report by DRB

After 4 debutants last time out, this weeks team had a lot more familiar faces with Jesters of many years standing donning the whites again. The skipper won the toss (his best contribution of the day) & as is his want elected to bat against old friends & foes the Casuals of Almondbury (annual fixture since 1970).

2 of the 3 players just returning from broken hands (the other, Neil Waite (vc) unable to bat) opened & gave us a good start but the real fireworks started when popular long time Jester Matthew Hodges came to the crease. Not used to batting at the No 3 slot he misunderstood his role to be a pinch-hitter, smashing 9 sixes & 4 fours in his best ever Jesters score (previous- 64 in 109 games). With Matt eventually dismissed & some steady bowling from long time Casual Bill Crossland & youngster W.Cooper the scoring was checked back. For the 2^nd match running ‘Heppi’ batted sensibly for a  half-ton after ‘Dobby’ had to succumb to his hand injury & ‘give it away’. Skipper Bell was disappointed not to be able to declare (for the 1^st time) when Richie Barker lasted until the last ball with the Jesters posting a huge score on a pretty good pitch.

 After a leisurely tea (Scottie fretting, trying to get off early for a birthday meal) the Casualslost both openers early; 1 to a magic moment when young Matthew Hill took his 1^st catch in Jesters colours (after 16 games) to take the lead in his own catching competition with his dad (1 drop). Richard Umbers & skipper Marcus Longbottom had a good stand & along with M.Brown gave Scottie some ‘stick’  on what it must be said is a smallish ground. Occasional Kirkheaton bowler Andy Cockcroft came on to bowl a very good spell to put the game beyond the Casuals. John Wilkinson (another with only 1 good hand) picked up 3 late wickets & was on a hat trick at overs end, the skipper then kindly bowled an over of tripe so as not to take any wickets to give Johnny the opportunity with which he proved unsuccessful.  A note must be made of 2 one handed men (Waite & Dobson) taking great one handed catches while those with more digits to call upon were spurning chances at regular intervals.