Chaos here,

Some could argue this was the biggest game of the year so far, due to the noise people around the league were making about this lot being title contenders. A much changed Skelmanthorpe side from the one we played in the 2021 Sykes Cup semi final. Now, with six new signings which include 4 South African passport holders and 1 Indian overseas.

I must mention the two debutants we had within the ranks. Firstly, the MVP and Moorlands’ future hall-of-famer Logan Silverwood. A well deserved call up to the first team, he looks every bit a player on his way to great things. Highly thought of throughout the club and Chaos has earmarked him for first team cricket in the coming seasons.

Secondly, we have our new signing from Woodlands in the Bradford League, Liam Collins. He will wear the number 36 shirt for us and comes with a glowing reputation and destructive batting style. New signing Marcus Walmsley (M1), heard on the grapevine there was an opportunity for his signature and wasted no time in getting it over the line. I was delighted with our ability to sign a player of this calibre and shows we are moving in the right direction as a cricket club.

Onto the fixture itself, if you’re reading this in a rush and not sure if you’ll have time and come back to it later. You’ll have time to read this report don’t worry, we didn’t take long to bury these.

In my one previous visit to watch the 2nd team tuck up Shat Bangers, the wicket looked flat and it’s well known they have a decent wicket. However, I was staring at what could only be described as a cabbage patch, not cut, not rolled and wet through. I won the toss and unsurprisingly requested they pad up and strap themselves in. Rudgey took the new pill and like a well-oiled machine, he instantly settled onto a dangerous line and length. He removed their opening batsman early in the piece, caught behind by Henry Crowhurst (Chenners). That brought in their premier man, Jack Newby, who amassed over 1,200 runs last year opening the batting, interestingly batting 3 today.. At 4-1 Newby hit a well timed drive but made the fatal mistake of not keeping it on the ground. Rudgey stuck out a right hand and took a ridiculous reaction catch to remove him. A brilliant piece of bowling and change of piece saw them go to 13-3 with Rudgey all 3 wickets.

M1, having previously not taken a league wicket for the club, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and joined the party on a monumental scale. He took the next 5 wickets in quick succession, making batters play and miss regularly and looked almost unplayable on what was a seamer friendly wicket. His wickets included two LBWs and a good piece of work from Chenners who took one bail off immediately and then waited for the batter to lift before taking the other off and claiming a smart stumping. M1, not to be outdone by Rudgey, also took a terrific caught and bowled that was already passed him when he snared it one handed. His final two wickets were both clean bowled, providing one of their lads with an average this year having not been out previously, according to him. In just 18.2 overs we had bowled them out for 54 and made a statement to the rest of the league that we can bowl a side out comfortably with several pros in it. M1 with 6/20 and Rudgey 4/32 doing all the damage in what is shaping up to be a serious opening bowler pair.

There’s not much to say about the 2nd innings, M1 was ever watchful preying on anything wide or over-pitched. Shoki scored a 20 ball 24 runs which in hindsight took the game away strangely. We got up to 47-1 and annoyingly lost 4 quick wickets, some bad shots in included. Siraj got us over the line with a majestic flick over backward square leg for a one-bounce 4.

All in all a terrific day at the office and a statement win put out to the rest of the league to sit up and take note. Special mention to the opening pair M1 and Rudgey who blew away a batting order full of pro batsmen. I can’t ask for much more bowling a team out for 54 and an early finish back at HQ for 4pm. We now move onto Thongsbridge where we look to keep up our good start to the season and keep our unbeaten record.

Til next time,