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| > Staffordshire CCC v Buckinghamshire CCC Match Report |
Staffordshire’s season ended in an anti climax as, not for the first time this season, rain brought a premature end to their championship fixture against Buckinghamshire at a wet and soggy Stone. Both captains did their best to make a game of it on the final day but, after Staffs had set the visitors a target of 282 for victory from a minimum of 53 overs, play was washed out with things well set for an exciting conclusion with Bucks having reached 68 for one after 19.1 overs had been bowled.
Former captain and now Chairman of the Selectors Nick Archer admits in all his 36 years association with the club he has never known a season where so many matches have seen late changes forced to be made to the side saying, “We have never taken the field with the selected side. Indeed in four of the championship games we have been forced to bring in a player on the morning of the game.” The latest to fall into the latter category is Little Stoke’s John Hancock who was brought off the field while playing for his club’s under 17’s side on Sunday morning to make his debut alongside his brother Dan. The Hancocks become the second pair of brothers to make their debut for the county this season following in the steps of the Hughes brothers from Wombourne, Liam and Alex who played at Manor Park against Norfolk together. This in itself must be a record for Minor Counties cricket. The inclusion of the Hancock pairing meant Staffs had been forced to utilise 18 players in their six championship matches played. To add to Staffordshire’s problems the county lost over five of the nine scheduled home day’s cricket to bad weather.
After scoring 41 in his first innings for the county, 17 year-old John Hancock was back at the crease in partnership with Karl Quiney at the start of the final day’s play which Staffs started with a lead of 121 after Buckinghamshire had declared on 178 for six in reply to Staffs first innings total of 299. The declaration had come after Bucks had claimed the one batting point they required to ensure the Eastern Division title for 2009.
Hancock was the second player to be dismissed as the Staffs innings followed an all too familiar trend this season with the loss of early wickets. Hancock became the second victim for Mark Hardinges after the former Gloucestershire player had Karl Quiney caught after the Wombourne opener had struck ten from the first three deliveries.
First innings top scorer Peter Wilshaw departed without troubling the scorers, to leave Staffs at 22 for three. Jimmy Dawson and Liam Hughes added 43 for the fourth wicket but the dismissal of Dawson for 29 brought about another mini collapse as Staffs slumped to 87 for six.
Skipper Paul Goodwin and Russ Ballard rallied the innings with a partnership of 42 before Ballard fell for 29 on the brink of the lunch break. Staffs lower order had a brief flurry to take the total to 160 before Goodwin was the last player out, caught on the mid wicket boundary for 43 to leave the new Eastern Division champions with a minimum of 53 overs to chase down a victory target of 282.
Bucks openers Russell Lane and Richard Hopwood produced an opening partnership of 55 before Greg Willott dismissed Lane assisted by a sharp catch from Russ Ballard in the covers to give Willott a 21st championship wicket of the season. After a further 13 runs had been added to the total a heavy rain storm drove the players from the field for what was to be a final time.
Staffs captain Paul Goodwin summed up his feelings in a season in which his side had suffered just the two defeats in their one day and championship campaign. Unfortunately the two defeats came in the North East and both were decisive against Norfolk in the Trophy Final against Norfolk at Durham and in the championship against Northumberland. Goodwin said, “It has been a frustrating end which sums up our season. It would have been nice to have closed the game out. It was set up for a good game.” Looking at the season as a whole Goodwin admitted the amount of play lost had been crucial to their season continuing, “If you lose that much cricket it is difficult to make a serious challenge. You are trying to contrive results in shortened games which become a lottery.”
The game had got under way with yet another topsy turvy day in the Staffs batting performance which followed another off field search for players as Staffordshire welcomed champions elect Buckinghamshire to Stone for their final Minor Counties fixture of the 2009 season.
