Yorkshire
in the B&H Cup at Liverpool
Yorkshire
in the B&H Cup at Liverpool
After seeing 8 days of cricket completely washed out at Old Trafford, this was to be my first game of the season. Despite it being a home match, it was still a 7am start, as Lancashire's 3 B&H Cup home group matches were being played at Liverpool C.C. in Aigburth. After a quick breakfast, got myself round to Old Trafford and boarded the coach. The coach left about 8 o'clock, and after a nice traffic free journey, we arrived at the ground for shortly after 9 o'clock. The reason for the early arrival was apparently due to the fact that parking at Liverpool C.C. is pretty difficult, especially if it's for a Roses match! It's a nice ground, ableit a little small for first class cricket, although they had done well to get 5000 seats into the ground. The seats were still being put out when we got inside the ground, and we took a place further round the ground, near the practice nets.
After a quick jaunt down to the shops, further down the main road, we got back to the ground, and the Warburton's Cricket Experience was being taken into the ground, although as we got closer, it became evident that getting it through the gate was proving to be difficult! We then took time to have a bit of wicketkeeping practice on the outfield, as it was still quiet. A wild throw from Jordan found it's way to Chris Silverwood, who returned the ball with an equally woeful throw which landed right at my ankles! (Sorry Chris, but you've gotta keep it up to the gloves!). After most of the Lancashire players had finished their warm-up, a few went to take a look at the Yorkshire players bowling practice. I went over to get Ian Austin to sign my copy of his autobiography, and then watched Murali bowling at makeshift 'keeper Chris Schofield. After getting their signatures added to the flag, I had a little 'chat' with Murali, when I asked him how many wickets he thought he'd take, he said '2 or 3, maybe', although I would have been happy with him keeping it as tight as in the previous match versus Derbyshire (he took 1-4, and recieved the Gold Award). Light rain started to fall, but not enough to delay the start. Lanky won the toss and elected to bat, with the opening partnership of Athers and Mark Chilton. Chilton went early on, but Athers and Crawley forged a strong partnership, worth about 100, and it looked like we were on for a score of 200+, but it wasn't to be. Everything went wrong, and we collpased to 171-9 off our 50 overs, with Austin going for a quacker, and Murali coming in for the last ball of the innings, and nicking a quick single. After hearing some Tykes air their 'hillarious' song about Murali's bowling action, and their attempts to recreate it, we took our seats for the Yorkshire innings.
It didn't start off too badly, although it soon became evident where the travelling Yorkshire 'Army' were situated, as every boundary was greeted with their imaginative chant of 'Yorrrrrrkshire!', which was responded to by a few sounds of 'Baaaa' and a lone cry of 'Sheep!' by surrounding Lanky fans. Mark Chilton held on to a sharp catch at point, which was more a case of it hitting him, na dhe managed to hang on. A few overs later he was fielding on the boundary in front us, and he said the area where it hit him was 'a bit red'. Even after this, we never looked like winning the game, and a 5 wicket win for the Tykes was confirmed shortly after 5.45pm. Unfortunately Andy Flintoff was injured while bowling, although thankfully it was not related to his ongoing back problems, picking up a side strain while bowling the 5th ball of his over. Chilton bowled the remaining ball and finished with figures of 0.1-0-2-0. Warren Hegg was also hit by a rising delivery from Murali, although he was able to continue. The Gold Award went to a Yorkshire player, Lehmann or Byas I think, but I didn't quite catch it.
And so another defeat to the White Rose, we just can't seem to beat them in one-day competiton, but if we beat them on the way to the County Championship this year, then they can beat us as much as they like in one-day competition!