Cubs hold on to salvage draw at Wombourne
TAMWORTH 2nd XI achieved an impressive away draw for the second game running, as they battled through 55 overs overs to frustrate big-hitting Wombourne.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, the home openers Nathan Howell and Chad Brandrick immediately set about the Cubs’ youthful attack on the tiny town centre ground.
Brandrick took nine off the first over, but his partner struck four boundaries in the third over, as they raced to 50 in eight overs.
Howell reached his 50 off 32 balls in the 10th over, and the century was achieved after 16 overs.
Howell raced to his century before 20 overs had been completed, with 14 fours and four sixes at this stage. The pair continued to accelerate as 150 was reached in 23 overs, and Howell then attained his 150 in 93 balls.
The first wicket fell with the score on 198 as Howell was bowled for 156 off 95 balls including 18 fours and nine sixes.
There was little respite, however, as captain Zach Smith continued in the same vein as Howell, racing to 50 in 38 balls, achieving the milestone shortly after Brandrick had achieved his half-century in a more sedate 93 balls.
The century partnership was attained in the 41st over, as the score slipped past 300. Brandrick then fell bowled by Tom Kinson for 76 and youngster Corey Mountney struck twice in the following over, with Smith falling to a catch by Jack Brady for 67 off 48 balls, and Todd Henderson lbw without troubling the scorers.
Zuwath Mendis and Ben Hudson were now at the crease, with the latter cracking 20 off eight balls before Mendis was run out by Rich Colyer for 2.
Zach Smith decided that he wanted extra overs to bowl out the Cubs, so he declared with the score on 335-5 off 45 overs, leaving Tamworth 55 overs to survive.
The Baker boys opened the batting for the Cubs in dramatic fashion as Dan Baker hit Henderson for 10 off the first two balls of the innings.
He repeated the treatment on fellow opening bowler Oliver Siviter as he raced to 38 off 20 balls, but was out in the sixth over, caught by Howell off Siviter with the score on 49.
This brought Sam Kinson to the crease, but shortly afterwards George Baker was caught by Joel Craner off Henderson for 13. Stuart Burrows, who had starred for England Over 40s during the week, joined Kinson as they posted a 50 partnership in 53 balls, with the 100 achieved in the 18th over.
However, at the end of the 20th over, disaster struck as Sam Kinson suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury that he suffered four weeks ago and had to retire hurt (but crucially, not out). Wicket keeper Rich Colyer joined Burrows at the crease, but the latter was dismissed eight balls later caught by Siviter off the bowling of Ben Hudson for 32 off 19 balls.
When Jack Brady was dismissed in the same fashion four balls later, the Cubs’ prospects looked far from rosy as they were still 220 adrift with only six wickets (including the injured Kinson) remaining, and 33 overs to survive. Captain Smith and Keeper Colyer batted sensibly but at a steady rate, adding 96 in 20 overs before the former was bowled by Siviter for 40. Corey Mountney then joined Colyer and stayed with him until the end of the 50th over when he was bowled by Mendis for 5.
With nearly 100 required off five overs, the only thoughts were of survival, but, three balls later, Colyer fell to a catch by Siviter off Henderson for a stylish 75 off 95 balls, including 14 boundaries.
Tom Kinson and Mitch Woakes survived the next two overs, but the latter was caught by Mendis off Hudson for four with 10 balls remaining. At this point, the injured Sam Kinson returned to join his brother, and batted out the remainder of the last over. Tom Kinson cracked a four off the second ball of the over but was out caught by Craner off Henderson on the following ball.
Teenager Ayaan Anis entered the fray. His first ball went for four leg byes, and he batted away the last two balls calmly to achieve a losing draw, as the Cubs finished on 259-9.
So, an afternoon that had threatened to run out of control was completed by a stirring courageous fightback, which will have given the Cubs great heart before the visit of Aldridge next Saturday.