Back To Winning Ways

To Walton, June and winter. Two sweaters, shirt, T-shirt and plenty of flab being the requirements. Not the best of spots to be when the weather turns back out of the north I'm afraid, but the Tongans made the best of it by securing their third League win of the season. This should maintain their position in second place in the Division behind early leaders Newton Hill.

The initial Tongan bowling, particularly from Chris Williams, must have given Waltons openers much heart, and had it not been for some sympathetic umpiring the damage could have been far greater. The Tongans were without the services of leading bowler Pat Sowerby (playing for the 1stXI) but the return of James (what's in Liverpool?) Mullaney and the continued development of Duncan (I'll run for anyone) Hawkins soon swung the game back in the Tongans favour.

Also debuting was Alex Coultarte behind the sticks and an impressive debut it was. Taking three victims in all, the first was a diving one hander across the slips to dismiss Waltons opener to Duncan's first ball.

Even accounting for the very variable bounce that the wicket was displaying, the Tongan attack was working on the principle that if you bowl straight and they miss, then....... This resulted in six of the nine wickets being cleaned bowled and the Walton innings staggering eventually to a total of 125.

Tea came and went, and the Tongan batsmen took the crease contemplating what the wicket had in store for them. It wasn't long before both Chris Williams and Duncan had been sent back to the pavilion. Big Colin McCarthy then joined captain Chris at the crease and steadily the score crept upwards. Between intermittent winter showers Colin in particular smote some heavy blows with his 3 stone bat(!) towards the boundary, but a combination of long and wet grass meant that just about everything had to be run! Eventually, big Colin's fetlock went and Duncan was sent out for his first session of 'runner'.

Captain Chris eventually missed his usual 'straight-un', having nurddled around for a commendable 29, and Colin was joined by the equally swinging Phil T. As the rain stopped and the sun came out the Walton bowling went to pieces, and the ball began to reach the boundary. This was not before we had had the amusing situation of Phil T also pulling a leg muscle, and the danger of needing a second runner out in the middle. The situation was avoided though as Colin was finally caught out for an entertaining 40, and Duncan was able to stay out in the middle, this time as runner for Phil!

A rare sight - Nick Dee in defensive mode

Nick Dee now strode to the middle and provided excellent entertainment by throwing both himself and his bat all around! At this stage Phil had obviously decided that he had had had enough and completed the task with a series of lusty blows which concluded with a huge six over long-on. During this final flurry of runs though we did have a very strange incident. Phil T, finding long-off behind the bowlers arm asked him to move to the left and then proceeded to chip a chance to the young lad, which he duly dropped!

A bit of a blur as big Phil smites the winning six