Brilliant Blidworth make final
by Paul Barker, 22nd August 2005

Tomlin Trophy Semi Finals

GLAPWELL 157 all out, lost to BLIDWORTH 158 for 9 by one wicket.

An amazing run which has seen them defeat, Worksop and Edwinstowe on their way to making the semi-finals saw Blidworth face their biggest task yet, the challenge of second placed Glapwell in the semi-final of the Tomlin Trophy at Burmah Road and they were equal to it also.

If a match could have been ordered this is what you would have got. Great cricket and total excitement right through to the final ball and yet another surprise as the Division 2 side pulled off an amazing one wicket win against their illustrious rivals.

That is only telling a bit of the story though. This was a truly amazing game that had everyone concerned biting their nails whilst the drama unfolded.

Batting first Glapwell made a reasonable total of 157 all out which was probably a few less than they would have liked. Skipper Iain O’Brien scored 33 whilst Brian Smyth also batted well to make 34. For Blidworth, their captain Dave Wood was their most productive bowler with 3 for 9 after a fine accurate stint.

When the reply began, wickets fell at regular intervals but the score moved along at a steady pace until the very last over of the innings. If you could have chosen anyone in the league to bowl the last over it would surely have been Iain O’Brien and of course this intelligent cricketer had saved his final over especially with such a task in mind.

Wasn’t O’Brien the man who had made his Test debut against Australia for New Zealand earlier this year and wasn’t he the guy who had dismissed Matthew Hayden and Damian Martyn in that match, yes you couldn’t have asked for anything better!

Facing him was the Blidworth skipper Dave Wood and with a single ball to face he needed to hit O’Brien for six to secure victory. The ball was delivered and Wood smote the ball right out of the ground to send the Blidworth contingent into ecstasy. This was right out of an action comic, this was the stuff that cricket is all about, and this was Dave Wood the Blidworth super hero who with his incredible unbeaten 34 had led his side to a staggering victory.

There has been some incredible games this season but this one for pure drama has to be one of the best. Nobody can deny that Blidworth don’t deserve to reach the final having put three Division 1 sides out along the way and on Sunday 11 th September, they will face Cutthorpe at Central Avenue , Worksop in the final

CUTTHORPE 147 all out, beat MANSFIELD HOSIERY MILLS 2 nd 137 all out by ten runs.

This was another contest between a Division 1 side and a team from Division 3 and the ten run margin of victory which saw Cutthorpe into the final was extremely hard fought and very tense.

Batting first, Cutthorpe were totally indebted to Karl Fields whose 44 proved to be the most valuable innings of the day. Kyle Garside was the pick of the Hosiery Mills attack with an extremely respectable 3 for 24 as Cutthorpe struggled to 147 all out.

In reply Hosiery Mills certainly made their opponents work very hard before they achieved victory. The very talented Nick Langford looked a real star of the future with a superb knock of 32 and whilst ever he was at the crease the Hosiery Mills were certainly very much in the game.

However Cutthorpe had just enough in the tank as Richard Pye (3 for 19) and Steve Chapman (3 for 18) did enough damage to make sure that their side reached the winning line first. Although he failed to take a wicket a splendid eight over stint by Asadullah Butt who only conceded ten runs was also a major factor in Cutthorpe’s win, but it certainly was a lot tighter than they would have expected.