Adair clubs Birmingham into submission
Men’s cricket
On a muggy spring afternoon, with the weather alternating between swirling winds and periodic sunshine, Leeds 1sts provided a calm and steady performance to defeat Birmingham on Wednesday.
Batting first, the hosts posted a dominant 269 score, in large part thanks to a virtuoso fourth wicket stand between George Adair and captain Ben Kingsnorth.
Back in the BUCS Premier Division after promotion last season, and the nucleus of his side still intact, skipper Kingsnorth sounded confident of the year’s prospects after a confident victory, praising his team for dominating “in all aspects of the game, outclassing our opponents.”
Defeated Birmingham were left with a sour taste in their mouths, seething at the perceived injustice of several key umpiring decisions that did not swing their way.
Having lost the toss, the hosts were sent into bat: a decision that did not seem to bother the captain, who would have batted had he won the flip of the coin.
Openers Olly Howick and Simon Barrett got off to a steady if not spectacular start, seeing off the opening bowlers to reach 60 without loss after the first fifteen overs.
With the hard work done, Howick was then given out lbw, before next man in, Harry Bush, was run out by Barrett after facing only three balls.Barrett then picked up his fifty in style before smacking a full toss straight back to the bowler for an easy catch.
At this point, the Leeds innings could have floundered, as the score, 120-3 after 30 overs, was unspectacular.
However, controlled aggression paid off for Kingsnorth and Adair – both left handed batsmen – whose superb running between the wickets gave the initiative to the hosts.
The two shared a 104 partnership for the fourth wicket, and after an hour together in the middle, the captain lofted a drive straight down mid-off’s throat, after making 44 in 34 balls.
Adair’s swashbuckling effort soon came to an end as well, caught in similar fashion on 79, with his team 247-6. The dismissal brought an end to a fine innings, a balance of attacking flair, placement and, at times, brute strength.
The wickets soon tumbled, with Birmingham’s openers, Shackleton and Ebanks, reintroduced into the attack, reducing Uni to 269-9 at the close of the innings.
Set a target of 270, the visitors’ opening batsmen employed the same tactic as their Leeds counterparts in attempting to see off the opening quick bowlers.
Pipkin and Wood looked steady at 42-0, until after running a quick two, the former called the latter for a third, before hesitating and sending him back. Will Stiff, bowling at the time, took the bails off at the non-strikers end for Uni’s first wicket.
From then on, Pipkin looked nervy at the crease, facing twelve consecutive dot balls after his partners’ dismissal, and could only watch on as a Howick snorter trapped the new man plumb lbw for a duck.Richard Flood and James Robottom, the first bowling change for Leeds, started to turn the screws on Birmingham, holding the visitors to three runs in their first three overs combined.
Robottom in particular beat the bat on several occasions but failed to find an edge, and as tightly as the two bowled, they could dismiss neither Pipkin nor the new man Murphy.
Birmingham reached the half way stage of 25 overs at 85-2, only ten runs behind Leeds at the same stage, but they failed to motor on, and the dual spin attack of Barrett and Bush proved effective on such a large pitch.
Pushed to the edge of frustration, both batsmen were out stumped due to a mixture of decent spin bowling, adept keeping and abject batting.
Keeper Sam Burge had three stumpings on the day and one catch, and all too quickly Leeds rattled through the visitors’ middle order.
It was only Shackleton who provided any resistance, knocking a respectable 35 after the game had already been lost.
Robottom was brought back to finish his ten overs, and responded with two well deserved wickets, while Stiff finally put Birmingham out of their misery for 170, a hundred runs short of victory.
The Uni will now face Leeds Met, with both sides having won their two opening games.
Related posts:
- Adair clubs Birmingham into submission Men’s cricket On a muggy spring afternoon, with the weather alternating between swirling winds and periodic sunshine, Leeds 1sts provided a calm and steady performance...
- Gryphons leave it late to break Birmingham resistance Men’s Rugby Union Leeds Gryphons left it to the last play of the game against a dangerous Birmingham side to maintain their prefect start to...
- Extra man pivotal for Gryphons Men’s Hockey Leeds continued to demonstrate that they are reaping the benefits of the new Gryphon programme at Weetwood last Wednesday. The Hockey team showed...
- On the Brink of success Men’s Football: Leeds Gryphons 2nds 6-2 Newcastle 2nds Leeds Gryphons 2nds maintained their 100 per cent record with a second half master class over Newcastle...
- Saints humbled Netball: Leeds Gryphons 2nds 56-22 York St. John 1sts Leeds Gryphons 2nds Netball team stormed to a comprehensive victory over York St. John at the...
