Sunday Saints crash to Corby

Jun 24 2009 by Susan Bryden, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

A SUNNY Kingholm welcomed Great Corby from Cumbria for a 35 over friendly.

Batting first and opening with skipper Ollie Driver and St Michael’s pro Randall Hart, they proceded to swiftly punish the opening bowling partnership of Shyam and Pagan.

Hart was particularly severe in his treatment of teammate Shyam who went for 52 off his 5 overs. Pagan bowled well from the other end and only went for 27 off his 6 overs. The score raced along, the sole dismissal being the unlucky Driver caught behind by Brockwell from a bottom edge for 14 with the score well over 50.

McAlindon continued where his teammate had left off and raced to 30 before being bowled by Alam. Thankfully Hart retired on 50 with the score around the 100 mark off 12 overs before he could do any more damage to the sightscreens. Then Pagan trapped Lythgoe lbw for 0 before coming off.

Change bowlers Derek Heron and Chris Lumb bowled well in tandem and Lumb did well to get the dangerous looking Swann out to a lovely catch by Shyam at mid on. However by then the powerful hitting Swann had made a very valuable 35.

Some good batting from the Corby juniors particuarly Swann Jr took the score to 193 from the alloted 35 overs. Best bowling of the day came from Chris Lumb who bowled 8 overs and took 2 for 26.

St Michael’s started well as Australian Pat Sullivan and ex-skipper Derek Heron led the way to 30 before Sullivan fell to a stunning one-handed catch by Hart. His joy at sending his teammate packing for 12 was a sight to behold and a warning for those who underestimate the competitive nature of Saints’ Australians this summer.

Next followed the best partnership of the day for St Michael’s as Chris Brockwell and Derek Heron, who has not played for over two years, put on 60 for the second wicket, the partnership only ending when a stunning piece of fielding ran Brockwell out for 25.

Heron who had his first chance to bat with his son Dani retired on 50 having looked just as good as he did in his heyday of 5 years ago. Apart from Mark Pagan, who hit a smashing 25, the innings gradually petered out after Hart accounted for captain Ahsanul Alam with yet another stunning catch.

Pick of the bowlers for Corby was Ollie Driver who bowled from both ends and can quite clearly bowl fast and also turn the ball both ways when bowling spin. St Michael’s innings ended on 140 after their allotted 35 overs.

Both teams enjoyed a very friendly day and have agreed to keep in touch and meet again next year if the chance permits.

St Michael’s Man of the Match was Derek Heron for his very valuable 50 runs and his encouragement to his junior teammates throughout the game.