Close finish at St George's Road

posted by John Winn

The first round tie in the National KO Cup between Harrogate and South Shields produced a tense finish for a very small crowd at St George's Road this afternoon. South Shields finished eighth in the ECB North East Premier League last season and were well beaten by Sunderland in their opening match of the 2013 campaign yesterday. Harrogate by contrast have got off to a good start with wins in their first two matches and with their batsmen showing good early season form.

Captain of Shields today was Matthew Muchall, brother of Durham stalwart Gordon. When I arrived at the ground Muchall with four wickets had done much to reduce Harrogate to 61 for 6 and although  a stand between Budgen and Owram added 32 the innings closed on 109. I put it to a (the?) South Shields supporter in the interval that this should be a manageable total but he expressed doubt on the grounds that the Tyneside club's batting began and ended with the opening pair. Such pessimism proved well founded. for only three Shields players reached double figures, the opening pair and skipper Muchall. The innings was anchored by Chris Watson with 34 off 75 balls and as long as he was there it looked likely that the Harrogate's total could be overhauled. Alas he perished to a caught and bowled when only 16 were needed and then Hutton who had given him support in a partnership of 14 was unforgivably stumped exposing a very inexperienced last pair and when last man Willis was out they were still three runs short.

Harrogate skipper Ryan Bradshaw kept faith in his spinners and Laws finished with four wickets as did opener Ashley Griffin whose victims were all in the top six. Credit must be given to the umpires who, apart from one break of about ten minutes, kept the players on the field on a cold, very windy afternoon with spells of drizzle alternating with some heavier bursts of rain. I was joined at the interval by Brian Sanderson who had come from Clifton Park, York where the holders York CC were taking on Beverley in the battle of the Minstermen and in  what has proved to be the mis-match predicted by the blog when the draw was first known. York won the toss and batted hitting up the astonishing score of 409 for 3 off their 45 overs with Oliver Hairs making 208 off 92 balls with 15 fours and 14 6s. The latest Beverley score I have is 87 for 6 off 26 overs.*

As South Shields make the 80 or so mile journey back to Tyneside this evening they will doubtless reflect on how close they came to victory in  a game which even with seven wickets down Brian and I were backing them to win but they can look forward to the by-election on Thursday which if the result is a close as today's match will have the political world in turmoil.

* Beverley were all out for 91, a losing margin of 318.