A loss in the National Cup that felt like a Victory.

Having nine players on Saturday evening probably isn’t the best preparation for a National Cup game the following day. However, a brilliant opportunity for all to test themselves against a strong Wickersley side, boasting many first class caps from the South Yorkshire league.

Several changes from the dramatic win the day before included Aidan Lockwood, Joe Atkinson and 2ndXI Skipper, Ollie Alford all coming in for Charlie Tomlinson, Liam Redmond and Saturdays matching winning gun slinger, Max Baeur.

Refusing to call tails due to the opposition captain being a Sheffield United fan and having a special Blades coin, it inevitably landed with Wickersley winning the toss and electing to bat on a used white wicket (Blades 1-0 Owls). With the National Cup only being a 40 over a side game, Cook decided to shake things up a little with opening the bowling with Peatman and himself. The first wicket may have only fallen with the score on 50 but it was a cautious start from the home side. Durham (4 caps) falling to a smart catch at point from Lindsay off the bowling of Rolfs. Tight bowling on a postage stamp ground was essential and just after the stroke of drinks, with the score on 113 but still no sign of pushing on, Rodgers bottom edged Peatman to safe hands of Bishop. This brought Wickersley captain, Tom Knight (43 caps) to the crease and he quickly entered an attacking manner with some long handed blows out of the ground. Cook snared an old enemy in Garry Park (151 caps) with the score on 152 with the use of Ollie Alford at short third man who decided to perform a scene from RiverDance before taking the catch. Wickersley decided to drop the proverbial hammer and push on with captain Knight and the third Taylor brother (Wills twin) at the crease. Knight’s full length dive couldn’t help him as he was ran out by the small Australian weasel, Rolfs, with one stump to aim at. The small boundary to one side (38 yards) at some stage during the day was always going to take a peppering and so it did within the last few overs, Purshouse-Taylor ending up on 70*, produced a few top edges, miss hits and a couple clean over the short boundary to take Wickerlsey to 246-5 off 40 overs.

Usually, looking at that score on paper, you’d be very deflated and find yourself trying to pick your teammates up but the general chat was that it was only a par score and you just never know what will happen.

Lindum took to the crease with Lockwood and the attacking Lindsay to take advantage of the powerplay. In no real danger and scoring frequently, Lindsay decided to run after a dreaded misfield which cost him his wicket with a direct hit, 23-1. Bishop soon fell after for a duck when his off stump randomly decided to perform a cartwheeling act which brought Cook to the crease in need of a rebuild before attacking the target. Adding 73 for the 3rd wicket, Cook and Lockwood scored freely without problem until a couple of balls before drinks, Lockwood was deceived in the flight by Hussain and provided and easy catch to point. Rolfs & Cook, with a previous big partnership this season soon took the attack to Wickerlsey with hard running and timely boundaries. With the bowling side having seven captains on the field and some visible ‘melty swedes’, Lindum had wrestled the initiative back and a famous victory was becoming a distinct possibility. Cook, just after reaching his half century, was caught in the covers at the wrong time off the bowling of Knight (Blades 2-0 Owls). Taylor quickly got into his work, possibly trying to impress his twin in the opposition, scored at over a run a ball but was caught at long on with Lindum requiring nine an over. Rolfs, still at the other end decided yet again to have another attack of cramp and with himself on 59 and the score on 215, trying to clear the ropes, succumbed to the bowling of Park. The long levered Peatman tried his best to hit the ball out of Rotherham and in the last over, Lindum fell 13 agonising runs short of a famous victory.

After a close loss, normally, the changing room has a very somber atmosphere with heads slumped over. However, the opposite was on full show. To push an experienced team so close and with such a young side, what an incredible effort, which everyone should be proud of.

Good luck to Wickersley in the next round. (Sheffield Utd / Knight 3-0 Sheff Wed / Cook … oh well!)

UTL