Unlucky Shipley lose Silver Link on run-rate
by Gwyn Jones, 20th August 2001

Sawley 193-7 (45 overs) beat Shipley Hall 110-2 (27..2 overs) on faster run -rate

This game had been rearranged from last week when it was washed out. Interference by rain was still a possibility this week and with this in mind it was agreed by the umpires and the two captains to reduce the overs to 45 and that if rain brought play to an end after 23 overs of the side batting second the result would be determined on the run-rate per over when the game ended.

As it turned out this was hard luck on Shipley who were slightly ahead at 23 overs, but when heavy rain brought play to an end after 27.2 overs the situation had changed and Sawley scraped through (4.288 compared to 4.074)

Sawley batted first and made a tentative start. They lost two wickets at 41 and at this point Ahmed Gondal joined Dan Birch. The run rate increased as Birch indulged in some big hitting, and this pair put on 93 for the third wicket when Gondal was out for 31. Birch went on to make 87 and after he was out the Shipley bowlers kept a firm grip as the score moved steadily from 141-4 to 193-7. For Shipley Simon Lacey took 3-35 and Harvinder Sodhi 2-24.

The Shipley openers Stefan Gamble and Mark Starr showed great composure, particularly in facing Ahmed Gondal who bowled at a furious pace. They put on 87 for the first wicket and placed Shipley in a winning position. Gamble was out for 37 and Starr for 41 and there was a reduction in the rate as the new batsmen settled in. Unfortunately for Shipley a heavy downpour came at the wrong time when Shipley had reached 110-2 and the balance had swung slightly in favour of Sawley.

The Silver Link trophy was presented to the Sawley skipper John Birch by Martin Allsopp, a member of the League Executive Committee.