Despite outperforming Northumberland for much of the three days, Cumbria lost their match, the penultimate fixture in this year’s NCCA Cluberly Championship, writes Roxine Beaumont-Sempill.
Cumbria’s wicket-keeper Drew Postlethwaite (Barrow) took 8 catches, 4 per innings, equalling the county record of most dismissals in a match with four others at the game at Furness Cricket Club.
Ben Walkden (Newton-le-Willows) and Matthew Sempill (Cockermouth) were the joint highest scorers with 75 runs each in the first innings.
Their partnership of the match of 108 for the 4th wicket of the first innings was the highest in the match. Sam Sharp (Kendal) was joint highest wicket-taker with his 6-fer in the second innings.
The match started on a beautiful sunny Sunday, under a cloudless sky. There was a breeze across the pitch, stronger at the pavilion end, which persisted throughout the match. Days 2 and 3 were cloudier and cooler.
Northumberland won the toss and elected to bat. Before the start the teams and officials lined up for a minute’s silence in honour of Jimmy Rudd, former Cumberland player, who had recently died on his 97th birthday.
Fourth ball second over Louis Backhouse (Kendal) made the first breakthrough when Crawshaw edged to keeper Drew Postlethwaite.
Postlethwaite juggled it off his knee roll but managed to cling on. The umpires consulted and the finger went up.
The next two wickets, taken by Walkden, were classic ‘before the break’: Bell caught by first slip Freddie Fallows (Kendal) to bring drinks three balls early and McCarthy caught at square leg by Backhouse precipitating lunch. 94/3 off 32.5.
Having put on the partnership of the innings with Bushell (64 from 109), Whitfield was bowled by Fallows.
Eleven overs later Appleby suffered the same fate. Sharp bagged John Oswell, caught behind. Bushnell was caught by skipper Sempill at long on off Fallows.
Skipper Oli McGee was also caught behind off Backhouse. Matthew Oswell was a non-regulation caught behind when a big hook shot edged skywards. Fletcher swept on to his stumps to complete the innings. The visitors ended on 262 from 88.4 overs.
Max Winskill (Kendal) and Nathan Waterston (Millom) batted sensibly to build to 41/0 off 17 overs at stumps.
The next day Northumberland set an assertive field with short mid-on and mid-off and sadly both openers were dismissed early: Waterston (23 from 59) bowled by Fletcher, Winskill (25 from 60) by Bushnell. 48/2 off 20.4.
Reece Irving (Netherfield) seemed settled but was trapped lbw by Oswell. 105/3 off 36.1.
After 62 overs the two teams were/had been very even with Cumbria on 202/3 compared to Northumberland’s earlier 204/4.
Having batted patiently for 3 hours, Walkden (75 from 134 balls, 11 X 4s) was caught at mid-off off Appleby. 213/4 off 65.3.
Fallows (2) was very patient for 15 minutes then whacked one straight to cover point off Bushnell, who also took the next two wickets with consecutive balls six overs later: Sempill (75 off 121 balls, 13 X 4s) caught at mid-wicket, Postlethwaite clean bowled. Stirling was caught at mid-off off McGee. 242/8 off 79.4.
In the 82nd over Ben Davidson (Carlisle) launched the only 6 of the innings over the mid-wicket wall into the notorious ball-swallowing patch of dense overgrowth. New ball please.
Sharp was caught at mid-wicket off Poynter, Davidson caught long on off McGee. 253 all out off 83.4 overs.
After the slightly early tea Sharp got Bell caught behind with his 3rd ball. Just over an hour later McCarthy and Crawshaw were sent back to the hutch lbw. 43/3 off 14.
“Anything you can do I can do better” might have been hummed by Fallows as he took the next three: Bushnell and Fletcher caught behind; Whitfield caught at first slip by Walkden who was knocked off his feet. Walkden also pouched Poynter when Backhouse bowled the last ball of the day.106/7 off 38 overs.
As day 3 dawned Cumbria’s two nemeses from the Super-12s were at the crease: Alasdair Appleby and John Oswell. Six overs later the big-hitting pair had only added 22 before Sharpy decided to switch to over the wicket to the left-handed Appleby and immediately bowled him.
Sharp completed his 6-fer in the 51st over by bowling John Oswell and getting McGee caught behind with the next ball. 143 all out from 50.4 overs.
In reply the hosts were well on track after 12 overs, being 37 for no loss. Then a shot from Winskill looped up for a square leg catch and 3 balls later Irving was lbw. Waterston and Walkden were mega-patient adding 27 in 16 overs before Waterston left one that spun in and took his bails off.
When Sempill was out lbw to an attempted sweep Cumbria were 89/4 off 35.5 overs, still on track for a win.
But when Fallows was caught behind 3 overs later it heralded a horrendous eight minutes.
The score remained on 110 as Davidson had his off stump flattened, Walkden was caught by Whitfield off Poynter at first slip (a double dose of karma!), and Postlethwaite was out lbw. Sharp was out lbw and Backhouse holed out to mid-on to bring the sausages spluttering to an anti-climactic 143 all out off 50.4 overs.
Cumbria’s last match for this season is in the NCCA Cluberly Championship:
Sunday August 31 to Tuesday September 2 v Norfolk at Netherfield Cricket Club
