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| > Northumberland CCC v Staffordshire CCC Match Report |
Following on from their Knock-Out Trophy final defeat and the wash out of their three day game against Suffolk, Staffordshire’s season looks to be drifting to a disappointing end as a below par performance saw them crash to a deserved defeat at Jesmond against Northumberland.
After the first innings of both sides had been completed to leave Staffs starting the final day with a two run advantage, their top order was once more blown away to provide the home side with the opportunity to clinch the win.
Following on from their 12 for three in the first innings, Staffs were in even more disarray second time around after slumping to 18 for five.
An amazing last wicket partnership of 91 between Dave Edwards and Greg Willott helped to turn round Staffordshire’s second innings, which was in danger of collapsing totally, before the pair came together straight after lunch on the final day. From a disastrous position of 88 for nine the pairing more than doubled the Staffs score, to set the home side a victory target of 182 in a minimum of 53 overs.
Danny Brierley avoided a pair with a pull to the fine leg boundary but that was to be his only scoring shot as he flashed wildly at a Stephen Boyd delivery to provide a comfortable catch for Phil Nicholson behind the stumps. In the same over fellow opener Peter Wilshaw edged into Mark Dale’s hands at second slip to leave Staffs struggling at 5 for two.
Worse was to follow as Jimmy Dawson was caught at short leg to make it 9 for three which quickly became 10 for four as Joe Leach tamely edged a Boyd delivery through to the wicket keeper as Staffordshire’s top order weaknesses were once more cruelly exposed.
The next disaster came with the score on 18 when Kim Barnett, who had helped restore order in the first innings debacle, failed to make his ground after being sent back by Paul Goodwin and the direct hit from the throw shattered his stumps.
Captain Paul Goodwin began to provide some resistance and, in partnership with Craig Barker added 42 for the sixth wicket. Of this partnership Barker scored just the two and after being given a life at slip by Scott with the total on 41, the same fielder made amends to ensure the sixth wicket fell on 60 to remove the Audley player.
Goodwin reached a season’s best championship score of 49 before his attempts to salvage anything from the game was ended as from his attempted hook shot the ball made its way into the wicket keepers gloves, to give Marc Symington his second success.
Without addition to the score of 69, the procession continued as Russ Ballard presented home skipper Nicholson his eighth catch of the game. Ballard’s departure without scoring was the innings third duck and the fifth zero from a Staffordshire batsman in the match.
Will Purser’s brief flurry produced 17 runs to go with his 49 in the first innings, but the returning Muchall ended his stay at the wicket courtesy of Dale’s catch in the slips to see the players leave the field for lunch with Staffs in dire straights at 88 for nine, a lead of just 90. This was the prelude to the after lunch entertainment which was to frustrate the home players but ultimately wasn’t sufficient to deny them victory.
The Northumberland attack were vastly superior to their Staffs counterparts in the match with the exception of Craig Barker’s first innings efforts, and capitalised fully on the seam movement available in the wicket if the right length was bowled until the Edwards/Willott partnership dented their figures and hopes of an early finish.
Chasing their victory target opener Mark Dale followed up his first innings knock of 87 with an excellent 71 from just 69 balls to set up the victory chase. Despite Greg Willott’s three wickets and one each for Dave Edwards and Russ Ballard, the home side clinched a deserved victory with five balls of the match remaining. This was after the original 53 overs to score the required runs was reduced to 37 overs after rain had threatened to foil the home side.
Availability problems had forced Staffordshire into enforced changes for the game. The inclusion of Danny Brierley and Joe Leach for their first three day appearances of the season takes the tally of players used by Staffs this season in the longer version of the game to 16. This number is dwarfed by the 22 already utilised by the home team in the four matches played so far.
The change in personnel at the top of the order did little to change the weaknesses seen in recent matches as, after electing to bat first on a well grassed wicket Staffs were reduced to 12 for three inside eleven overs of their innings. Wood Lane opener Dan Brierley was unable to reproduce the form he has shown in the league and feathered a catch to wicket keeper Phil Nicholson from the fifth delivery he received on his first appearance of the season for the county.
