Flyford suffer reverse despite their best efforts

Report by Joe Chapman

 

Spirited Flyford were edged out by youthful Eckington on Wednesday evening, in an entertaining, old-school, low-scoring thriller (of sorts).

We've taken some rather heavy beatings in recent weeks and, by the halfway stage having set our hosts a smidgen over a run a ball, it felt as though we could've been in for another. While defeat did eventually beckon, it wasn't without a superb effort from all in defending the total.

Flyford batted first and opened with Andrew Ward and George Teal. The latter uncharacteristically halved his seasonal average on Sunday but got his season back on track here with 27 not out before retiring. That brought Jord Lewis to the crease, for the first time since last season.

He reached the teens before departing, but not before going on the offensive and producing one of the bigger sixes a Flyford player is likely to score at any stage this season. Andrew, at the other end, was watchful and measured in his approach but did manage to punish the poor balls, too.

There was a moment of controversy. Eckington and their keeper went up when the ball did beat Andrew's bat, claiming that the bail had been knocked off into the gloves of the wickie. With square leg umpire Pete and myself unsure about the order of contact, Andrew departed. I'll live and learn as ump.
Mark Walker has had a good week - fresh from knocking off 70 not out on Sunday, he added 28 more here, accompanied by some lovely strokes from Josh Nullis and Matty Kirkham in the lower order. Flyford got themselves up to 124 from their 20 overs.

Eckington's openers set a brisk early pace. Pete and myself were bowled through by captain Mark Davy, with mixed results, but once those openers had retired having played authoritative shots, first changes Aaron Monk and Will Cemis dragged the innings back with tight spells of bowling and we began to increase the pressure just a little.

Eckington were always just ahead of the run rate, though. I took a catch off Aaron's bowling, while Walks behind the stumps - who kept superbly considering the gloomy surroundings - took catches off the bowling of George and Matty. As a team we took the game as deeply as we could before succumbing in the 17th over.
Roll on the weekend!

 

Awards

MoTM; Walks 28 n.o. and two catches with the gloves

Tit; Chappers volleying the ball Rooney style over the ropes

Champagne Moment ; Chappers catch off some fine bowling

TfC ; Everyone who dropped out late!