Malik achieves best ever bowling return as Norden defeat Walsden

Norden Cricket Club

Hashum Malik achieved his best ever bowling return as Norden defeated arch rivals Walsden at Stag Park on Sunday.

On a wicket which was never going to produce a lot of runs Norden were tumbled out for 117, but Malik then took seven for 23 as the visitors crashed from 33 without loss to 92 all out.

Norden started slowly and surely, but it was not all down to the wicket that runs were hard to score, as Walsden’s four-prong attack bowled superbly, backed up by some good work in the field.

Simon Harman and Daniel Salpietro put on 39 before the professional tickled a delivery from Steve Barker to be caught behind by Joe Hanson.

This signalled a very slow run rate, with 48 overs used up in reaching that final total of 117.

Rehan Udwadia became the first of Umesh Karunaratne’s four wickets, Simon North went leg before to Steve Barker, and Harman then went back to defend against Karunaratne and was beaten by the spinner.

Norden were 51 for four, and it didn’t get much better for them, with Ash Gowers popping up a return catch to Karunaratne.

Steve Pimm then played the lead in a partnership of 27 with Dom Humphreys, Pimm hitting four boundaries in his 58-ball knock of 20.

He lost the help of Humphreys who was bowled by Josh Gale, but he managed to see the total into three figures before he gave Gale a return.

The tail added another 13 as Gale took his haul to four for 28, Karunaratne having bowled 17 overs to return four for 38.

There didn’t seem any demons in the wicket as Rawlinson and Hooson put on 33 in the reply, but Hooson then snicked a delivery from Salpietro to be caught behind by Gowers, Nick Barker drove one back into the hands of Salpietro, and Rawlinson was given out leg before to Malik, a decision he clearly didn’t agree with.

Harkel and Karunaratne stopped the rot for a time with a partnership of 14 runs before the latter top edged a moon shot and was caught on the drop by Salpietro.

Seven more runs were added before Malik ripped the heart out of the innings with three wickets in four deliveries.

Steve Barker was caught by Simon Harman, Joe Gale was caught by Simon North, and Calum Rushton was bowled.

Josh Gale was next to go, caught well by Udwadia as the ball returned to earth following a visit to another planet, and Harkel finally went for a grafted 18 when he was leg before to Malik.

At 62 for nine the game looked up, but Jamie Shackleton and Joe Hanson showed there was still fight in Walsden.

Shackleton smacked Salpietro for two big sixes in one over, and the total had gone up to 92 before his entertaining 15-ball knock was ended by a leg before decision.

Norden
S Harman b Karunaratne 35
D Salpietro c J Hanson b S Barker 13
R Udwadia c Rushton b Karunaratne 0
S North lbw S Barker 1
A Gowers c and b Karunaratne 5
S Pimm c and b Josh Gale 20
D Humphreys b Josh Gale 7
S Wild c Karunaratne b Jossh Gale 9
M Smith b Karunaratne 9
H Malik c J Hanson b Josh Gale 0
C Hartley not out 0
Extras 18
Total 117
Bowling: Shackleton 7-0-21-0; S Barker 15-6-18-2; Karunaratne 17-3-38-4; Josh Gale 9-2-28-4.

Walsden
J Hooson c Gowers b Salpietro 5
S Rawlinson lbw Malik 25
N Barker c and b Salpietro 0
S Harkel lbw Malik 18
U Karunaratne c Salpietro b Malik 2
S Barker c Harman b Malik 3
Joe Gale c North b Malik 0
C Rushton b Malik 0
Josh Gale c Udwadia b Salpietro 0
J Shackleton lbw Malik 21
J Hanson not out 8
Extras 10
Total 92
Bowling: Smith 3-0-9-0; Hartley 4-1-14-0; Salpietro 14-3-41-3; Malik 12.5-6-23-7.