2s Fight Back to Claim Victory

The 2nd XI claimed a thrilling victory away at Alkborough on Saturday to record their first league win of the season. The hosts won the toss and elected to bowl on a green wicket in humid, overcast conditions - fair choice - so it was Pricey and Spokesy who opened up for Lindum. The latter was first to fall early on after being given a bit of a working over by the Alkborough attack, bowled for four by a very decent nut by the skiddy opener. Pricey was knocking the ball around nicely, mainly to the six sweepers Alkborough put out in the second over.... However, after being joined by Ollie, Pricey was next to fall for 26, caught behind going on the attack. The Wizard of Ozzy was in at number four and he and Ollie batted patiently until the latter toed the life out of a cover drive which spooned up in the air down extra cover's throat. In at five was a man who was cruelly dragged away from the game he holds so dear a couple of years ago, and who was been waiting to don the Lindum colours one more time ever since... Joel Waller strode out to the middle and within minutes had caressed a lovely 18 runs around the park, almost giving himself a cardiac arrest in the meantime. When he did get out it was either that or CPR, so spooning one down mid-on's throat was probably a wise choice. Welcome back Joel! Ozzy fell not long after for 11, caught at slip off a textbook away swinger. Dewy and Ted made the most of their promotions to seven and eight, scoring a combined total of 0 between them to leave Lindum struggling on 90-7. However, Charlie Portlock, making his 2nd XI debut, went in at number nine and hung about brilliantly, allowing Max to knock the ball around nicely and also be dropped four times. Charlie's resistance was finally ended after a valuable partnership of 25. Zac was in at 10 and again provided Max with much needed support, the pair putting on 14 before Zac fell, and number 11 Jordan was the last man to go when he was bowled for four. Max finished on 36 not out, a crucial contribution in an all round under par batting display.

Dewy and Jordan opened up for Lindum after a fist-fight for who got the considerably favourable downhill end, and it was Jordan who made the early breakthrough, trapping Alkborough's scratchy opener LBW for 0 with the score 12-1. It was to be the last action in terms of wickets for a while, as the hosts' other opener and number three made batting look fairly comfortable to take the score to 71-1 and put themselves firmly in the driving seat. It was Ted who made the vital breakthrough; a drive from the opener was sliced to Ozzy at point who made no mistake with the catch to remove him for 30. The dangerous number three followed soon after for 37 - a huge leading edge off a Dewy wobbler was spooned miles in the air, and it was Max behind the stumps who eventually got his gloves to it when it came down from the Earth's atmosphere - 71-3 and all of a sudden Lindum had a chance. Ted got his second victim in the next over, getting the number four caught behind by Max for 0, and Dewy matched the feat by clean bowling the number five for seven with an absolute snorter having narrowly missed the outside edge a number of times prior to that. 82-5. After Ted's spell it was Pricey who came on to replace him, and with the batsman quaking in his boots after being quietly warned about Dan's pace by Joel at slip, his stumps were rearranged by Pricey's very first delivery - 82-6 and the scent of victory in the air. Pricey soon claimed his second and third - an LBW and Max took one behind to take his tally to three for the day. However, after continuing to play through the drizzle for a period of time, the batsmen, and maybe the umpires had a small say, took the decision to leave the field of play while/if the rain passed. Thankfully, after a half hour break, conditions were fit to continue, and Lindum were two wickets away from 20 points. The first came fairly quickly, with another textbook Dewy swinger trapping the batsman in front of all three. One more needed, and again it was gratefully provided by Dewy; a leg glance found a thick leading edge which found its way to a bricking-it Ollie at cover who clasped on to the wet, spinning ball to finish the game and secure the first 20 points of the season.

A quick mention also about the game played last Monday in the George Marshall Cup away at Hartsholme.... Lindum won the toss and batted first, posting 223-8 from our 45 overs. Pricey batted fantastically well to record an unbeaten 146, hopefully the first ton of many during his time with us. Beggers also batted nicely to chip in with 24.

In Hartsholme's chase, an early wicket apiece for Dewy and Picko reduced the hosts to 19-2, but a big third wicket partnership of 116 looked to turn the game in Hartsholme's favour. However, this was broken in bizarre circumstances when the number four, set perfectly on 78, slapped a rank long hop from Fish straight to Picko at mid-wicket who took a stunning catch millimetres from the ground and deforming his finger in the process. Pricey then took his fine form with the bat into his bowling, claiming three big wickets to restrict Hartsholme to 192-6, yet arguably still in control. This became 215-6, but Pricey remained in the thick of the action, taking a sharp catch off Dewy at mid-wicket to give Lindum a sniff. Nine runs or three wickets needed for the win. Step forward Matt Picko, whose masterful slower ball clean bowled the number nine, and then the quicker ball had the same outcome for the number 10 the very next ball. 216-9! Dewy was thrown the ball to bowl the final over, with Lindum needing just one more for victory and Hartshole eight runs. There were singles off the first two balls, and a HUGE LBW appeal off the third. The umpire gave it not out, but amongst the confusion and drama, the Hartsholme batsman had wandered out of his crease, leaving Max with the simple task to whip off the bails (once he finally realised the batsman had vacated his crease) and secure the dramatic and unlikely win. We play Broughton at home in the next round!