importantly, playing the game in the correct spirit and enjoying their cricket.