Rain finally stops play as Norden chase Greenfield target

It’s amazing what can be achieved when you have two cricket teams and two umpires willing to play as long as possible despite poor weather conditions.

Norden travelled to Greenfield on Saturday for a match which was hit by several short sharp rain squalls – the kind of which had passed over by the time the players going off had reached the boundary.

It was miserable, but umpires Brian Cutler and Steve Bryan deserved praise for allowing the game to continue until it really rained in early evening – really rained.

Greenfield totalled 176, and Norden, chasing a reduced target, were 96 for four after 14.1 when play ended, well short of the regulation 20 minimum overs to make it a match.

Chris Gill and Alex Bychkov gave Greenfield a great start, but with the total in the 60s they were bowled by Hashum Malik and Martin Smith respectively.

Alex Peters (28) was best of the rest, but wickets fell regularly, and Greenfield were all out with four balls of the final 40th over undelivered.

Nick Fairchild took five for 48 – his first five for in English cricket – and it could have been better had he not put down a return catch, and Jay Collin took a great catch in the field.

Stags reply saw them at 11 for three.

Michael Price was bowled by Bird without scoring, Rehan Udwadia was bowled by Robinson for a duck, and Nick Brierley was given out leg before to Robinson for eight.

Greenfield were buzzing, but Ash Gowers and Steve Pimm turned the game following a rain break and another reduction in the run rate which meant Stags had to score another 124 in just over 15 overs.

The pair put on 66 before Gowers was caught behind for 39.

Pimm continued the chase and had scored 31 off 22 balls when play was finally ended.

Greenfield

C Gill b Malik 27
A Bychkov b Smith 33
A Peters c Gowers b Fairchild 28
M White b Malik 13
A Hayes c J Collin b Malik 19
J Hepworth lbw Fairchild 9
M Ashworth c Hartley b Fairchild 10
M Bird st Gowers b Fairchild 6
C Faulkner c Price b Smith 7
A Robinson c Malik b Fairchild 6
T Bradnum not out 0
Extras 18
Total 176
Bowling: Hartley 5-1-28-0; Smith 12-2-52-2; Malik 12-1-45-3; Fairchild 10.2-0-48-5.

Norden

M Price b Bird 0
R Udwadia b Robinson 0
N Brierley lbw Robinson 8
A Gowers c Bychkov b Robinson 39
S Pimm not out 31
J Harrison not out 5
Extras 13
Total (for 4 wkts 96
Bowling: Robinson
5.1-0-20-3; Bird 4-1-23-1; Peters 3-0-21-0; Hayes 1-0-15-0; Bradnum 1-0-11-0