Your scribe arrived fresh from a little wander in the Himalayas to find the usual travel problems had beset the Mirfield side en route to Arkenley Lane, home of Old Almonburians, the team with the largest club badge in the world, written as it was by William Shakespeare. Members of the HCCL on line forum had hinted that the age of the opposition was such that it could be expected that Shakespeare would in fact be turning out for the Old Boys, but sadly this proved incorrect. Folk had done the usual trick of driving off without checking that the convoy was in place, and an accident had further delayed the arrival of the team, but all were present and correct, with no changes from the selected team, although much whinging was in evidence about inconsiderate driving and the like.
 
Skipper Neal lost the toss, and was inserted on a drier than expected track, and sent openers Bolt and Wild out to commence the innings. Taylor and Clutterbuck took up the attack for the OAs, and the contest was fairly even, runs being contained by a combination of the outfield and a seaming wicket. Bolt and Wild hit the bad ball well, until Bolt received possibly the worst ball of his young career, and caught in several minds, decided to use the back of his borrowed bat to chip it to Taylor who took a good running catch. Minto joined Wild, nervous after his first baller the week before, and prodded his first delivery back, relieved. Both Wild and Minto had some varied bowling to tend with, Taylor using the ridge to decent effect but being punished for over pitching, but both looked to settle in. Wild had a couple of LB shouts answered in his favour, but the third proved his downfall and he was dismissed. Neal replaced Wild, and the vital stand of the innings began to build. Neal appeared to be given a life after a direct hit run out appeal was declined, but he and Minto soon got into their stride and the runs began to flow. The OA captain rang the changes but still couldn't dislodge the pair. Minto clipped well off his legs, and was later to admit that this was his signature shot, prompting comment on the boundary edge about other signature shots. Allens "weak as wee-wee" chip back to the bowler was regarded as the strongest contender, but he was too engrossed in FHM's "top 100 women I've never spoken to, and never will, just like all the other women in the world" list to care.
 
Eventually, Minto, after looking well set, took one lofted chance too many and was dismissed for a well made, promising 37 - this lad will get runs when the wickets firm up. Neal continued on his usual elegant way, although he did well to avoid an unintentional beamer which he involuntarily hit for 4. Carrington offered support for a time, looking resplendent in his new gear bought by his dad - looks like he'll be playing on for at least another 4 seasons now - but his pace over 22 yards was hampered by the stiffness of his new kit and he was run out. Brian Blessed/Sherpa/Yak Kaye joined Neal and the pair added a few until Neal chanced his arm and was well caught by Marshall. Zarif was promoted up the order to biff it a little, but the innings that had looked set for over 200 sadly began to decline as the OAs improved their accuracy and some rash strokes slowed the rate down. Blessed was LBW, Zarif was run out, Dixon as well after showing some late order promise with an excellent straight drive. Martin came and went, and Saudegar bashed one to long on to leave Allen looking bemused having not faced a ball, and the innings over at 176 all out in the last over.
 
A hearty tea was taken, along with a perusal of the football scores, and after much advice from the party stand as to where the team photo should be taken, the OAs began their innings, Taylor and Marshall facing up to the twin threat of the Asian Babes, Zarif and Saudegar. Zarif was a little wayward by his high standards, as was Saudegar initially, until they settled down. Marshall was first to go, edging one of Saudegar's straighter deliveries to Martin, who was kept fully occupied by the lower bounce of the track in the second half. Young Buck came in at three, sporting a lovely vivid pink bat handle, which drew some favourable comment from the slip cordon. His plant the front foot and play round it method worked well as he drove Zarif through the on side. The usually big hitting Taylor had been kept quiet, and Saudegar enticed him to drive to Allen, who took the catch well. Atkinson joined Buck, and the pair looked to attack. The Mirfield noise levels upped as the team looked to support their bowlers, a move not welcomed by all on the ground, but one that went unpunished.
 
