Winning Weekend May Mean Historic Double Promotion
Aldborough CC won both league games over the weekend to ensure that both teams finished in the runners-up spot in Leagues 1 and 5 respectively. With no team from the West Norfolk League likely to promote to the Alliance (although this is by no means confirmed) then it may be that The Greens will get promoted from the Norfolk League with Hardingham; we are currently awaiting confirmation of this. The 2nd XI had a nail-biting finish at home to promotion contenders Hingham and the Sunday 6-a-Side tournament was a great success. An excellent season ended with victory and celebration as both teams won to (probably) seal promtion. Read on for the match reports…Norfolk League Division One
Aldborough 99 for 1 (23) beat Caister 98 all out (3)
Aldborough were celebrating on Saturday after both teams were victorious in their quest for promotion. The first eleven demolished Caister in quick time to take runners up spot which should prove to be enough to take them into the Norfolk Alliance next year.
Winning the toss was vital in this game if any chance was to be had in winning the title. However the coin fell down on the wrong side and a depleted and uninterested Caister side chose to bat. The wicket was clearly suffering from poor weather and preparation and it was evident that Aldborough had to go for a straight win rather than manipulate a run chase to try and gain maximum points.
From ball one Reeve had the bit between his teeth and bowled good lines and pace and beat the bat over a dozen times early on. At the other end Board was less effective and unable to cope with the block block hit technique of Lamming. It was 12 overs before the breakthrough occurred when the Aldborough skipper pulled off a one handed caught and bowled near to the floor and this was the spark that was needed.
Two bowling changes then ensued and within the hour Caister were all out. Cannon and Reeve with further good catches helped Holroyd and Barnard run through Caister. Holroyd bowled sensible lines and in five consecutive overs took five wickets and finished with 5-39 after Sims slogged a few quick runs. Barnard with good skill and variation picked up two and Caister were out for 98.
Fifteen tricky overs before tea needed to be negotiated with the impressive Bartram bowling well. He removed Cannon with a peach and put pressure on Cooper and Fell. The experienced duo battled out the early demons of the pitch and took the team to 40 for 1 at tea. After the break the game was won in short time, both left handers played extremely well and gave no chances at all. Both finished on 39 not out they won the game with 17 overs to spare. Results elsewhere meant that Hardingham took the title by 1 point with Winterton finishing 3rd only 5 points behind. The race went to the end and was clearly a journey of ups and downs. The team performed like champions on many occasions and when they won they usually won in style. This year the difference between success and failure was fractional and the team and club should proud of the achievement of returning to the Alliance after a fifteen year break.
Knights Sporting Limited Man of the Match : Mark Holroyd
Norfolk Cricket League Division 5
Aldborough ‘A’ (23 pts) 128-10 beat Hingham (7pts) 114-10 by 14 runs
Going in to the final weekend of the season, Aldborough ‘A’ lay second in Division 5 with all to play for in the promotion chase as less than a point separated them from Halvergate and Hingham in third and fourth respectively. Aldborough’s opponents on this final weekend were in fact Hingham, who knew that a good win and any slip up from Halvergate could push them from fourth into the other promotion spot.
Skipper Mike Cramp won the all important toss and elected to bat first on what looked a reasonable pitch and fast outfield. In the field however, Hingham bowled excellently, with openers Weston (12-6-27-0) and Scent (10-4-19-4) being miserly with the new ball and restricting Aldborough’s opening pair well. Skinner was the first to go looking to drive a rare half-volley through the covers and being caught behind to put Aldborough on the back foot early on at 5-1. Armiger (9) joined Mack and provided some good resistance before mistiming a drive and being caught and bowled by first-change bowler Dix, who bowled excellently throughout to finish with figures of 11.4-2-39-6. Cramp fell soon after to the same bowler looking to leave a ball that subsequently flew up off a length and caught his glove on the way through to the keeper. Opener Mack, who had grinded his way to 24 was the next to go, he too being caught and bowled on a wicket that had become extremely difficult to play with confidence on. Nicholson, in good form this season with bat and gloves, could not stop the rot either as he perished for 1, leaving Aldborough at 43-5 in the 26th over. With Aldborough’s promotion hopes hanging on the line, a colossal effort was needed from the remaining middle and lower order to salvage a defendable total. Swinbourne was the first to step up and be counted, hitting an impressive and timely 14, including a first league 6 over square leg. Sizeland (6) looked good before looking to drive and being bowled, leaving Aldborough at 72-7. The emerging Tom Seaman then came to the wicket and played solidly for 23, showing he has the makings of becoming a fine all-rounder for Aldborough. With good support from Dingle (6) and then a 10th wicket partnership of 38 with the impressive Tuthill (20), who hit two maximums in two balls off the bowling of Dix, Aldborough reached 128 all out in the 44th over. Knight finished 1 not out.