Injuries sustained while playing for their clubs on Saturday led to the withdrawal of Richard Holloway and Kim Barnett from the starting line up. Holloway was struggling with a bruised knee and Jimmy Dawson earned a recall into the side on his home ground. Barnett was suffering from a badly swollen hand and, with a number of alternatives falling by the wayside due to unavailability, Little Stoke batsman John Hancock was drafted in at the last minute to join his elder brother Dan in making their county debuts.
Staffs frailties at the top of the order this season continued with the loss of Quiney for 4 with the total on 8. Not looking out of place despite his rushed promotion, Hancock helped Dawson take the total up to 51 before Dawson was trapped lbw by Sawyer for 20.
Wilshaw and Hancock then established a solid third wicket partnership to take Staffs to a promising lunch time score of 122 for two.
Top of the table Buckinghamshire were themselves involved in off the field drama with former Gloucestershire player Mark Hardinges not arriving until the lunch break after attending the birth of his son at 4am in the morning. His immediate introduction into the attack on the resumption provided a boost to the visitors attack and, with the score on 153, he brought an end to John Hancock’s innings, caught by stand in wicket keeper Warren Miller for 41 after the youngster had batted for 163 minutes.
Three further quick wickets were to follow- all to Hardinges- as Staffs slumped from their promising position to a disappointing 165 for 6. Liam Hughes scored just 2 before skying a catch to Jones. The very next ball Wilshaw, having struck ten boundaries in his 70, flashed to give Hardinges wickets in successive deliveries. Without addition to the total Goodwin became Hardinges fourth victim in an impressive spell, to leave Staffs looking at another low first innings total.
The older Hancock brother Dan, having been denied his original debut by the washout of the game at Knypersley, opened his run account for the county with a sweetly timed pull shot to the mid wicket boundary. Having struck four boundaries and one six in his 24 he was then beaten by a delivery from off spinner Sam Cherry and became the seventh player out on 196. The eighth wicket fell on 200 with Russ Ballard dismissed for one before a scintillating ninth wicket partnership of 86 between Greg Willott and Will Purser brought Staffs back into the match. Purser’s 42 came from just 44 balls and included eight boundaries before he was caught on the long on boundary.
The innings came to a conclusion on 299 when Willott was adjudged lbw for 48 which included one six and seven fours with the last two Staffs wickets having added a very creditable 99 runs.
Bucks reply got off to a shaky start with Russell Lane bowled by Dave Edwards with the score on 14. Despite the best efforts of the Staffs attack, no further wickets fell before the close with Bucks reaching 62 for 1 from the 26 overs bowled before bad light brought a slightly premature end to the opening day.
Staffs young debutant John Hancock described his surprise call up as, “Surreal how it happened but also very exciting. It is great to make it into the first team and hopefully I can continue in the future.”
Having reached 62 for one at the end of the first day Bucks lost the wicket of captain Jason Harrison in the four overs play possible in the morning session before rain brought the inevitable halt to proceedings. Will Purser was the successful bowler trapping Harrison lbw for 14. With the score having edged to 74 for two the players were forced from the field for what was to be a lengthy delay.
Indeed despite the best efforts of the Stone groundstaff and numerous pitch inspections, play wasn’t resumed until 6.10pm. When play did finally get underway Bucks were aware that just one further point was required to clinch the Eastern Division for the first time since 2006.
The visitors took their total onto 128 before Richard Hopwood, the county’s leading run scorer, was pinned lbw by Greg Willott having added 20 to his overnight 40.
A quick fire half century from left hand batsman Paul Sawyer put Bucks well on course for their target before he fell to a superb one handed catch off his own bowling by Liam Hughes for 64 with the score on 169, the knock including 13 boundaries and one six.
Without addition to the total former Gloucestershire player Mark Hardinges, having struck two sixes in his 14, became Willott’s second lbw victim. The 175 target was reached and the declaration came soon after, but not before Willott had claimed a third victim of the innings dismissing Matthew Jones aided by a catch from debutant John Hancock before play came to a close on the second day.
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