Lindum Taste Caistor Victory

The 2nd XI's fine run of form continued on Saturday with an excellent win at table-toppers Caistor. Skipper Ollie lost the toss and Caistor chose to bat first, but it turned out not to be a bad one to lose on a slightly uneven wicket with the odd spell of cloud cover. Swing-king-twins Dewy and Jordan opened up for Lindum, once they'd had a fight to the near-death over who had which end, and both started strongly, with the former picking up the day's first wicket with a simple caught and bowled with the scoreboard on 13. Wicket number two fell shortly after to the same man, a lovely away swinger found the edge and Max gobbled up the chance behind the stumps. It was then Jordan's turn to get in on the action, again finding the edge which made its way comfortably to Buckets Lindsay at slip. 22-3. It was very nearly, and very brilliantly, four down when Caistor's overseas struck one in the air to wide long-off. Pricey galloped round like a gazelle from deep extra-cover, leapt full length like a salmon on steroids towards the ball and clasped it in his hands, only for it to pop out upon landing. Almost an absolute worldie. The fourth wicket partnership of 30 did come to an end a while later, when Dewy's delivery was slapped to Ollie at mid-off. 54-4. Jordan claimed wicket number five, clean bowling the Caistor captain for 0 before Dewy claimed victim number four with his worst delivery of the day - a short, wide ugly-looking thing was slapped straight to Buckets Sadler who took the fine catch at cover. 72-6 and a low score was on the cards. However, a partnership is nearly always inevitable and Caistor's seventh wicket stand of 56 frustrated Lindum, with their overseas beginning to go on the attack. Tom Lindsay came into the attack, however, and thankfully broke the partnership with his masterful leg-spin slower ball trapping the overseas in front for 66. 128-7. Tom got his second LBW the next over and his third wicket shortly after with Jordan taking the simple catch at mid-wicket. The 10th and final wicket followed quickly, with Harry Wells clean bowling the number 11 first ball in the 37th over to leave Caistor with a seemingly below par total of 139 all out. Getable, but by no means easy.

After tucking into our tea after our hosts had had first dibs, Pricey and Ollie strode out to the middle with 140 in sight. After an opening stand of 21, 20 of which were scored by Pricey, Ollie was dubiously caught at short-leg off his thigh-pad (fairly certain not bat), but the umpire's finger went up and he was on his way for one. Aidan was in at three and he and Pricey put on another 20 before Aidan was also caught at short-leg off his glove, and when Tom was clean bowled by a quicker delivery the very next ball, Lindum were in a spot of bother on 41-3. Concern deepened when DT was caught at the second attempt at mid-off for two, leaving Max to join Pricey with the score on 45 and the ship in serious need of steadying. If Carlsberg did run chase partnerships... the two batted superbly, putting on 91 in pursuit of Caistor's total. They batted with maturity and a perfect blend of defence and attack. Two highlights were Max's helmet flick to a delivery which popped off the pitch, as if nodding a football over the bar while defending a corner. Another was Pricey's shot which seemed to be a certain four, only for the ball to hold up in the outfield, leaving Pricey and Max looking daft as they didn't even run a single. Cue a Caistor fielder advising Pricey to 'get in the gym'. Next ball Pricey launched a huge six over mid-wicket and pointed out to the fielder he's actually very much a fan of the gym. Anyway, with just four runs required for victory, Pricey's brilliant knock unfortunately came to an end as mid-on stuck out a limb to take an excellent one-handed catch as Pricey departed for 77. Wellsy was in at seven and smashed his third ball through mid-off for four to spark great celebrations on the boundary as Lindum recorded their eighth win in a row. Max finished on 37* in possibly his best ever innings.

This weekend we welcome Messingham to the LCG on Saturday before a trip to Cleethorpes on Sunday where we again meet Caistor, this time in the final of the George Marshall Trophy. Can we make it 10 from 10?

UTL