Sensing that this would not be an easy total to reach, Aldborough came out fired up in the field and duly struck early, with opener Key edging through to keeper Nicholson off the bowling of Dingle (9-4-22-1) to leave the score at 1-1. At the other end, the left-handed Guy batted aggressively and sought to punish anything off his hips. He made an impressive 36 before a good catch from Armiger at backward square leg off the bowling of Seaman (7-0-39-2) led to his downfall. Seaman struck again to remove the stumps of Wright and leave Hingham at 58-3. Change bowlers Mack and Tuthill (6-3-9-2) then put the pressure firmly on the Hingham middle order as they bowled the next 12 overs of the match between them for 34 runs, with 4 wickets falling, including a good run-out from Sizeland as the pressure started to get to Hingham. Tuthill, in fantastic form throughout August taking 14 wickets at an average of 7.36, picked up the wicket of Guy Jnr within his spell, who too had looked dangerous on his way to 22. At 88-7 the game was still very much in the balance. Aldborough’s seamers were bowling well and Hingham were finding it extremely difficult to get bat on ball, particularly off the returning Dingle, who’s second spell of 5 overs included 4 maidens and conceded only one 4 runs. Nethertheless, the partnership of Dix and Cooper had to be broken so skipper Cramp turned to his spin bowler Knight to work his magic. Intent on driving the club forward to promotion, Club Chairman Knight (2-0-2-1) struck instantly with his second ball as Dix, who looked solid on his way to 21 top edged a sweep shot that was caught well by Mack running forward at fine leg. The score was now 107-8. Hingham needed 22 to win and Aldborough needed 2 wickets with the tail firmly exposed. Mack then came steaming in from the other end to take the final two wickets and win Aldborough the game, first removing the stumps of Weston and then the middle stump of Scent in his subsequent over to finish with figures of 9.5-3-28-3. Hingham were all out for 114, giving Aldborough a winning margin of 14 runs.
Jubilant celebrations ensued with Aldborough safe in the knowledge they had obtained the points required to ensure promotion to Division 4. A hard fought game had been played and a fine team effort all round had managed to see Aldborough through to victory.
Knight’s Sporting Ltd Man of the Match: Charlie Mack (24 and 3-28)
Aldborough 6-a-Side Tournament - use ‘gallery’ link on right of homepage to see all the pictures from the day
With the stench of stale beer floating amongst the heavy-eyed contenders and Ben Plumb chewing morosely on a Peppered Steak Slice from Spar after a particularly heavy night, the first match of the tournament got off to a slow-ish start. The Aldborough Lions arrived for the first match and were pitted against the Under 20’s who, still reeling from the celebrations the night before, managed to pull off a victory with Plumby and Armiger batting well to back up good bowling and sharp fielding.
In game 2 the Ash CC were up against the Soggy Biscuits and as they wandered out there was a streaker spotted amongst the ranks! It was Tom Ash, in his speedo trunks that are two sizes too small and nothing else. Tom, on the back of 1 hours sleep, jogged out in his trunks before Vice-Chairman Fisher could pull him back and it was only a complaint from nearby children that shamed the legendary bowler into putting some clothes on. The Soggy Biscuits took advantage of his forced modesty and took the win with good batting from Crampy to seal the deal.
Cannon’s Academicals were next up against the Lions who wilted under the hitting of Holroyd and Fisher and the bowling of Boardy. The Academicals took the win and the Lions roared off home to lick their paws.
The Soggy Biscuits tied up their group with a win over a depleted Aldborough Wednesday and Ash CC picked up a win against them as well to leave the Soggy Biscuits as group winners.
In the final game of the other group the Academicals faced off against the Under 20’s in a ferocious battle. The Academicals batted first and with Cannon hitting 39* and Holroyd 27* the team total of 75 looked challenging. Armiger and Plumb batted superbly well though to lead the chase and win in the final over to win the group and meet the Soggy Biscuits in the final.
After team photos and some wrestling, the game was on. The Biscuits batted first and Swinbourne, taking some heavy sledging from the Under 20’s, led the way with a resolute knock. Meanwhile Mack perished to Tuthill and Cramp was run out. Ray Smith batted well with Swinbourne to set a target of 64.
The Under 20’s started well but both Armiger and Plumb fell in quick succession with the score on 38. Seaman, Tuthill and Bodymore battled on and needed to find ten from the last over. Some good hits led to needing 3 from the final ball to win. A slap to mid wicket meant they took two- a tie! Bowl off!
As the crowd watched on the players each bowled one ball – the most hits out of six attempts would see you win the tournament. The first six bowlers (3 from each side) missed. Then Tuthill struck! Then Armiger struck! The U20’s were two nil up with two left to bowl. Boom – Swinbourne connects! It was down to Harvey Denfield of the Biscuits to tie it up… but his pig of a ball went five feet wide of the stumps and the game was done. Congratulations to the Under 20’s!
Champions – Aldborough Under 20’s
Player of the Tournament - Ben Plumb
* don’t forget the dinner, FRIDAY OCTOBER 2nd!