Posted by Tony Hutton
Sunday 26th April - The Minor Counties Knock Out competition group stages begin today. An early departure needed to get from Leeds to Kendal for an eleven o'clock start. However the weather is dry and no delays en route. Nice to see all the Cumberland regulars in attendance at the Netherfield ground for the start of their new season. None more so than old friend Gilbert Johnstone who as usual had all the information at his finger tips regarding the teams and where the new players have come from.
One of the problems of Minor Counties cricket is trying to get a settled side as so often many players first loyalty lies with their clubs when playing in Sunday cup competitions. Today Cumberland face Cheshire, one of the strongest of all the Minor Counties, who do seem able to get the same players to turn out regularly. So another old friend, team manager Sandy Scrimgeour is confident his side will do well.
Indeed the Cheshire openers get off to a brisk start and the first wicket does not fall until 68 runs are on the board. Then an unlikely collapse takes place and Cheshire slump from 92-1 to 102-7 thanks to some fine bowling by Alex Stead, from Pudsey St Lawrence, and former Yorkshire Academy boy, Dan Conway, now playing in county Durham. Never write off Cheshire though, the team manager says they bat all the way down and he is proved right.
The eighth wicket pair of Jason Whittaker and Dan Berry put together a stand of 84 before Whittaker was out. Berry continued on his merry way and the final over of the first innings proved decisive. It was bowled by Cumberland's one day captain, James Smith yet another from Pudsey St. Lawrence. The first ball was played for a single by debutant last man James Hawley, giving Berry the strike. He proceeded to hit three sixes and two fours off the remaining five balls and Cheshire somehow found themselves on 233-9 at the end of the innings.
Cumberland made a good effort to get the runs, with 70 from Alex Stead, 36 from Gary Pratt who also kept wicket splendidly, and 44 not out from Alex Roberts at the end. It was not quite good enough and Cheshire won by 18 runs. Dan Berry undoubtedly man of the match - he made 87 not out and then took 5-33. How Cumberland must be regretting that final over.
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