Buck was the first of the partnership to go, caught by Neal off Saudegar who was carrying the attack to the OAs singlehandedly. Zarif's spell came to an end and he was replaced by Allen after 7 frugal but barren overs. Allen took a while to settle, and was guilty of not using the facilities on a few occasions, but the run rate never got above 2.5 per over, and the target was getting further away. Neither Pearson nor Moorhouse looked settled against the pace of Saudegar and he quickly dispatched them both, clean bowled to end his spell with great figures of 12 4 18 5. Sherpa Kaye replaced him at the "really massive garden" end of the ground, and took a couple of overs to remove the yak dung from his system and get into his stride. David Bolt had taken over the Leg spin theme at the "nice views of Woodsome Golf Club" end of the ground. Kaye struck twice in his third over, getting Atkinson caught and bowled two balls after having been hit into the "really massive Garden" for a six, and then bowling Mitchell, who, as a result of a polite conversation with the bowler at the non-strikers end, had tried to repeat the treatment.
 
Captain Sykes was then dismissed by an excellent Inspector Gadget Like return catch by Bolt, the pick of the catches in the match, who then took the simplest catch of the match to dismiss Daly off Kaye's even slower ball, chipped up to short leg. Clutterbuck hit Bolt for a well struck four, and then had the misfortune to receive the ultimate daisy cutter from Kaye to be bowled, leaving the OAs 96 all out and Kaye with figures of 6 1 14 4, Bolt taking the other wicket to fall in the innings. Thus, 6 points secured, some decent individual performances put in and a lovely sunny day. Not all participants in the match were as happy as the Mirf side, but hey ho, you can't please everyone can you?
 
This weeks questions: What is LP's signature shot? Who is the girl who's at number 1 in the FHM top 100? Where was William Shakespeare - was he working?

Fielding Point: D. Martin
Next Match: Green Moor - Home - 10th May 2008

Mirfield A Innings						Old Almondburians A Bowling
No.	Batsman	How Out	Bowler	Runs		No.	Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	Avge
1	D. Bolt	Ct. T. Taylor	D. Cutterbuck	7		1	T. Taylor	8	2	32	1	32.00
2	P. Wild	LBW	T. Taylor	19		2	D. Cutterbuck	9	0	36	1	36.00
3	N. Minto	Ct. A. Mitchell	C. Buck	37		3	A. Pearson	10	0	40	0	-
4	P. Neal	Ct. M. Marshall	T. Slack	64		4	C. Buck	5	0	23	1	23.00
5	J. Carrington	Run Out		2		5	T. Slack	8	1	20	4	5.00
6	A. Kaye	LBW	S. Sykes	8		6	S. Sykes	4.1	1	9	2	4.50
7	A. Zarif	Run Out		2
8	E. Dixon	Run Out		7
9	N. Saudagar	Ct. W. Atkinson	S. Sykes	8
10	D. Martin	Bowled	T. Slack	1
11	B. Allen	Not Out		0
			Extras	21			Extras			16
	Total	All Out		176			Totals	44.1	4	176	9	19.56
Old Almondburians A Innings						Mirfield A Bowling
No.	Batsman	How Out	Bowler	Runs		No.	Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	Avge
1	T. Taylor	Ct. N. Minto	N. Saudagar	3		1	A. Zarif	7	3	17	0	-
2	M. Marshall	Ct. D. Martin (w/k)	N. Saudagar	0		2	N. Saudagar	12	3	18	5	3.60
3	C. Buck	Ct. P. Neal	N. Saudagar	18		3	B. Allen	6	1	21	0	-
4	W. Atkinson	Ct. A. Kaye	A. Kaye	41		4	A. Kaye	5.5	1	14	4	3.50
5	A. Pearson	Bowled	N. Saudagar	1		5	D. Bolt	5	1	18	1	18.00
6	G. Moorhouse	Bowled	N. Saudagar	2
7	A. Mitchell	Bowled	A. Kaye	10
8	S. Sykes	Ct. D. Bolt	D. Bolt	1
9	J. Daly	Ct. D. Bolt	A. Kaye	0
10	D. Cutterbuck	Bowled	A. Kaye	6
11	T. Slack	Not Out		1
			Extras	12			Extras			7
	Total	All Out		95			Totals	35.5	9	95	10	9.50