Ashton-under-Hill? More like Ashequr-over-Alfrick

Report by Joe Chapman

Flyford Flavell posted a very well earned win on what was a highly enjoyable Sunday afternoon on home soil against very pleasant opponents Alfrick in what has been fondly dubbed 'the Nullis derby'.

The sun was beating down throughout the day - sadly not an environment we have become accustomed to all too often this summer - but with Derek keeping well on top of the pitch and the outfield appearing lush, Cutnall looked a picture. A game of 30 overs aside was agreed and Flyford, whose captain for the day Mark Davy lost the toss, were put into the field.

Mark had a 100% record prior to this as a skipper (that he had only captained one game before was by the by) so there was a spotless reputation to uphold. The Fly had 11 players for this fixture, after Josh decided to forsake the final day of the Truck Festival in order to partake in a fixture which means much.

Chappers, moi, opened the bowling with Aaron Monk at the other end. There was a Joey bowling, a Joey at mid-on, a Joey at mid-wicket and, it transpired, a Joey opening the batting for the visitors. Monky made the breakthrough with a well bowled, fuller, delivery which cleaned up the batter and Flyford were on their way.

Young Elliott strode to the crease, and swiftly Dan Miller earned Tit Of the Match for taking a brutal first slip catch after the lad found the outside edge. I wouldn't have minded if he'd dropped it, honest! Joey Poole then took a very smart catch of Chappers' bowling after the next batter went skyward, before the spinners took the reins.
After an extremely tight spell from Joey P, who bowled five overs and 1/6, Josh and Ash set about making more breakthroughs. Josh bowled through the gate on a couple of occasions, taking important wickets at times when it appeared as though Alfrick might be finally building a platform. Ash, meanwhile, was getting through his overs like nobody's business and applying pressure while also taking wickets too.

Josh got a couple and Ash took a mightily impressive 4/14, while Jimbo Logan-Wintrip (thanks for coming, cousin!) who had made the lengthy trip over to help us reach a full compliment of players, was extremely tight at the other end and went for just nine runs off of his five overs. There was an easygoing village spirit to the game, which saw Elliott return at the death to take up Alfrick's tenth wicket, as they were a player light.

So it was 112 the target. Anybody who is anybody associated with Flyford knows that a total even as gettable as that cannot be so easily eyed; there are countless examples of fruitless chases when optimism had abounded just hours earlier. This, thankfully, wasn't one of those days.

Dan and Joe Allsopp strode to the crease and the former nailed a lovely sounding shot through square leg for four to get the innings underway. The pair were pretty comfortable until Joe decided to go aerial and only succeeded in lofting the ball up for an easy catch. Steve Nullis then came to the crease, but he was all too quickly back in the hutch after a rare duck.

With the Flav deciding to reshuffle the batting order, there was plenty of ability still to come further down the order. Mark made a premium 3 before departing, but Dan hung around until he reached 26 and holed out, losing his wicket to a very decent catch in the deep by a subtly placed fielder who was actually out of sight to those sat in the pavilion.

When Joe, as umpire, gave Ash out in the middle overs, and Jimbo was then clean bowled when coming in at 6, Flyford were still in a good position but needed a stabilising innings to ensure they remained on the right track. Josh held the chase together with some lovely swinging of the wrists and some well placed shots, particularly on the leg side, before he took the deserved acclaim when retiring at 30, a score which was agreed pre-match.

That left Joey P and Walks, in an unusual position of batting down at 9, to see the Fly over the line with a handful of overs left in hand. A well earned win, with a number of impressive and important contributions and a much enjoyed couple of tins courtesy of Derek's fridge were shared with our opponents.

Man of the match - Josh N - two wickets and 30 not out
Tit - Dan for taking the catch of a child batter
Champagne moment - Dan's four
Thanks for coming - Jimbo for making us an 11