3rd team. Match report v Langholm

The Mighty Thirds have gone down fighting in a good old fashioned cricketing contest.

Asked to play a home game v Langholm at Lanercost because of the 2nds cup final, we were also asked to bat first on a tacky pitch.

Langholm’s 4 bowlers used the pitch well – 8 batsmen out bowled and 1 LBW was testament to how well they also used the seam. That we managed to last 37 overs was mostly down to Cam West’s brilliant and mature 35. Matty Smith carved a useful 8 at the end but 96 was always going to be difficult to defend.

Spirits were high at tea though and rightly so when Keen Steve and Luke West had the opposition 2 down for 1 run in the first couple of overs. At this point, despite much playing and missing, Langholm’s batters stuck in for a useful 3rd wicket partnership of 53 in 20 overs. Whilst it took us a while to get this breakthrough we never gave up. Tight bowling and tight fielding created a palpable tension for both teams. Stan Mac bowled beautifullly flighted offspin with a slippery ball and a short boundary without getting carted. We always felt that we were just 1 more wicket away from breaking through, but those wickets didn’t come soon enough. And so despite a cracking and hostile spell from Halliday and a season’s best performance from Luke West (10-6-9-2) the end eventually came as Langholm won by 5 wickets with 8 overs to spare.

Unfortunately the low total didn’t allow us to let all of our bowlers show off their arsenals. But it was a brave performance and we await the final game of the season -away to the same ground, but this time against the locals.