Barnard Castle CC
ON their way to the Macmillan Cup finals on Sunday, Barney almost forgot to take the trophy they won last year. In the event they need not have worried too much.
With astonishing and unexpected ease they retained the 20-over knockout title and have again qualified for the national competition.
Barney were irrepressible. Batting second in both the semi-final and final, they won with 3.1 overs and 11.1 overs respectively to spare against Thornaby and Middlesbrough. The outstanding feature of their play in both ties was fielding of the highest order.
They caught superbly, constantly denied run scoring opportunities by chasing down lost causes and they hit the stumps with dead eye dick accuracy. It meant their opponents were squeezed until their pips squeaked.
The club’s director of cricket, Michael Stanwix, said: “I doubt there has ever been such a collectively good fielding side at Barney and I can’t remember seeing one as good in the whole league. It is a testament to the constant practice put in by the lads and orchestrated by the captain, James Quinn, and the vice-captain Josh Bousfield.”
The pair played prominent parts in the victories. Quinn was top scorer in both ties, batting with glorious freedom on the large playing area at Marton, Bousfield was the leading wicket-taker in both, bowling a probing line outside off stump which invited risk.
They were given excellent support by a bowling unit which was manipulated confidently by Quinn and fielders who never lost their intensity.
There had been a slight concern that Barney might be affected by their moderate display in the Premier Division league match at Richmondshire the previous day. A loss by 52 runs was hardly ideal preparation.
It did not, however, deter Quinn from deciding to bat second on both occasions in the Macmillan and his faith was thoroughly justified.
In the first match against Thornaby, it looked for half of the opposition innings that the target might be seriously challenging.
At 52 for 1 in the 11th over, they had plenty of scope but when they tried to accelerate Barney were ready. There were some outstanding catches of which the pick was perhaps Giles Creedon, running in 20 yards from the long on boundary and plucking the ball two handed as he dived forward.
There was a mild stutter or two when Barney batted after a platform was gaily laid by Quinn and Hashan Dumindu. But Richard Borrowdale, combining caution and brute force, saw the team home.
The final turned out to be utterly one-sided. Middlesbrough started at a lick but from the moment Bousfield bowled Sam Gaudie in his second over they never threatened.
Creedon’s left arm spin put the squeeze on further, Rob Dixon bowled tightly again and also took two excellent catches, Alasdair Appleby twice hit the stumps with direct throws. Poor Boro had nowhere to turn.
The chase was a formality. Quinn was merciless, Dumindu was content to rotate the strike and watch and the end came in the ninth over with five wides. It was fitting that Quinn was man of the match.
Semi-final:
Thornaby – J Rickard c P Merryweather b Bousfield 4, J Boyler c Bousfield b R Dixon 38, L Harper c Alderson b R Dixon 10, P Allen c M Dixon b R Dixon 4, T Rathnayake c M Dixon b Quinn 9, J Roberts c Appleby b Quinn 4, K De Silva c Creedon b Appleby 10, S Purcifer not out 12, D Wade c P Merryweather b Bousfield 4, L Crooks b Bousfield 0, L Metcalfe not out 1, Extras 7, Total 103 for 9 (20 overs)
Bowling: J Bousfield 4-0-11-3, G Creedon 4-0-17-0, R Dixon 4-0-16-3, T Merryweather 2-0-16-0, A Appleby 4-0-30-1, J Quinn 2-0-9-2.
