Woolhope CC 76-10 Crickhowell CC 79-5.
LAST Saturday, the Crickhowell cricketers rose from their slumbers to be greeted by rain and local weather conditions more suited to winter sports than summer’s noble game.
They were more than surprised when the call came to say their trip to Woolhope would go ahead and had to shelve plans to watch the FA cup final instead.
With windscreen wipers working overtime and all of the other Marches League Division 1 games cancelled, the team headed north thinking that this could be a wasted journey.
Conditions at Woolhope were certainly playable, but with pitch preparations affected by the weather, it was a good toss to win as batting with no doubt it would prove difficult with cloud cover to help the bowlers.
Skipper Francis duly obliged and invited the hosts to bat first. Brothers Joseph and Ben Bowker opened the bowling but it was a grim affair, as far as the Woolhope batsmen were concerned.
Watts was the first to go in Ben’s first over and Tanners went for a duck in his second, following a sharp stumping from Wallace, back in the ranks after missing the Ledbury game. Ben was enjoying these conditions and the ball was swinging making life very difficult for the batsmen.
He also had a wicket in his third over and might have had four in four, but this time the catch offered wasn’t taken. Joseph then came to the party getting Price caught behind for 3 in what was his fifth over and Ben finally got his fourth wicket in his sixth over.
With 12 overs bowled Woolhope seemed to have no hope at 36 for 5 but at least Weaver was hitting some lusty blows and had four boundaries to his name.
Nick Francis replaced Joseph Bowker, and promptly bowled Weaver and then proceeded to take another stunning slip catch for Ben Bowker’s fifth wicket. Francis then trapped Tanner LBW for 7, and had Watts bowled for 1. Ben then cleaned bowled Spry finishing with match figures of 6 for 39 in 11 overs.
Francis finished with 3 for 5 in his 4 overs and Weaver was the only batsman to reach double figures in a paltry total of 76 all out in less than 23 overs.
The sides changed around straight away as the teas were still in a state of preparation, and openers Tew and Lilly realised that it was only a matter of time before the rain, that was affecting most of Powys and Hereford, found its way to this corner of the county.
Batting was still going to be difficult but the chances of Woolhope defending such a low total were slim. Lilly in particular got on with things hitting five boundaries in his quick fire 22 and he and Tew put on 32 for the first wicket.
With Few bowling a tight line though for Woolhope, taking 3 for 10 in 5 overs, with Jones, Watts and Ben Bowker all going cheaply it was left to captain Francis again [22 not out] to steady the ship and see his side over the line. Joseph Bowker remained nine not out with a few singles and a big six but fittingly it was Francis who hit the winning runs with a 4 off Few to see Crickhowell win by five wickets and snatch 22 points.
With the points in the bag, and the match won in double quick time, it proved to be a remarkable day as, not only did the team win, with all of the other games washed out, but with the late kick off, they were still able to enjoy that tea, and were back home in time to watch the Cup Final.
Crickhowell are now in second place in the table one point behind Kington and 14 points ahead of Builth who they visit this week in what has turned out to be an early top-of-the-table clash.