Sundown Specials

Lionels make it hard going for Specials
After the defeat against Black Rose, I escaped to my retreat in rural County Kerry for a week to leave team selection in the capable hands of Tony Medlock.

I returned to threats of legal action by Bag master Cotsen following certain comments in previous match reports. Senior pro Mark Naisbitt had also reported a local difficulty with former team mate the lecherous lecturer John 'quizmaster' Henderson, merely for asking whether his sore Achilles was any better after 4 years. Mark believes the quizmaster has certain lifestyle management issues Hey let's lighten up lads we don't need this fascist groove thing. A sign of the times in Blair's PC ambulance-chasing Britain.

Despite Gareth 'six ducks in a row' Williams pulling out because his head wasn't right, Tony produced a willing 11 for our game against Lionel Length -- old friends who are a very useful unit these days.

Dave Sambrook won the toss and elected to bat. Our regular opening attack of Pilgrim and Cattell bowled very well and restricted openers Sean Stroud and Brendan Smith before the latter was trapped lbw by Pilgrim. Sean Cullen, another dangerous Aussie played a couple of good shots before he was bowled by Pilgrim for 14 who then had a very strong lbw shout first ball against Speight turned down. This proved a turning point.

Sean Stroud mixed defence an attack before he played on to Medlock for 12. The next hour or so was carnage for the Specials as after a tricky start Speight and Luke Holland laid into a succession of bowling with the best stroke play seen at Southover this season. The bowling wasn't bad -- it was the quality of shots. Lionels moved from 48 for 3 off 18 to 208 for 3 with Speight getting a century and Holland a deserved 69.

I turned to senior pro Mark Naisbitt for his first bowl in two years and he removed Holland brilliantly caught by V on the boundary and Noddy Farrell stumped by Mick. Speight was also stumped off the bowling of Alan Russell. Nick Ketchell continued the slaughter with some brutal hitting including a massive hit into the garden of one of the adjoining houses. Lionels declared on 244-6 -- a daunting target.

In reply we lost wickets at vital times V (5) out to another soft shot, Tony and myself put on18 before Tony played on to Ketchell for 18. Spin twins Noddy Farrell and Sean Cullen bowled very well and Cullen got the two vital wickets of Mohammed and McGowan with two beauties both well caught by keeper Smith.

I was joined by the Bagmaster and we put to one side our legal difficulties to put on 18 before he went for a hoik off Cullen. We were in trouble at 83-5 with 20 overs remaining. Enter James Vassay. Having learnt from his rush of blood the previous week we set about saving the game with good defence and putting the bad ball away for 4.

I passed my 50 and we put on 61 before James was lbw for 26. He was unlucky as he had clearly hit the ball. Lionel's concerted appeal sealed his fate as the Bagmaster put the finger up. Sambrook changed the bowling regularly and despite a couple of lbw shouts Russell (4 n.o.) and Herlihy 70 n.o. saw us home to a draw at 168 for 6.

A hard fought contest with Lionels having the upper hand and we look forward to resuming hostilities in 2006. The Evertonians were happy with the win at Bolton, both teams happy to see Ringo after his nasty injury the week before.

Talk in the bar focused on Liverpool next week, with Mark confirming his fitness to bowl and the team wondering how Barrington Cosgrove will shape up in a fixture which holds both fond and painful memories for this erratic Yorkshireman.

You'll hear all about it next week.