Either side of an eventful few days in Norfolk (of which much more later) I was able to see two remarkable victories by a very young Adel side in the final stages of this season's Headingley Evening League. On Thursday 20th July, having finished second in the league table, they entertained Rawdon who finished in third place at Church Lane, Adel. At the same time league champions North Leeds played New Rover in the other semi-final at the Homestead.
Rawdon batted first at Adel and Andrew Duckworth dominated proceedings with a fine innings of 70 which included four fours and four sixes. He was particularly severe on Adel's young South African Jan-Harm Moolman who went for forty five runs from his four overs. However Sam Baxter fresh from his appearances for Yorkshire under 19s had excellent figures of 1-19 from his four.
Adel in fact used seven bowlers to bowl the required twenty and it was the last of these James Dobson who took two valuable late wickets to restrict the end of innings charge. Rawdon ended on 166-7.
This seemed a daunting target, particularly when Tom Harrison was run out for nought in the first over, but Zeeshan Siraj with a typical brisk innings of 31 which included three sixes and Moolman with a fine 54, with five fours and two sixes, looked to be coasting with the score approaching 100 in very quick time. However when Moolman was run out, Jake Hodges took three quick wickets and then skipper Richard Spry was also run out Adel were in disarray and behind the required rate.
Enter Ryan O'Sullivan who with some good running between wickets and only three fours in his innings of 34, together with good support from George Harrison, manged to somehow get Adel over the line with just two balls to go amid scenes of great excitement.
Fast forward a week to Thursday 27th July and having driven almost 200 miles back from Norfolk I was in position at North Leeds to see the final which was scheduled for a 6 p.m. start. The covers were on and no players visible so I thought perhaps the earlier rain had meant a cancellation. However I was soon re-assured that the home side were oblivious of the early start and had just arrived for 6.30, the normal time throughout the season. This meant it would be pretty dark by the time the game finished (no floodlights here).
Adel won the toss and put the home side North Leeds in to bat. This seemed a dangerous tactic in view of having to bat in the poor light later in the evening. However full marks to the young Adel side who all contributed throughout the match.The bowling was good and the fielding tight, with only a few exceptions. Despite a fine half century from the home captain the final total of 124 all out in 19.4 overs was not too daunting.
Adel were spurred on by possibly their largest following for several years led by the ever present Reg Parker, who could hardly contain his excitement as the game ebbed and flowed. When the two main men Siraj and Moolman went early, the latter to a stunning diving catch, Adel were deep in trouble and wickets continued to fall as the required run rate got higher. There were few boundaries and runs seemed hard to come by. Skipper and wicket keeper Richard Spry proved to be the man for the occasion and began to maintain the required rate of seven an over. Despite loosing the strike several times he managed to hit a six in the penultimate over and with just four balls remaining in the gathering gloom a four down the hill towards the pavilion brought Adel a famous victory by two wickets to the delight of their supporters.
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