Specials fall just short against the lionels

Is Lionel Park still Lionel Park when it's a Sundowners home game and the Lionels are forced into the Away Team's changing rooms? I guess the only way to resolve the argument is to have a game of cricket, so that's exactly what we did.

Skipper Mark James won the toss and we batted on what appeared a glorious day for wielding the willow. I say appeared because with Postie Paul caught for 1, the skipper run out by a fabulous direct hit by Jani from 30 yards, John Morris bowled after scoring 2 in French cuts and Graham J out for 14, we were in strife at 32 for 4.

Andy Farrell started hitting the ball around and sending former Lionels skipper Andy Vernon back from the Wirrall for the weekend running down the hill after the ball. Inertia kicked in and he continued over the boundary, through the kids football match, and into the fence in a glorious spectacle cheered on by his former colleagues.
The laughter didn't last cos Andy was bowled for 18. Yours truly joined Sean Cullen, who was building an impressive innings after a spell on the sidelines due to a broken big toe, but 30 or so runs later I was deceived by a straight one for 11 and we were still in strife at 103 for 6.

Luckily Messrs Canty, Martin, Bradshaw and Cronin were on hand to hold up an end, and nudge the odd run or two, while Sean made us all look like beginners by scoring a peerless 50 at the other end.

When Dave C thought his lovely shot back over the bowler's head for 4 was down to skill rather than luck, he tried it again, was bowled, and we were all out for 147 with Sean not out on 59. Not that good a score but a lot more than we looked like getting earlier in the day.

We needed an early breakthrough and downhill Mickey Bradshaw and uphill Me weren't about to disappoint. Andy V couldn't get used to the extra speed which my new hair-do allows me to generate and was caught behind by who? surely not? yes, it is! It's Davey C behind the stumps.

Mickey had Andy F catch one Paul Cotsen and then when the ball was hit in the air by Cedric De Silva to mid-wicket we all looked around to see who was there. Paul C was looking around too, but his look of resignation gave away the fact it was him. Did he panic? Yes, but only on the inside. Did he move? Not an inch. Did he catch it? Do Wallace and Grommit drive the same car as him? Damn right he did!

Sean C, full of confidence after his batting, took a great juggling, diving, stretching - every -ing you can think of catch at cover of my bowling, and we had them in as much trouble as we'd been. We were in with a sniff.

Mike McGowan was at the wicket and I recalled the days of cheering him on when as Lionels skipper, his batting performances had glossed over the rest of our inadequacies and taken us to improbable victories. Fond memories indeed, but not today please Mike.

Andy F bowled one and then had Sean C snaffle Chris Steinbach another catch while John M was containing Mike after an early onslaught. When Sean C replaced him and bowled the dangerman we were jubilant, despite the realisation that it was only the result and not the Lionel of the Match gong that we were now competing for.

Andy also managed to hit Tony Medlock , the other dangerman, in the eye and send him back to the pavilion retired hurt, then bowled Jani to leave them somewhere in the eighties with former Lionels, Ringo and Mark Naisbitt , at the wicket and Tony patched up and ready to go on the sidelines.

The spin twins couldn't get a breakthrough so the Cat was called in from his isolated fielding position to conjure up some of that old magic and I got to bowl up the hill again.

With plenty of overs left and runs starting to flow the game was on a knife edge which Paul gave an almighty shove in our direction by bowling Ringo. It was a timed game so with 5 overs to go, 25 to get and Tony back at the wicket, any result was still possible. Until this happened…

I staggered up the hill one more time and threw it as hard as I could. Mark played across the line looking for the single that would put Tony on strike. He got a leading edge which popped the ball up in the air to mid-wicket.
Richard claims the last thing he heard was everyone's intake of breath followed by complete silence - he's right and it as seemed an eon before the ball came down so most of us were starting to turn blue. The next thing he recalls is me running at him looking "scary".
Scary? I was a little bit happy and simply on my way to congratulate him for taking the catch that had won the match and secured the naming rights to Lionel Park.

Bowling figures of 14 for 2 by Bradshaw, 26 for 3 from Farrell, or even 11 for 3 from Me (off 10.1 overs with 4 maidens mind you) didn't even rate a nomination for the gong and Sean rightly took it away (and then he called me during the week to tell me he's taken it on holiday too).

Great bowling and fielding performance by every Lionel, very well skippered by Mark J and a special mention to Davey C for a stunning performance behind the stumps - he caught one, dropped one, bounced another off his helmet, and all in all did a ripper job.

Happy days for the Lionels who were also missing some regulars but a Specials team minus Herlihy, Cattell, Ghaghda, Pilgrim, Vassey and Moore were left to lick their wounds.