Barney – A Appleby c Roberts b Harper 10, J Quinn c Rathnayake b Crooks 35, H Dumindu c Harper b Crooks 19, R Borrowdale not out 26, J Bousfield st Boyle b Rathnayake 0, J Alderson not out 13, Extras 2, Total 105 for 4 (16.5 overs) Barney won by six wickets
Final:
Middlesbrough – S Gaudie b Bousfield 12, J Middleton c T Merryweather b Creedon 8, M Gleeson run out (Quinn) 13, S Reeves c Dixon b Bousfield 0, A Beaumont c P Merryweather b R Dixon 3, R Knaggs run out (Appleby) 10, S Harper b Quinn 10, L Beaumont b Bousfield 4, J Burke c R Dixon b Appleby 1, A Shrindal run out (Appleby) 3, H Williams not out 0, Extras 4, Total 68 all out (19.3 overs)
Barney – A Appleby c Harper b Williams 0, J Quinn not out 44, H Dumindu not out 13, Extras 12, Total69 for 1 (8.5 overs)
Bowling: H Williams 4-0-29-1, S Reeves 2-1-9-0, J Burke 2-0-013-0, A Shrindal 0.5-0-16-0. Barney won by nine wickets
It was a somewhat different tale at Richmondshire on Saturday in the league match between two sides which both have designs on the title. Barney bowled and fielded well but responded meekly with the bat.
Hashan Dumindu once more showed his class, Giles Creedon was compactly circumspect but there was insufficient nous against the leg spin of Matthew McKiernan, the league’s leading wicket-taker and perhaps the ace in Richmondshire’s pack.
The home side’s innings was built around the contribution of their captain, Gary Pratt but he was given stubborn support throughout the order.
Richmondshire – R Carr c Alderson b Bousfield 21, G Pratt c Dixon b Merryweather 89, M Layfield c and b Creedon 0, M McKiernan b Dixon 23, M Cowling c Dixon b Creedon 29, S Wood c Watson b Bousfield 19, S Winter b Bousfield 0, T Dowson not out 5, J Dowson not out 3, Extras 7, Total 196 for 7 (50 overs)
Bowling – J Bousfield 15-6-44-3, G Creedon 15-2-58-2, R Dixon 10-2-42-1, A Appleby 7-0-32-0, T Merrwyeather 3-0-15-1
Barney – J Quinn c Layfield b Wood 8, J Alderson c McKiernan b West 9, H Dumindu st T Dowson b Marshall 55, G Creedon c West b Marshall 25, R Borrowdale lbw McKiernan 9, J Bousfield run out 0, A Appleby b McKiernan 11, R Watson b McKiernan 0, R Dixon c Carr b Marshall 2, P Merryweather not out 10, T Merryweather lbw McKiernan 3, extras 12, Total 144 all out (43.3 overs)
Bowling: S Wood 8-1-25-1, J Dowson 3-0-8-0, R West 8-1-27-1, C Marshall 14-2-54-3, M McKiernan 10.3-3-21-4. Richmondshire win by 52 runs
Barney II v Middlesbrough II
Despite an imposing start against the Division Two leaders, Barney’s innings subsided gently. They had done well to restrict their opponents with Finn Usher again among the wickets and smart fielding leading to three run outs.
Usher and Mike Dixon put Barney on a smooth road with an opening stand of 39 but it was all too soon riddled with potholes.
Middlesbrough 137 all out (44 overs, R Rashod 32, A Taylor-Clarke 32, F Usher 3-33, S Mullery 2-21); Barney 95 all out (35.1 overs, M Dixon 29, F Usher 13, Mian Raza 4-14). Middlesbrough won by 42 runs
Barney under 17s v Newton Aycliffe under 17s
Barney’s accomplished all round side proved too strong for their opponents in the Junior North plate quarter final. Their bowling was hard to score from and then Ed Sabey enjoyed himself in chasing down the runs quickly.
Newton Aycliffe 47 all out (16.3 overs, R Patrick 11,F Usher 3-5, J Proud 2-20); Barney 49 for 1 (5.1 overs, E Sabey 21no, B Hesp 13). Barney won by nine wickets
Sedgefield under 15s v Barney under 15s
In a fascinating match on Sunday morning, Barney’s middle order batsmen mustered just enough runs. In Sedgefield’s determined reply, five of Barney’s six bowlers took wickets.
Barney 112 for 5 (20 overs, A Thompson 28, D Watson 25, O Usher 22no); Sedgefield 97 for 9 (21 overs, B Wright 22, D Bidd 19, O Weosby 2-24). Barney won by 15 runs
