In an effort to offer entertainment to the crowd, Stretford batted first. Tideswell, after the usual pre-match ritual of introducing themselves to one another, opened the bowling with the pace duo of Cormack and Shirt. The pitch was hard, true and occupied by batsmen of real competence. Everyone took a wacking but kept going; Dan bowled a great ball to take the first wicket and Saville, having relaxed a bit, bowled a lovely outswinger. Spin came from Sammy the Stag and Bomber Waining; I have heard, on the grapevine, that the latter has been contacted by NASA with a view to resupplying the international space station. Sayers had a bowl and took a wicket, and there was the usual performance of "Seven Byes for Seven Brothers" behind the stumps. Stretford made 223 for five, pegged back by a very decent Tideswell fielding display.
The batting was dire. Paul Rushworth went to the second ball of the innings; no doubt he will take solace from holding a great catch and getting the fielding points.....no doubt..... Further gloom ensued when it became clear that Reeves was the only batsman that appeared to have any clue how to play the Stretford attack; there is no justice in this world. Tideswell subsided to 75-8 shortly after twenty overs. Coker and Taylor had an amusing stand, with the injured Sayers joining in the fun with a runner. Taylor was last out, bowled by the worst ball of the match while playing, almost certainly, the worst shot of the match - and there was some pretty serious competition for that title. It's not everyday that one sees a five in the scorebook, so:
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