Match report Glos v Yorks C&G Trophy semi-final 2004 by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Gloucestershire v Yorkshire

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Yorkshire (243/6) lost to Gloucestershire (247/5) by five wickets.

 

A superb century by Gloucestershire’s New Zealander Craig Spearman took the home county into the final of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy, as they completed an easy victory over Yorkshire at the Nevill Road ground in Bristol. Yorkshire, unable to score their runs quickly enough when batting first, once again found their bowlers unable to do the job in one-day cricket, and once Spearman began his assault the result was in little doubt.

 

The morning was quite sunny as Yorkshire won the toss and decided to bat. Reigning champions Gloucestershire were in excitable mood early on, with several excited appeals as Matthew Wood and Michael Lumb opened against New Zealander James Franklin, who started with a wide and a no-ball, and Jonathan Lewis, who had Wood playing and missing at five successive deliveries in the second over, only once intentionally, and another three times in his next over.

 

Franklin continued to have run-up problems, and the batsmen had a free ball each in his third over – and were caught off both of them! He gave way to Mike Smith after three overs. Despite his uncertainty against Lewis, Wood was the more fluent of Yorkshire’s openers and seemed to have come to terms with his problem when he hit three boundaries in Lewis’s fourth over – although one came off the glove.

 

But Lewis won the war, as Wood (32) top-edged a cut and was easily caught by Martyn Ball at backward point. Yorkshire were 47 for one in the tenth over, and in came England captain Michael Vaughan, released on bail by Duncan Fletcher.

 

Lumb grew in confidence, at one stage stepping well down the pitch to Smith to meet the ball on the full toss and drive it for four past mid-off. Nut otherwise the batsmen struggled to score, with Vaughan taking 21 balls to get off the mark. But gradually they settled into a scoring routine, taking the score to 90 before Lumb (34) drove at a ball from Mark Alleyne outside the off stump and edged a catch to wicketkeeper Stephen Adshead in the 21st over.

 

Darren Lehmann speeded up the scoring rate with two powerful drives for four, soon overtaking Vaughan. Vaughan laboured to make 30 off 60 balls, at which point he tried to loft Franklin, much improved from the other end, across the line over mid-on and was bowled by a ball that hit his off stump. Yorkshire were 153 for three in the 34th over.

 

The light deteriorated and rain threatened as Anthony McGrath joined Lehmann. Soon umbrellas began to go up and the players left the field in the 38th over, with Yorkshire 159 for three (Lehmann 37, McGrath 4). Lunch was taken early and play resumed after the shower 45 minutes after the stoppage.

 

The runs continued to come, but in ones and twos instead if the boundaries desirable. Lahmann reached his fifty off 66 balls, but with only four fours, and then McGrath (15) holed out at wide long-on to Chris Taylor off Ball. Yorkshire were 184 for four in the 43rd over.

 

Ian Harvey, playing against his former county, was sent in to try for a final fling and he responded superbly, although he was fortunate that midwicket was too slow to catch a ball that flew almost by his ear and went for four. He scored off virtually every ball, until a full-blooded slash was pulled down, a brilliant flying catch by Mike Hussey at backward point off Franklin. Harvey had scored 20 runs off 10 balls, and in the 47th over Yorkshire were 214 for five.

 

Tim Bresnan made 2 before being smartly stumped by Adshead, standing up to Smith; 218 for six in the 47th over. Lehmann opened out by pulling Lewis into the midwicket stand for six and then cutting him for a resounding four. But Yorkshire could only total 243 for six off their 50 overs, a total of dubious quality against the champions. Lehmann finished with 80 and Richard Blakey with 7, while the most successful bowler was Lewis with two for 49.

 

With the sun now shining openers Phil Weston and Craig Spearman, Gloucestershire began their chase. Matthew Hoggard bowled a testing opening over to Weston, but Spearman took two boundaries off Bresnan’s opening over. Worse was to come for Bresnan in his next over, as Spearman, strong of arm and wrist, flicked him over midwicket for sixes off successive balls. Hoggard received the same treatment in his next over, the ball pitching just over sthe boundary. After five overs, Gloucestershire had reached 37, of which Spearman had 30.

 

Harvey for Bresnan brought down the scoring rate but little. The cut replaced the pull as Spearman’s favourite stroke, and he reached his fifty off just 30 balls, in the 11th over. Weston lived in Spearman’s shadow and was first to go, driving Hoggard straight to Lehmann at short extra cover to depart for 16; 73 for one in the 13th over. He had done a valuable job.

 

Hoggard bowled seven overs and did well to concede only 25 runs against the rampaging Spearman. Mike Hussey, like Spearman, sought to dominate the attack and did so in good style; whether seam or spin, the Yorkshire bowlers continued their recent dismal one-day form and were unable to make any impression on the Gloucestershire batsmen.

 

The next wicket came by accident, as Hussey, trying to dab a ball from McGrath away on the off side, chopped it on to his stumps and departed for a brisk 35. At 142 for two in the 25th over, Gloucestershire were now in a position of clear dominance.

 

Spearman went on to reach his superb century off just 84 balls, though his approach now was less spectacular and sights firmly set on ensuring his team’s victory. Matt Windows scored 19 before chopping the noble Hoggard on to his stumps, damaging it in the process so the umpires had to call for a replacement. At this stage Gloucestershire were 189 for three in the 35th over.

 

Chris Taylor scored 10 before a mix-up over a quick single on the leg side led to his hesitation and run-out at the bowler’s end, but Spearman remained. Gloucestershire were now 205 for four in the 38th over. Next to go was Franklin, lbw to Harvey for 8, on 233 for five in the 44th over.

 

But it was all academic, although Alleyne looked most uncomfortable as he came in to face Hoggard. He managed a boundary, but then Spearman swung Hoggard to the fine-leg boundary to clinch a fine victory for his team, finishing unbeaten on 143. It included 14 fours and 4 sixes.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)