Lindum End Winless Streak

A hot week at the club saw the players arrive on Saturday morning to a scorched outfield and a pitch that looked full of runs. After a gentle warm up skipper Charlie Tomlinson won the toss and elected to bat.

From the outset Will Wright took control of the game. Punishing any loose Woodhall deliveries the run rate was ticking along at five an over keeping scorer Darren Lilley busy underneath his Fosters branded pergola. Pierce Morley-Barnes was content to take a backseat and intelligently rotate the strike to Will who was in devastating form. Wright brought up his fifty off of just 47 balls and he was in danger of taking the game away from Spa. The first drinks break came along at 17 overs with 83 on the board but this stoppage in play allowed Woodhall to regroup. After the break a discernible change in tactics saw the run rate slow. Six runs off of the next three overs seemed to bring some pressure on our batsman and Morley-Barnes fell for a solid 24. Richard Bishop came in at three and he and Wrighty put on 34 before Will smashed a long hop to mid wicket, the only man in the ring on the leg side, to depart for an excellent 85. Skipper Tomlinson walked to the crease to join his ex-Loughborough compadre Bishop and they compiled another solid partnership of 49 before Charlie was adjudged LBW for 30 off 31 balls. Despite his good lady being on tea duty Bishop only had eyes for staying out in the middle and this knock was the best I’d seen him bat for a long time. Will Taylor came in at five and made five before he was bowled with the total sat on 190. Grant Watkins came in at six and as we lounged on the ‘Casa Amor’ sofas in the Magaluf weather we hoped Grant would continue his excellent form of this season. Whacker Watkins didn’t disappoint but once again his innings showed how he has made subtle changes to his game. Grant was happy to take the plentiful singles on offer and wait for the right ball to smash. Bish went for 37 and Ben Rolfs came in and nudged and nurdled a quick 18 off 13. Ben also misjudged Grant’s shuttle running ability as the only fifth gear Grant has is back in the workshop! The innings closed on a very defendable 250-7.

With echoes of the new team song in their ears the boys went out to field in search of their first victory since before Lincoln City’s regular season ended. Yes it’s been that long! Any late returners to the ground after tea or those nicking a left over egg sandwich missed a dynamite start to the Woodhall innings. Will Wright, opening the bowling, induced an edge first ball that was excellently snaffled at second slip by Jake Benson. Wright struck two overs later to leave Spa reeling at 12-2 as Tomlinson took a great diving catch at gully. The dangerous Jayawardene walked to the crease with the weight of the world on his shoulders. If Spa were to win this game he needed to score a big hundred. His innings started inauspiciously as he looked to escape a very close LBW shout from James Dewhurst. Dewy was his usual calm self when asked if he thought it was out. I will be less diplomatic. It was plumb! 58 Test Match appearances sometimes get you the rub of the green and Jayawardene looked set to benefit from his stroke of luck as he started to pick off the runs. Ably assisted by his young partner Oliver Caswell they batted to drinks, 85-2. Lindum were looking to regroup at drinks but the batsman came out looking even more determined to knock the runs off as the score quickly moved to 118. Then the breakthrough came as Benson bowled Caswell. The prize wicket of Jayawardene was what the lads craved and they didn’t have long to wait. Dewhurst removed him caught at point by Rolfs. It was rich reward for Dewy as it came the fourth over into a comeback spell that had seen him have the Sri Lankan in all sorts of trouble. On dry pitches with the keeper stood up Dewy looks a test for all batsman as his skill and experience leaves very few run scoring opportunities. Rolfs came back into the attack once Dewy had bowled his full quota of overs and the young Aussie and Jake soon had the required rate spiralling. Jake had the experienced Luffman out LBW on five and when Rolfs had Joe Irving caught by Benson for 33 the game as a contest was over. Could we take those final few wickets? To be honest it was never in doubt and from a point where the game looked as if it would go the wire we won at a canter by 54 runs.

TEAM. Together Everybody Achieves More. A real team performance gained the side a vital win, their first since opening day, and has given the lads a much needed boost as we head into the second half of the season. A day summed up quite succinctly by Ramz. No bad vibes just good energy!

Report by James Kempton