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Match Report...

KFCC vs. Middleham (Away)
30 Jul 2011

Match Photos

Knaresborough Forest, sponsored by Windsor Court Properties, continued their promotion push with a thumping 151 run win over lowly Middleham.
Having safe negotiated the steep streets of Middleham, home captain Simon Yates won the toss and inserted the visitors and a straw-coloured, but soft looking deck.
Jim Skaith and Matt Parker opened up against Dave Nicholson and Anthony Beales.

Both batsman survived early chances in the slips as the Middleham bowlers started with a fullish length. It was some poor outfielding which was to cost the home side dearly.
Parker survived a catch at extra cover, whilst Skaith regularly teased the fielders with some airbourne shots.
The pair soon settled into their innings and proceeded to add 109 for the first wicket. Parker made his third half century of the season, but it was Skaith who went first for 43; he failed to control a pull shot off of Woodcock and could only lob to Nick Brown at midwicket.

Cullingworth joined Parker at 3 and immediately looked at home, playing his usual array of crisp ground strokes. Out of a stand of 20, Cullingworth added before he became the second wicket to fall, when he was cleaned up by Nicholson.
By this time, Dan Ewart had replaced Nicholson with his spin, and Woodcock was operating from the field end. Phil Arrand made himself at home by hitting his first ball down the ground for 4.

Drinks came and went with Forest handily placed 145-2, and eyeing a total in excess of 300.
Shorly after the interval, Forest lost their third wicket with the score on 167-3. A fullish ball from Woodcock tempted Matt Parker into the drive, and Ben Pritchard held onto a screamer at mid-off to depart for a well made 76. Phil Arrand became the next to fall when he was cleaned up by the returning Anthony Beales for a fluent 34; a promising sign given his lack of form in recent weeks.

One run later Nick Horsman was back in the hutch for a blob, when he drilled a low catch back to Nicholson off his own bowling; despite the Goldsborough batsman hesitating, he was given out by Jeff Watkins and the innings was threatening to stumble at 183-5.
Craig Robson, promoted to 7, joined David Skaith who had dug in by this stage and was looking to bat through the innings. Robson survived a very close shout for lbw off of Nicholson, when he tried to sweep a fullish ball, but was deemed to be sliding down leg.

This let off was to cost Middleham dearly, as Robson soon began to open his shoulders and penetrate the short straight boundaries. Beales came in for some serious tap from both batsmen, as his failure to mix up his deliveries led to a diet of full tosses and half trackers. Woodcock replaced Beales at the pavillion end, but the carnage continued as Forest raced past the 200 mark.

The pair added a quickfire 58 together before Skaith got under a half volley from Woodcock, and Beales held a steepler, removing the batsman for 33. The scene was set for some long handled slogging from Jubb and Robson, and the pair didn't dissappoint. Robson raised his maiden 1st XI half century for Forest by slog sweeping Ewart over square leg for six. Forest plundered 42 runs from the last 3 overs athe innings closed on 297-6 with Robson 55 not out and Jubb 16 not out

Forest were buzzing after tea as they set about defending 298 to win. Nick Brown, Middleham's danger man was a key wicket if Forest were to have a chance of winning. When he went for 0 in the second over, Forest knew that the game would surely be theirs. Skaith conceded a single from his first over, and then Dave Alloway set about destroying the Middleham top order. Alloway floated one of his wobblers on a length, and as Brown played back to the bowler, he got more on it then intended, and popped a return catch to the bowler.

Ewart joined Burnett at three and both felt that the best way to go about proceedings was to hack their way out of trouble. Despite having the smaller of the two boundaries to defend, Alloway mixed his flight and length beautifully. He was rewarded with his second wicket when he forced Ewart to take on the short boundary, and lost; Horsman holding a good catch.

A stand of 49 then ensued between Ian Clarkson and Burnett. Skaith bowled 8 tidy overs before being replaced by Pyke at the sheep end. Burnett seemed happy to nudge and nurdle on the posh side, whilst Clarkson looked to attack. Alloway was soon to pick up his third wicket. Burnett (43) slogging to mid-wicket and Cullingworth fought off the midges and flying ants to complete the catch (77-3).
Middleham's keeper Jamie Peacock came in, with a 6.30pm curfew. That signalled the start of a game of slog-ball for Peacock. With the clock striking 6.30pm, and his mum calling him for his tea, he had a heave across the line and was castled by Stew Pyke (98-4).

It that was that man Alloway again with the score on 104-5; Nicholson not keen to hang around, and simply knocked up a catch to Pyke at short midwicket to depart for 2. Middleham's last hope of a decent total soon went with with the fall of Clarkson(53). He got himself in an awful tangle trying to play a fullish ball from stew Pyke and was cleaned up to leave Forest needing just 4 wickets for victory. Pyke took this as his cue to rattle through the tail. He removed Woodcock (lbw for 9), Pritchard ( bowled third ball for 0) and Beales (bowled behind his legs for 1) all in the space of three overs.

Simon Yates, normally Middleham's top order hitter strode out at number 11, with faint hopes of a point still about. However a combination of the lure of Division 3 cricket next year, and an early finish at the White Bull forced Yates to chip meakly to Parker at midwicket; allowing Pyke to complete his five-for, and dismiss the home side for 146.

[Craig Robson]

06 Sep 2010

Evening all,

Well, I was expecting to be sitting here talking about the 'P' word, but as that has been put on the back burner for another week, I have had to rack my brains and think of something else to ramble on about for a couple of paragraphs.

I've become aware over the course of the season that there are dangerous pitfalls that a Forest player must be aware of, and for the benefit of all players felt it my duty to highlight them here. So here goes....

1) Getting married seriously affects your batting average, just ask Barnsy

2) When fielding at Studley, it's better to catch the ball, that is unless you are intending to protect a batting average

3) Never bring the girlfriend, wife, partner etc down to Forest, you may end up losing her to the Jubster!

4) A night with Piky and home brew cider is not good for your general well being. Please note this is exclusive to southerners, (I've been told it's particularly dangerous to those from Essex)

5) Before making your stumping decision, bare in mind the wicket keeper. If you here the dulcet tones of a geordie, it's best to give it, unless you fancy your chances in the car park!

6) Players under the age of 14, or... More

In-between delighting the Calcutt crowds with his exemplary stroke-play, Oli is a Catering Consultant for Red Box.

View Oliver's Profile for more information.

 

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Team News

B vs. Scotton B (Away)

29 Jun 2011

Team for mmp cup final vs ripon, mon 27 June ko 6.15 at goldsborough
R Dickinson
D Embleton
M wilkinson
N whitham
M Clapperton
S Clapperton
J Ainsley
J bradd
D allloway
D miller
R usher

For further team news, visit the Fixtures section.