Scholes Cricket Club: Scholes C.C.:155 - Clayton West:154

  Scholes C.C.:155 - Clayton West:154 Back to Games & Reports
  Teams: Score:      
  Scholes C.C. vs 155      
  Clayton West 154      
Game Played 9/12/2009 1:00PM  

BEAUTIFUL FINISH ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY
Saturday 12th September 2009 (Scholes 155 for 3) beat Clayton West (154 all out) by 7 wickets
Scholes concluded their magnificent 2009 cricketing campaign on Saturday with their 15th six point win of the season over Clayton West, their 19th win in 26 games, which enabled them to overtake Honley’s previous Premiership record of 119 points. It was a fitting finale on the most gorgeous late summers afternoon you could ever wish for, as League Chairman Roger France handed the coveted Byrom Shield over to a mightily happy (and relieved) Scholes skipper James Noble before the match. The fixture was understandably a low key but enjoyable stroll in the sunshine for a relaxed Scholes outfit, who were happy enough to bowl the visitors out for 154, as Alsop finished another profitable season by snaring the first three victims for a lowly 14 runs in 11 mesmeric overs, and Floyd secured an initial First team wicket. That left Iqbal Khan to mop up the tale with 4 for 31, as only the excellent Johnny Butterfield (53*), and to a lesser extent Firth (21) and Gibson (27) offered any real resistance. Yet again Scholes stuttered early doors as Smith went for 27 and Latif 15 and the champions were ever so slightly rocking on 53 for 3, but popular Aussie Shane Mott looked determined to leave the club on a high note right from his first delivery, and Khan just carried on in the rich vein of batting form he has reached during the month of Ramadan, seemingly taken to a higher plain of cricketing mastery by fasting and praying during daylight hours. These two contrasting but consummate batters took Scholes to their target in the 36th over, with Khan collecting another “red inker” on 38*, and Mott signing off with an unbeaten 53* which feaured nine 4’s and one maximum.
That leaves me time for a quick run through of the statistics for the Chapelgater’s main players, kindly provided by Scholes’ superb scorer Vicky Numbers, (name changed by deed poll)
Skipper James Noble has probably become the youngest man to ever to lift the Byrom Shield, and with a totally unfancied team, this represents a huge achievement. He would readily admit scratching around with the bat for most of the season and there’s little doubt Captaincy takes runs off all but the most focused skippers, but James still made 627 runs in all games. Re-assuringly, despite all the stresses and strains of a draining season he remains resolutely as daft as a brush. Iqbal Khan has hugely enjoyed his first Scholes season, chipping in with 36 wickets with his gentle off spin, and cementing together a fragile batting line up with a magnificent 1272 runs. He made three tons and his average is in the mid 80’s which may put him in with a shout of the League batting prize. “Mr Cricket” has not made this many runs for a number of years, hopefully a testimony to the Scholes knack of making players feel at home very quickly once they arrive at Chapelgate. Ibrar Latif smashed a scintillating 135* early season, but never again reached those sort of batting heights, but he was also a wise and calming presence on the field and in the changing rooms, and 689 runs at 31 was a decent effort. Andy Alsop rumbled up the hill all season, never offering so much as a half volley, to slowly strangle the life of despairing opposition batsmen. 66 victims perished at a lowly cost of 13, as “Sloppy” finally and deservedly got his hands on a Premiership winners medal. 17 year old Tom Brook steamed down the hill to take 23 wickets, often curtailed by the ridiculous 6 over rule, and should his cricket continue to develop at such a pace he will be a fearful threat with both bat and ball next season. Mohammed Shahnawaz collected 55 wickets at 19 apiece with his highly under-rated medium pace, accuracy and subtle changes of pace did for most batters, and Shaz’s bubbly slightly insane on field demeanour does much for team morale. The wily, wizened, weathered and always worried veteran wicket keeper Richard “Bubbles” Holmes has proved he’s till the best in the business despite his advanced age in snapping up 31 catches and 13 stumpings, and never before has a man more deserved to pick up a championship winning medal than my friend Richard. Matt Smith, Tom Love, Louis Sykes, Mark Floyd Richard Wimpenny and Jamie Clayton all played a role through the season, which leaves me to mention Shane Mott. Although the paceman from Sydney never found our soggy and slow wickets to his liking and struggled to adapt, he still played a crucial role in the title winning team. Always calm and positive, this likeable man still managed 52 wickets and 602 runs in his first season with Scholes. Everybody at the club fervently hopes that Shane and his partner Elyce, who couldn’t have adapted to Holme Valley life any better and are a superb couple, can return for another adventure in England in 2010. Skipper Noble gives his thanks to all on and off the field who made winning the title possible his grateful thanks, and assures me that there will be no resting on his laurels, as the club are already actively looking to strengthen for next season.
Scholes II’s completed another successful Paddock Shield winning season on Satrday at Marsden, and although this game was lost they still finished in third place in the Premiership. Marsden made 214 with Zaffino making 72, and despite 49 from Wakefield, 45 from 15 year Tommy Boorman and 31 from brother Matthew, they fell a mystifying 15 runs short with 5 wickets left as the overs ran out. Thanks for reading folks and I’ll be back next spring.