On the Up?

Well, we lost both games again this week. That's no wins from eight so far. But compared to last week I'm pretty happy! Because this week there were many positives to talk about, whereas last week I struggled to find any...

The first team were at home against the table topping Embsay firsts. And we were instantly in trouble when only nine of our players turned up. Meanwhile the opposition looked big, strong and confident... Winning the toss was crucial, as doing so allowed us to bat first. And that led to the first team's best batting performance of the season. Mick Cryer was a hero. Opening, he blocked everything their bowlers threw at him. For thirty three overs he stood, as one of the opposition called him, 'like a bloody brick wall'. His job was to tie one end down whilst his colleagues scored the runs at the other end, and he carried out his role perfectly.

Mohammed Arshad struck four boundaries before being caught off a huge top edge for 22; Ajmal Masood struck a towering 6 into the pylon; Aftab Khan, looking as composed as always, dismissed his first ball for six and followed it with a couple of fours off the next two before being caught off another top edge; and Bilal Bashir was imperious in a quick twenty not out, smashing a couple of big sixes and being rewarded with the fielders being spread out to the boundary.

Sadly 104 all out wasn't going to seriously trouble the top team, but at least we (and the ever consistent Mohammed Arshad)picked up a couple wickets, including one from the first delivery thanks to a great catch by Masood. The best thing about the performance though was the attitude. Everyone pulled together, chased in the field for a lost cause, and enjoyed themselves.

The second team also had their best performance with the bat, scoring an impressive 192 - 8, using all 45 overs as well! Ibrar Ali excelled with 61 off just 51 balls, including 3 sixes and 6 fours. He was assisted by Mohammad Qadeer (24), Imran Kamal(26) and Gulzreen Ashraf (36) - some excellent batting there.

Sadly, what should have been a winning total was thrown away by what has been described as one of the worst fielding performances of the last few years. I wasn't there so I can't say what went wrong. The players will have to think it through and work that one out - whether it was complacence after scoring so big, lack of effort, or just a bad day at the office - what is clear is that the bowling wasn't up to recent weeks efforts, and the fielding was poor. Conceding 35 runs in extras is criminal. Again, from what I heard afterwards only Qadeer can really take much pride from his performance, with Akeel Rashid also able to hold his head high with three wickets - though five no balls takes the shine off a little.

Still, two much improved batting displays from understrength teams, committed fielding from the first team, and if we can put down the second team's fielding as a one off, then everything is heading in the right direction.

This week will see the return of Gully as first team captain, and hopefully a stronger first team in general. That will free up some of the players who have been so valiant in stepping up to the mark for the last few weeks to come back into the seconds, strengthening that team too.

1st team away at Denholme CC, who are currently mid table 2nd team home to Thornton in Craven CC, who have only won once this season so far

And on Sunday the 2nd team have a cup match at Cononley too.

The season starts here!