Match Reports

Saturday 1st June 2002

Newcastle 1st XI vs Chester-le-Street (Home)

Can I have a 99 with flake please? A fine toss to win with Chester le Street electing to bat first!! 'Angry' was not charged up enough for his opening spell so after being hit for a flurry of boundaries Alex made his way to third man for an extended stay, Chester reaching the fourties in the 6th over of the day. Meanwhile the old stagers 'Bandy Legs' Turnbull and skipper 'Hugh Jars' reigned in the Chester openers, 'Bandy' taking the wicket of Worthy the destroyer.

In an extraordinary event the daft Aussie decided to prove that he was in fact Australian by asking one of the all time great questions and proceeded to cry for the rest of the day not even taking time out to stop the ball going through the slips. Still at least Brian was bowling, teasing the batsmen with his lofty, floaty, slow-stuff. A fine delivery (?!) resulting in a caught and bowled snaffled by a smiling Johnny B. The Chester number 3 was last seen cruicified to the Gateshead Angel, such was his anguish.

Scott & Ritzey head for the middle Paul Lindsay, back from his trip around the world, then proceeded to double his tally of wickets for last year by taking the two important wickets of Hughes and Burbeck. Paul, sporting a new look hair piece, bowled with a bit of pace and apart from the first one not pitching it was great to have back in the team.

Chester sportingly declared after 60 overs leaving Newcastle 60 overs to score 244. Scott 'Faaack' Kay carried on his great run of form with a fine 97 again supported well by 'Zimmer' Mathewson who scored 56. Rumour has it that 'Zimmer' is still at the Ropery Lane explaining how he moved from 50 to 56 in one shot that cannoned into the sightscreen, Keith Brown applauding from his vantage point looking through the dressing room window. A fine effort by everyone in the team left Newcastle with a second successive victory of the season and looking forward to the derby with Gateshead Fell on Monday.

Scotty lashes out!

Newcastle 2nd XI vs Chester-le-Street (Home)

A few changes were enforced from the disappointing draw at Sunderland last week. Out went messers Rourke, Hurring and the 11th man we didn't have; also our strike bowler Big 'Baz' Bailey was missing due stag night responsibilities. In came Alistair Kingsley Bugle McGarrigle (its ok mate, we won't tell anyone), Daniel "My body is a temple" Cook and "Village" Jon Hurford.

Having won the toss AGAIN, Chester were asked to field in the baking heat of 22 degrees. Having lost Village and posh lad Ed Burbidge early doors, Consett's finest upstanding citizen and Bugle Boy McGarrigle steadied the ship before both falling to shots from the Hutton Rugby 'teach yourself village cricket' handbook. We will not mention that Cooky was bowled by a leg stump pasty from the opposition's non-spinning spinner which should still be traveling down the coast road to this day. The reliable experience of Kenny Pearson showed the younger lads what this great game is all about with some top shots before falling to one that didn't get up much from their 6ft 6 flamed haired warrior.

Then came the partnership that turned out to be the best of the game between our own Harry Potter, Tim Cartwright and Shaun 'chaz-me up' Collins, who needed a crane to lift his lip from the floor after finding himself at No 8. Shaun smashed 59 before being stumped and Tim was caught for 40 at long on. Newcastle ended up getting 187-9 from 55 overs.

We started our defense of an under par total quite well, with Robson's in-swingers causing difficulty. Again dropped catches didn't help our cause. Our breakthrough came with a run out after some smart work from Village, removing the dangerous David Hawke for 42. Then an inspired bowling change to bring on our young spin twin attack of Humble and the injured Keith Porter changed the game for a while. Ports was spinning it a mile and acquired their number four with one that pitched outside off, kept a tad low and hit the edge of leg - BOWLIN FELLA! Ports ended up with three wickets including a catch from the only 6 ft 6 in short leg in the league. Humble grabbed 2 wickets followed by Robson and Collins taking one each. We eventually lost by 2 wickets in the final over.

The highlight of the game had to be the interruption during the Chester innings. Obviously a member of a stag doo, a streaker (bad show as he kept his socks on) ran round the wickets heading for Ports. Even if he had tried to jump over the stumps, Ports didn't reckon the bails would have been dislodged, if you catch his drift. I wonder if the sight of his large wobbly backside woke the members from their mid-afternoon nap.......?

Newcastle CC is sponsored by Billabong Bar in Jesmond.