Cricket diary 2009 - Down by the Riverside

Swalwell cricket club and South Northumberland cricket club

Posted by Tony Hutton

Wednesday 22nd July - for many years now I have made an annual pilgrimage to Lord's to see the Minor Counties Knock Out Final. With a relatively small crowd it is always a pleasure to be able to stroll around and to visit the museum and the shop unhindered by the crowds at the big matches. However sadly this year Lord's cannot fit this game in and it has been moved to Durham's ground at the Riverside, Chester-le-Street. I think the decision was something to do with the unfortunate proliferation of Twenty/20 cricket.

Not to worry it is easier, and cheaper, to get to Durham so off we go to see Norfolk take on Staffordshire. Small numbers of supporters have made the long journey, particularly from Norfolk which is of course a long way from anywhere. Unfortunately for the spectators the wicket to be used is at the far side of the square and a very long way from the major facilities of the grandstand, members' lounge and dining room, with the boundary rope about thirty yards in from that side.

The morning sun shone, team photographs were taken, Norfolk won the toss and decided to bat but then just before the scheduled start of 11 a.m. a persistent drizzle started. This was really bad news, particularly for the travelling supporters, as the longer the delay the more likely the game would go into a second day. So it eventually proved, but when the announcement we are getting used to came regarding an early lunch and inspection later I felt this was an opportunity to try elsewhere.

Having done my research earlier I knew that Durham under 17s were playing Derbyshire at Swalwell cricket club, not too far away. In addition Durham 2nd XI were playing Leicestershire at the South Northumberland club, in Gosforth just to the north of Newcastle. Within about five miles of the Riverside, the roads were dry and no sign of rain. Play had commenced on time at Swalwell and I saw about three quarters of an hour of tidy spin bowling by Derbyshire at this very large ground with a big modern pavilion. A chat with the groundsman revealed that this ground had been half under water only a few days earlier.

So when they went off for lunch at 1 o'clock it was back to the Riverside where I found that after a spell of drying out another heavy shower had hit the ground and it would be a least another hour before they could start. So this time off to Gosforth, through Gateshead and over the Tyne Bridge not a sign of rain, dry roads all the way.

Play had been in progress at the pleasant South Northumberland ground, fringed by modern flats and a sports centre, since 11 this morning - no sign of rain here either. Leicester were being demolished by the Durham pace attack, not Harmison and Plunkett this time but Rushworth, Davies and Evans. They were all out soon after lunch for just over a hundred.

So having ticked off two more new grounds from my list back I went to Riverside, where to my great relief play had just started at 2.45 p.m. This of course meant that play would go on into the reserve day tomorrow and many people, including myself, would not be there for the finish.
Norfolk went off like an express train, the experienced captain Rogers and the young fair haired Patston set about the Staffordshire opening bowlers who I had seen demolish Northumberland earlier in the season.

Patston played the pinch hitter role going down the wicket to the pacemen and carving them to all parts of the ground, whereas Rogers played the sheet anchor role and in retrospect probably the match winning innings. The pair put on a century opening partnership before Patston was clean bowled by Mo Sheikh, the former county player with Derbyshire. Sheikh bowled medium pace off a long run but then changed to two balls of off spin, the second of which bowled Patston.

Those two balls were the only spin we saw in the whole of the first innings, with the over rate very slow, and some of the bowlers seeming to take unduly long run ups. In fact only a late spurt enabled them to escape penalty runs for their slow over rate. The run rate slowed and Norfolk slumped to 157-4, but then Spelman joined Rogers and batted through to the end of the innings with a valuable 41 not out.

Rogers looked set for a century but as he tried to accelerate near the end of the innings he skied one and was caught for 91. A real captain's innings and Norfolk finished on 257-6 in 50 overs. Some thought this might not be enough in view of the start they had made and on a good wicket with a short boundary on one side.

With the first day play able to go on until 8 p.m. Staffordshire had to start their reply in worsening light and Bradshaw and Eccles the opening bowlers took full advantage, Bradshaw bowling Wilshaw and Eccles taking three more wickets (two lbw) before the umpires called a halt due to bad light with the score on 26-4.

The following day Norfolk took the trophy as expected, despite a late flurry Staffordshire were all out for 153. Eccles taking a splendid 5-34. So not for the first time the toss and the weather proved decisive and we were left to wonder what would have happened on a sunny day with a full day's play. Full marks though to Norfolk with a largely home grown side, only the former Kent batsman Trevor Ward being an 'incomer'. They proved worthy winners.