Leave a Response
Adair clubs Birmingham into submission
Men’s cricket
On a muggy spring afternoon, with the weather alternating between swirling winds and periodic sunshine, Leeds 1sts provided a calm and steady performance to defeat Birmingham on Wednesday.
Batting first, the hosts posted a dominant 269 score, in large part thanks to a virtuoso fourth wicket stand between George Adair and captain Ben Kingsnorth.
Back in the BUCS Premier Division after promotion last season, and the nucleus of his side still intact, skipper Kingsnorth sounded confident of the year’s prospects after a confident victory, praising his team for dominating “in all aspects of the game, outclassing our opponents.”
Defeated Birmingham were left with a sour taste in their mouths, seething at the perceived injustice of several key umpiring decisions that did not swing
Having lost the toss, the hosts were sent into bat: a decision that did not seem to bother the captain, who would have batted had he won the flip of the coin.
Openers Olly Howick and Simon Barrett got off to a steady if not spectacular start, seeing off the opening bowlers to reach 60 without loss after the first fifteen overs.
With the hard work done, Howick was then given out lbw, before next man in, Harry Bush, was run out by Barrett after facing only three balls.
Barrett then picked up his fifty in style before smacking a full toss straight back to the bowler for an easy catch.
At this point, the Leeds innings could have floundered, as the score, 120-3 after 30 overs, was unspectacular.
However, controlled aggression paid off for Kingsnorth and Adair – both left handed batsmen – whose superb running between the wickets gave the initiative to the hosts.
The two shared a 104 partnership for the fourth wicket, and after an hour together in the middle, the captain lofted a drive straight down mid-off’s throat, after making 44 in 34 balls.
Adair’s swashbuckling effort soon came to an end as well, caught in similar fashion on 79, with his team 247-6. The dismissal brought an end to a fine innings, a balance of attacking flair, placement and, at times, brute strength.
The wickets soon tumbled, with Birmingham’s openers, Shackleton and Ebanks, reintroduced into the attack, reducing Uni to 269-9 at the close of the innings.
Set a target of 270, the visitors’ opening batsmen employed the same tactic as their Leeds counterparts in attempting to see off the opening quick bowlers.
Pipkin and Wood looked steady at 42-0, until after running a quick two, the former called the latter for a third, before hesitating and sending him back. Will Stiff, bowling at the time, took the bails off at the non-strikers end for Uni’s first wicket.
From then on, Pipkin looked nervy at the crease, facing twelve consecutive dot balls after his partners’ dismissal, and could only watch on as a Howick snorter trapped the new man plumb lbw for a duck.
Richard Flood and James Robottom, the first bowling change for Leeds, started to turn the screws on Birmingham, holding the visitors to three runs in their first three overs combined.
Robottom in particular beat the bat on several occasions but failed to find an edge, and as tightly as the two bowled, they could dismiss neither Pipkin nor the new man Murphy.
Birmingham reached the half way stage of 25 overs at 85-2, only ten runs behind Leeds at the same stage, but they failed to motor on, and the dual spin attack of Barrett and Bush proved effective on such a large pitch.
Pushed to the edge of frustration, both batsmen were out stumped due to a mixture of decent spin bowling, adept keeping and abject batting.
Keeper Sam Burge had three stumpings on the day and one catch, and all too quickly Leeds rattled through the visitors’ middle order.
It was only Shackleton who provided any resistance, knocking a respectable 35 after the game had already been lost.
Robottom was brought back to finish his ten overs, and responded with two well deserved wickets, while Stiff finally put Birmingham out of their misery for 170, a hundred runs short of victory.
The Uni will now face Leeds Met, with both sides having won their two opening games.
Related posts:
- Gryphons leave it late to break Birmingham resistance Men’s Rugby Union Leeds Gryphons left it to the last play of the game against a dangerous Birmingham side to maintain their prefect start to...
- Extra man pivotal for Gryphons Men’s Hockey Leeds continued to demonstrate that they are reaping the benefits of the new Gryphon programme at Weetwood last Wednesday. The Hockey team showed...
- On the Brink of success Men’s Football: Leeds Gryphons 2nds 6-2 Newcastle 2nds Leeds Gryphons 2nds maintained their 100 per cent record with a second half master class over Newcastle...
- Saints humbled Netball: Leeds Gryphons 2nds 56-22 York St. John 1sts Leeds Gryphons 2nds Netball team stormed to a comprehensive victory over York St. John at the...
- Gryphons off to a flyer Women’s Hockey: Leeds Gryphons 1sts 2-0 Northumbria 2nds Leeds claimed a hard-fought win over a recently relegated Northumbria at Weetwood on Wednesday. Well-taken goals from...