Stone’s Jim Dawson also failed to get off the mark as Dan Shurben took an outstanding one handed catch at second slip and when Peter Wilshaw followed shortly after for 6, the Staffs innings was in turmoil.
The experience of Kim Barnett helped them to weather the storm but with the score on 43 Joe Leach departed for 11, also to catch by the wicket keeper.
Skipper Paul Goodwin and Barnett remained together until lunch, although not without a few scares along the way, as the ball continued to seam off the wicket and swing in the overcast conditions. At the break Staffs had progressed to 100 for the loss of four wickets, with Barnett having reached an excellent half century.
In similar fashion to the first session, Staffs lost early wickets on the resumption with Goodwin departing without addition to his 21 to the second ball after lunch and then Barnett somewhat surprisingly playing a loose shot into the covers to be dismissed for 52, the sixth wicket falling on 102. Barnett’s total came from 109 balls and contained seven boundaries.
From this precarious position, Staffs late order batsmen staged a strong fight back to reach an impressive 253 all out. Russ Ballard and Greg Willott made useful contributions of 20 and 15 respectively, but it was Craig Barker and Will Purser who rose to the challenge and help Staffs gain two batting points.
Barker remained at the crease for 156 minutes and had hit seven boundaries in his 54 before being dismissed in unfortunate circumstances as, going for a second run he collided with his batting partner Will Purser in mid wicket, and was run out. The ninth wicket pairing had added 56 runs before Barker’s bizarre down fall with the total on 226.
Purser continued on his merry way hitting one straight six and eight boundaries in a run a ball innings of 49 before being bowled off his pads one short of a deserved half century.
Without the services of recognized opener Dan Shurben, who required hospital treatment for a damaged finger sustained in the field, Mark Dale and Richard Coughtrie made a positive start to the Northumberland response and recorded a half century opening partnership before Greg Willott produced classic left arm bowler’s wicket as the swinging ball knocked over Coughtrie’s stumps for 23. The home side survived without further loss to go into the second day trailing Staffs by 197 runs with nine wickets still standing.
A rain affected second day left Northumberland two runs short of Staffs first innings score of 253 with two wickets in hand, when a heavy storm brought play to a premature end with just under two hours play remaining on the second day. This followed a delayed start at 2pm following overnight rain and continuing drizzle in the morning as the weather continued to seriously impact on Staffordshire’s championship campaign.
Needing to take early wickets on day two to make an impact as Northumberland resumed on 56 for one, Staffs opening pair of Dave Edwards and Will Purser failed to find the required accuracy and length. However 30 minutes after the start Edwards found the edge of Marc Symington’s bat and Jimmy Dawson gratefully accepted the opportunity at second slip.
Dan Shurben shrugged of his finger injury to strike a few lusty blows before the introduction of Craig Barker into the attack brought immediate reward as Paul Goodwin snapped up a sharp chance behind the wickets to remove the dangerous left hander with the third wicket falling on 113.
Stand in opener Mark Dale continued his impressive innings but having reached 87 he lost his middle stump as Barker continued to find the line and length his colleagues had found elusive.
Former Durham player Gary Scott, Northumberland’s outstanding performer with the bat this season going to the wicket with 431 runs from his previous six championship innings, was the next to fall to Barker as he was bowled for 34 to leave the home side 183 for five at the tea interval. Barker’s magnificent eleven over spell produced figures of three for 21 and his efforts could easily have been better rewarded.
After the break Stone off spinner Russ Ballard got into the wickets having Adam Cragg well caught on the mid wicket boundary for 33 and followed this with the fortuitous dismissal of Andrew Smith who struck a full toss straight to Will Purser at mid on.
A 15 minute rain break was the prelude the heavier storm which brought a premature conclusion to proceedings, but in the short period the players were back on the pitch Ballard struck for a third time to remove home captain Phil Nicholson caught by Goodwin from his attempted sweep shot.
To add to Staffordshire’s woes their desultory over rate led to a two point penalty reducing their points tally from the game from five to three.
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