Norden beat Rochdale in a 'crazy' game

Rochdale Cricket Club

Cricket can be a funny old game, but there were plenty of people not falling about laughing at different times in a crazy, crazy match at Stag Park on Saturday.

Rochdale were in desperate trouble at 58 for seven, and a call had gone out to caterers to set up the players’ teas as soon as possible.

But a magnificent partnership between Tom Avery and Michael Harling produced 161 runs and led to a final total of 224 for nine.

In reply, Norden slumped to 74 for six as that man Avery continued his wonderful day by taking the home side’s top four wickets.

A stoppage was needed, due to rain, with Norden having just made it past the three-figure mark, although neither fielding nor batting side seemed keen to come off.

When play resumed six overs had been lost, Norden’s target had been reduced to 205 from 225, and Rochdale had lost key bowler Derek Faulkner who had dashed off due to a family emergency.

Dan Buckley, Martin Smith and Hashum Malik then contrived to produce what had seemed impossible, and second ball into the last possible over Malik smashed a six to win the game and four points for Norden.

The early part of the match had seen Rochdale on a hiding to nothing as batsmen were blown away by pace bowler Chris Hartley, active from the Shawfield end.

With his second delivery, and in the second over of the game, Hartley had Dom Ayres slipped by Daniel Salpietro.

Wes Lansdale was next to go when he snicked Hartley to Ash Gowers behind the stumps, then Jack Avery was run out.

Avery set off for a run and Steve Pimm made a slight misfield before throwing the ball in for Gowers to remove the bails with Avery having failed to make his ground when sent back.

Andrew Dawson was bowled by Hartley, John Henderson was bowled by Salpietro, Faulkner went the same way, and Maradon Bend who had struggled on to 17 was caught by Malik.

It was 58 for seven, and it looked hopeless for Rochdale.

But big Tom Avery set about the bowling after a brief cautious start. Harling was not exactly a spectator, but he could only look on as Avery blasted all parts of the ground and some parts out of it.

It was mayhem, and what had been decent bowling averages took a pounding.

Home skipper Simon North chopped and changed his attack, but it made no difference as Avery smacked 10 sixes and six fours, while Harling hit two sixes.

Both were eventually bowled by the returned Hartley who finished with six for 43, and Rochdale finished on 224 for nine with smiles all round in their camp.

Those smiles increased as Norden batsman Simon Harman went for lbw the third ball into the reply, trapped by Tom Avery without a run to his name.

Avery then bowled Salpietro with a peach and followed up by bowling Gowers.

The young Rehan Udwadia was on 26 when caught by Lansdale, off Avery.
It didn’t get much better for Norden as Simon North was given lbw to Faulkner and Steve Pimm was caught by John Henderson.

But it all started to change, just as it had in the first innings.

Buckley and Smith took the total up to 138 before the former was bowled by Dale Highton, then Smith and Malik took over, with Malik the more aggressive and Smith always keen to take singles which slowly but surely reduced the runs needed.

Smith was on 48, his highest score of the season, and Norden were only 11 short of their target when he was bowled middle stump by Harling.

Adam Ahmed was given leg before next delivery, and Chris Hartley faced a difficult time in his bid to support Malik.

The final over came about with Malik on strike against Highton. First delivery was a dot then Malik lofted a six to settle it all.

There were some chunnerings among Rochdale supporters as to why their team had persisted with spin following the rain instead of bringing the quickies back (Harling did eventually return). Maybe someone has a good answer to that one.

Rochdale
J Avery run out 22
D Ayres c Salpietro b Hartley 1
W Lansdale c Gowers b Hartley 7
M Bend c Malik b Hartley 17
A Dawson b Hartley 8
J Henderson b Salpietro 0
D Faulkner b Salpietro 2
M Harling b Hartley 50
T Avery b Hartley 107
D Highton not out 5
J Duffy not out 0
Extras 5
Total (for 9 wkts) 224
Bowling: Smith 12-2-64-0; Hartley 17-4-43-6; Salpietro 14-3-65-2; Malik 3-0-9-0; Ahmed 2-0-12-0; North 2-0-27-0.

Norden
S Harman lbw T Avery 0
D Salpietro b T Avery 24
R Udwadia c Lansdale b T Avery 26
A Gowers b T Avery 3
S North lbw Faulkner 11
S Pimm c Henderson b Lansdale 8
D Buckley b Highton 30
M Smith b Harling 48
H Malik not out 47
A Ahmed lbw Harling 0
C Hartley not out 1
Extras 7
Total (for 9 wkts) 205
Bowling: T Avery 9-4-21-4; Harling 6-0-44-2; Faulkner 8-1-32-1; Lansdale 10-0-43-1; Highton 10.2-0-64-1.