Match report: Staffs v Lancs in C&G Trophy 2004 by Neil Adams

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Scorecard:

Staffordshire v Lancashire

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Do not let the final score in this game deceive you. In difficult conditions, Lancashire dominated the match from start to finish. In truth, the visitors were playing a game within a game. Not only were Lancashire looking to beat Staffordshire, but with the thought that they could face a bowl-out, they always had one eye cast to the sky to try and beat the weather.

 

Staffordshire won the toss and rightly elected to field. The pitch was in remarkably good condition, but the outfield was very damp. In particular, the bowlers run up from the Litchfield Road end was very wet, and needed much prematch attention and copious amounts of sawdust to allow play to start on time. Bowling first also allowed the hosts greater control of the match should the Duckworth-Lewis calculation be applied at a later stage. Mal Loye and Iain Sutcliffe scored freely while the fielding restrictions were in place. After 40 minutes play, light rain fell forcing the players from the field (60-0). Loye lost his wicket soon after the resumption attempting a tight second run. Further heavier rain forced the players back to their dressing rooms at 11.52 (89-1). In a similar manner to that of Loye, Iain Sutcliffe failed to add to his score when play restarted (93-2). Sajid Mahmood, promoted to number 3 in the batting order because of the rain threat (Pinch hit to score quickly) - smashed the ball for 6 through the home dressing room window. Unfortunately Lancashire's middle order stuttered badly again, with both overseas players dismissed with only 161 runs on the scoreboard.

 

Lancashire's lower order batsmen were torn between quick run accumulation and fully utilising all of their overs. Although the boundaries were not very long, a succession of players were caught on attempting lofted shots. When Hegg edged to Goodwin with 3 overs unused, Staffordshire's players left the field with their "tails-high" (232 all out).

 

Staffordshire struggled to score runs during the opening exchanges of their innings. The run rate quickly increased above 5 per over. Much to the surprise of a large crowd (Swelling by the minute as endless school children poured in) the threat of rain lifted and the sun broke through. Barnett flicked the ball off his toes and was smartly caught by Sutcliffe (17-1). King fell leg before wicket to his 33rd delivery. He only managed 3 scoring shots (36 -2). Hogg captured the vital wicket of Mongia in the 26th over - a fine edge to keeper Hegg (73-3). Shaw and Archer both departed before the hosts reached 100 and the game was effectively dead.

 

In the final 45 minutes of this encounter, the match took a strange turn. The weather was closing in again, and Lancashire sensed that unless they finished their overs quickly, the game might enter the carry over day (Impacting on the travel plans and preparation for the match at Lords starting on Friday). Lancashire's bowlers bowled with incredible haste. Staffordshire's lower order used this period to smash seven maximum hits - great entertainment for the home crowd, but Lancashire were not too bothered. Imran Tahir smashed the final two deliveries of the game for six and received the man of the match award from Colin Evans. In truth, the final analysis of this match should have read - Lancashire beat Staffordshire and the weather by 20 runs!

 

Lancashire man of the match - Iain Sutcliffe 41 runs from 41 balls and 4 catches

 

Key Notes of the Day

• Staffordshire won the toss and elected to bowl
• 51 for 0 in the 8th over - Loye 33* Sutcliffe 16*
• 11.25am rain interruption for 10 minutes - 60 for 0 in the 9th over - Loye 37* Sutcliffe 21*
• Loye run out 37 (Attempting 2nd run) - 76 for 1 in the 11th over - Sutcliffe 37*
• Mahmood 0* dropped caught & bowled chance by Bulpitt - 76 for 1 in the 11th over
• 11.52am rain interruption for 73 minutes - 89 for 1 in the 14th over - Sutcliffe 41* Mahmood 9*
• Sutcliffe caught Goodwin bowled Bulpitt 41 - 93 for 2 in the 16th over - Mahmood 13*
• 100 for 2 in the 17th over - Mahmood 18* Law 2*
• Law caught & bowled Mongia 20 - 128 for 3 in the 23rd over - Mahmood 27*
• Mahmood 27* dropped by Archer - 128 for 3 in the 24th over - Hooper 0*
• Mahmood stumped Goodwin bowled Mongia 29 - 135 for 4 in the 25th over - Hooper 5*
• 150 for 4 in the 30th over - Hooper 11* Chilton 8*
• Hooper caught Goodwin bowled Womble 19 - 161 for 5 in the 32nd over - Chilton 10*
• Chilton 30* dropped caught & bowled chance by Womble - 188 for 5 in the 37th over - Chapple 7*
• 201 for 5 in the 39th over - Chilton 36* Chapple 11*
• Chapple caught Mongia bowled Tahir 12 - 207 for 6 in the 42nd over - Chilton 41*
• Chilton lbw bowled Tahir 42 - 209 for 7 in the 42nd over - Hogg 1*
• Hogg caught Mongia b Tahir 8 - 229 for 8 in the 46th over - Cork 12*
• Cork caught Archer bowled Follett 12 - 232 for 9 in the 47th over - Hegg 3*
• Hegg caught Goodwin bowled Follett 3 - 232 all out from 47 overs - Martin 0*

• Run rate required 4.66 runs per over
• Barnett caught Sutcliffe bowled Martin 11 - 17 for 1 in the 11th over - King 1*
• King lbw bowled Cork 6 - 36 for 2 in the 15th over - Mongia 12*
• 50 for 2 in the 19th over - Mongia 21* Archer 4*
• Mongia caught Hegg bowled Hogg 31 - 73 for 3 in the 26th over - Archer 17*
• Shaw caught Sutcliffe bowled Mahmood 2 - 76 for 4 in the 27th over - Archer 18*
• Archer bowled Martin 31 - 91 for 5 in the 31st over - Harvey 2*
• 100 for 5 in the 36th over - Harvey 7* Womble 4*
• Harvey caught Sutcliffe bowled Hooper 15 - 111 for 6 in the 38th over - Womble 7*
• Womble caught Sutcliffe bowled Chilton 136 for 7 in the 43rd over - Goodwin 6*
• 150 for 7 in the 46th over - Imran Tahir 2* Goodwin 19*
• Goodwin caught Hegg bowled Chilton 31 - 175 for 8 in the 47th over - Imran Tahir 14*
• 200 for 8 in the 50th over - Imran Tahir 29* Follett 9*
• 212 for 8 from 50 overs - Innings closed - Imran Tahir 41* Follett 9*
• Lancashire won by 20 runs

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Neil Adams http://www.cricketimages.co.uk/adams-report/intro.html)