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Metcalfe shakes Colwall

From the Ledbury Reporter, first published Thursday 26th Apr 2007.

COLWALL v BARNARDS GREEN

AN eighth-wicket partnership between man of the match, Barnards Green's Metcalfe, and Tim Williams more than doubled the score and was nearly enough to overhaul a moderate Colwall total.

Colwall chose to bat first, needing plenty of runs as the majority of the bowling attack was unavailable.

K Downes worked up a lively pace and shattered Chris Wheeler's embryonic career as an opening bat but Nick Panniers, struggling to find his touch and Matt Fortnum in touch from the start, laid a true foundation.

Fortnum (25) fell allowing Tom Wolfendale to join Panniers for the key partnership of the innings. They added 120 in good time and both competed half centuries before succumbing late on in a chase for quick runs when the curving inswing of Metcalfe proved deadly. His spell of seven overs at the end of the innings saw him pick up four Colwall wickets before the home side closed on 215-9.

Barnards Green's intentions were clear, they wanted to smash their way to victory. But trying to play too many attacking shots too soon, Sam Clark and Deek Reuters each benefited to the tune of three wickets a piece.

Will Bishop coming on at 60-6 picked-up T Clarke to a good catch from the skipper, Peter Butler at mid-off, and the game looked over.

Tim Williams and keeper Binks had other ideas. They set about rebuilding the innings. When they took the score past 150 and reduced the run rate to less than six an over the visitors looked in control for the first time.

The return of Darren Cooke induced a first error from Williams, drilling a catch to Panniers. Sixty to win with two wicket left, surely Colwall's game from here.

Enter Metcalfe, a few errant warm up plays and misses, a couple of helpful edges, and then the unleashing of a mighty blade.

Ten an over from the last five overs, 13 from the last. Four good balls from Cooke, allowing only singles and then Metcalfe's bat dispatches the ball to the distant mid-wick boundary for six leaving four runs to win from the final ball.

Metcalfe can only push the ball for a single leaving Colwall victors by two runs.

Tomorrow (Saturday), sees the start of the league season with Colwall's first and second elevens playing Avoncroft.

The Green 1st XI travel to Wormlow for their first league game.

Colwall CC are holding a race-nite tomorrow (Saturday). Also the spring draw wth a signed Worcestershire bat and a signed Lashings shirt among the prizes.

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