28/06/2025
MIMCC 182/7 (40 overs)
Halkyn 2s 183/4 (38.3 overs)
Scorecard here: https://nwcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/6817656
Halkyn win by 6 wickets with 9 balls to spare
A top of the table clash saw us edged out in a narrow encounter with a youthful Halkyn side.
As ever, the skipper lost the toss, and we were invited to have a bat.
Things didn’t get off to the best of starts as a mix up in the running saw Aryaman run out without facing a ball. This was, the Maeshafn CC historian reliably informs me, only the second diamond duck in the history of the club. Aryaman, having this season joined Apples and Tom in the centurions hall of fame, now joins Pete Gresty in the diamond club.
1-1 against a dynamic Halkyn side who were clearly much improved on our last encounter with them. There was rebuilding work to be done and Abs and Deepak set about this in a watchful manner. Runs were not easy to come by against some very accurate bowling and excellent fielding, and by 10 overs we had only about 20 on the board. The usually reliable X Tras was also finding it difficult to score. Halkyn had kindly provided an umpire for day, although it seemed as if his edition of the Laws of Cricket was somehow missing laws 21 and 22.[1]
The change bowling offered a bit of relief and the batters we able to start to score more freely. Abs and Deepak were eventually able to put on a hundred partnership before Deepak was dismissed for 36 via an astonishing one-handed grab on the long on boundary. This brought Apples to the crease, who was shortly re-joined by Deepak as a groin strain necessitated a runner. By now Abs had passed 50 for the second time in as many weeks. He would eventually depart caught for a very well made 77. Apples (11) and Saboor (3) joined Abs back in the pavilion, leaving Umang and the skipper in the middle for the final 4 overs. A few big hits and a lot of running around allowed us to put on 30 in the last overs before the skipper skyed one to point for 20 and Umang was run out off the last ball on the innings for 10. Naseer bagged his second red-inker in as many weeks to finish with 1no.
182 off our 40 overs was slightly less than the 200 we had targeted, but still felt like a score that would give us a chance. Thankfully, during the tea interval the umpire was furnished with an updated edition of the laws complete with the missing 21 and 22, which came as a tremendous relief to X Tras.
Halkyn started their innings with purpose, seemingly determined to chase down our total as quickly as possible. The batters were finding the boundary with grim regularity as the skipper rotated his many bowling options.
Greater control was established by Jonty and Aryaman, and this eventually told as their skipper was caught at long on by Deepak off Aryaman. This brought the Halkyn keeper, who had had plenty to say during our innings, to the crease. Having spent a lot of time chatting about our various batters’ strike rates, he was unable to heed his own advice, tentatively poking around for a few overs before being bowled by Jonty. Beaming from ear to ear, the pearly whites glinting under the Halkyn sunshine, the Hon Sec proceeded to deliver a send-off worthy of Merv Hughes (or a least his less moustachioed vegetarian cousin).
With Jonty and Aryaman having now bowled their allocation, Z and Umang came into the attack. Both managed to keep the scoring rate under control as the overs ticked down and the required rate started to climb. Umang then removed their other opener, caught behind by the one-legged Apples to increase the pressure on the home side. A couple of overs later, Umang picked up another wicket to finish with excellent figures of 2-20 off 6.
Unfortunately, in the end our total was just a few too light and Halkyn’s youngsters got them over the line with 9 balls to spare. 13-2 didn’t really reflect what was, in reality, a very close game. Halkyn celebrated victory by (somewhat inexplicably) blasting 90s dance music which would have been released before the majority of team had been born.
A tough day which took its toll (particularly on Apples and Vinay who finished with about 1 good arm and half a good leg between them). Never nice to be on the wrong end of a close game, but a chance to get back to winning ways at home to Carmel next week.
Pictured: A valuable ornament
[1] Law 21: No Ball; Law 22: Wide Ball