Return to winning ways

Cricket

Langholm v Wetheral

Langholm got back to winning ways with an emphatic 96 run victory over Wetheral. The win was mainly due to some outstanding batting from Tony Steele 103 not out and Duncan Elliott 88 who put on 186 for the 2nd wicket.
According to records, this is the second highest partnership in club history. Only Gordon Johnstone and Steve Carr’s opening stand of 240 against Lanark thirty years ago surpasses it.
On winning the toss, Langholm skipper Graham Park elected to bat. As if on cue the drizzle started but both teams were here to play cricket so they got on with the game. The Langholm openers, Park and Duncan Elliott, made a reasonable start adding 26 for the 1st wicket before Park was bowled for 9 by Marco Oliver in the 7th over.
This brought Tony Steele in to join Big Dunc. The pair kept the run rate ticking along at just over 4 an over as the Wetheral bowlers struggled with the damp ball. Drinks were taken after 20 overs with Langholm 92 for 1.
After drinks, both players who had passed 50 by now accelerated the scoring, adding 77 in 11 overs before it was decided to go off as the drizzle got a lot heavier. After the resumption, runs continued to flow as both players neared their 100’s.
Alas with the score on 210 Big Dunc was clean bowled by Wood for 88 which included nine 4’s. Nicky Piszczykiewicz joined Tony who was now in the nervous ’90s. The expected Piszczykiewicz did not materialize as he was LBW to Fuller for 1.
Brothers
Dave Steele joined his brother and, with a scampered single, Tony brought up his first hundred for Langholm. A quick handshake from his brother and it was back to business. Langholm finished on 229 for 3 in their 40 overs. It was a tremendous display by Dunc and Tony. Tony’s hundred included nine 4’s and two 6’s.
After a long tea (Epsom Derby), Wetheral began their innings and were soon in trouble at 7 for 1 when Dave Steele had Smith caught by Elliott in the slips with a juggling catch. The Langholm bowlers were keeping it tight and Steele struck again in the 9th over, clean bowling Oliver for 10 with the score on 24.
Timperon and Fuller put 41 for the third wicket but this partnership was broken by Bailey Donaldson who had Fuller caught at mid-off by Jack Pool for 25. Timperon had batted well but he was clean bowled for 30 by Steven Johnstone with the score 81 for 4 after 25 overs.
The introduction of Jack Pool into the attack saw him claim the wicket of Fuller for 14, taking a good caught and bowled. Wickets now began to fall more regularly and Johnstone claimed his 2nd, clean bowling Hogarth for 0.
Graham Park brought himself back into the attack and second ball up he clean bowled Wood for 25. Next over he repeated the act, bowling Blaine for 4. The final two wickets were picked up by Chris Stewart who clean bowled Hatcher and Ferguson to leave Wetheral 133 all out.
A good solid performance in the field as Langholm had to utilize their full bowling depth as Dave Steele picked up an injury and brother Tony was having a rest after his magnificent 100.
The bowler’s figures were Steele 2 for 11, Park 2 for 17, Johnstone 2 for 42, Pool 1 for 20, Donaldson 1 for 30, Stewart 2 for 2.
Langholm does not have another League game for two weeks as they have the cup next week followed by a blank Saturday the week after. They currently sit third in the table on 27 points after 5 games.