'Colliery Crack'

[Spinbowler]

BLACKHALL were relegated at the weekend.
With previous basement side Billingham Synthonia beating Northallerton by three wickets, their remarkable comeback was confirmed.
Just 14 points from their previous seven games had dragged Hall back into the relegation quagmire and they were unable to pull themselves out of a deep hole at Bishop Auckland, despite a spirited showing.
Farrukh Iqbal bagged four wickets as the home side were dismissed for 189, while youngsters Neil Whitworth and Michael Bell offered hope for the future with three victims apiece.
In reply, John Darby and Warren Swan set about their unlikely task with relish.
But once Swan was bowled by Jack Conway for 21, the writing was on the wall.
Darby soldiered on to make a class a 65 but his dismissal had Alison Moyet clearing her throat in the stands and Hall eventually fell away to 135 all out.
And then the news filtered through that Synners had won anyway to condemn Hall to only their second-ever season in Division One.
Hall can reflect on a number of reasons for their relegation.
The lack of a second professional (Durham’s Neil Killeen) through injury for much of the reason was a big factor.
But perhaps the biggest factor of all was a lack of quality in the amateur ranks.
Gone are the days of locals taking five-wicket hauls or smashing centuries.
Darby aside, the cupboard was all-too-often bare.
Perhaps a winter of reflection and hard work will bear fruit once the 2010 cricket season returns. Hope springs eternal.
BISHOP AUCKLAND
P Holdsworth st Mole b Bell 21, GJ Pratt st Mole b Bell, D Conway lbw Iqbal 6, C George c Mole b Bell, BC Usher b Iqbal 30, M Cowling b Whitworth 29, G Wrightson c Mole b Iqbal 8, D Hardaker b Whitworth 11, J Conway not out 8, I Grainger c Brown b Iqbal 0, B Thompson b Whitworth 11. Extras 13, Total 189 all out.
Bowling: WC Swan 0-29, J Ward 0-12, FI Iqbal 4-76, M Bell 3-47, N Whitworth 3-21.
BLACKHALL
WC Swan b J Conway 21, JI Darby run out 65, N Whitworth c Holdsworth b J Conway, FI Iqbal c J Conway b Holdsworth 3, AR Darby c Hardaker b Pratt 16, D Mole b Pratt 3, D Routledge c Usher b Pratt 4, DG Brown b J Conway 0, P Bell b J Conway 9, M Bell not out 1, J Ward c Holdsworth b Pratt 0. Extras 13, Total 135 all out.
Bowling: D Conway 0-17, J Conway 4-67, P Holdsworth 1-17, GJ Pratt 4-29.
Blackhall (seven points) lost to Bishop Auckland (20) by 54 runs.
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"Just a moment - will you shut the f*** up, I'm on the phone - sorry about that."

[Spiff]

Third season in Division 1.
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"Spiff, those BLT sarnies were lovely. I don't like bacon either"
"So why have a BLT then?"
"Cos I really like tomato & I thought that would sort of cancel out the bacon"

[Spinbowler]

You see?
_________________
"Just a moment - will you shut the f*** up, I'm on the phone - sorry about that."

[Spiff]