Lindum Cherry Pick Seventh Successive Win

The 2nd XI made it seven wins from seven in all competitions after defeating high-flying Cherry Willingham at the LCG on Saturday. Skipper Ollie won the toss and again chose to bat on a good deck on another scorcher of a day, and he opened up alongside an absolute man in form in Pricey. The two got off to a good start, with Ollie knocking it about and Pricey creaming two of his first three balls for huge sixes. However, Ollie was ANNOYINGLY bowled for 14 with the score on 32, and Aidan fell similarly shortly after for seven to leave Lindum 58-2. The recently shingle-ridden Tom Lindsay was in at four but his edge was caught well at gully and he was on his way for five, back to the changing room to apply the anti-itch cream. 62-3. 2nd XI debutant Hugo was in at five after suddenly realising he'd have to pad up once the second wicket fell, and he batted well alongside Pricey; the two added just shy of 60 before Hugo was caught for 12. Dan Taylor was in at six and, with a sore glute (no comment), struggled to find his flow and was caught for four, leaving Lindum with work to do on 135-5. Max was in next and hit a lovely 16 before a huuuuuge swing led to an edge which nestled into the keeper's gloves. Meanwhile Pricey batted with increasing maturity and patience at the other end as he approached his second consecutive league century. It was never really in doubt, as his fine sweep brought up the ton off just 80 balls - perhaps his best and most mature one yet. Wellsy batted well along side Dan to add just shy of 50 before he was bowled for 15, before Lindum's tail of Elliott, Jordan and another debutant, Anton, fell away cheaply to leave Lindum on 218 all out and Pricey stranded on a brilliant 124*. Not a huge total by recent standards, but certainly defendable.

Jordan and Elliott opened up with the new rock and both bowled well early on, with Elliott's very first ball being edged almost in slow motion to he who must not be named (we'll call him Dawid Malan due to his recent habits in the cordon) at gully, only for the catch to be spilled. This was to become somewhat of a theme... Jordan did claim an early wicket thanks to a sharp catch at backward point by man of the moment Pricey. However, this was to be an anomaly for the first few overs, as a further four or five catches were put down, largely off the bowling of a quietly seething Elliott, in the gully region. Cherry's luck did run out eventually, as the other opener chipped one off Elliott straight to Ollie at mid-off who showed the others how it's done... just. 44-2. Elliott got a deserved second soon after, removing any danger of dropped catches by clean bowling the number four. The wicket of Cherry's number three looked crucial as he begun to find his rhythm, and luckily Tom came up trumps (perhaps a side effect of shingles?), producing a pearler of a delivery which the batsman snicked onto his pads and through to Max's gloves behind. 68-4. A frustrating fifth wicket partnership of nearly 50 kept Cherry in the hunt, but when the number six launched one straight to Ollie at long-off off Wellsy, Lindum were well in the driving seat. Even more so when Wellsy removed the other set batsman thanks to an edge behind to Max. 112-6. Lindum's failure to bat out the overs meant Cherry had a total of 53 overs to bat, now needing just over 100 off just under 20 with four wickets in hand. They never really made an effort to chase them down, with their emphasis more on getting to the next batting point milestone. Lindum were desperate to obtain the last four wickets to secure all 20 points, as second-spell supremo Jordan returned to the attack. It worked a treat, as a caught and bowled and a catch in the deep by Aidan left Cherry eight down on 142. Elliott also returned to the attack and perhaps his worst ball of the day secured wicket number nine - a leg stump half volley was clipped to Wellsy at backward square leg, where he wasn't even supposed to be fielding, and the fine catch was taken. 155-9 with one over to go. Lindum needed a wicket, Cherry needed five runs to secure another batting point. Strike bowler and pace-man Harry Vincent Wells was thrown the ball - his first five balls returned two singles. His last ball was a perfectly delivered yorker, which the batsman took an enormous swipe at, and a thick edge went through 'keeper and slip for four to leave Cherry on 161-9 and Lindum with a slightly frustrating but very well earned 19 points.

Next week we visit the other form side in the division, table toppers Caistor who we trail by five places but just 28 points. UTL!