Bradshaw v Denton
Sunday 16th May 1999
Twaites LCB Knock Out

Bradshaw's LCB KO campaign got underway on Sunday with a clash against Denton CC at the Rigbys. The home side got off to a good start with Martin Neill learning that you can't take liberties against Sajid Shah when he tried to drive him in his first over. The ball looped comfortably to Neil Johnson. 0 for 1. Myles Cunliffe kept a grip on things having Denton skipper Ian Herbert caught by Mark Brookes for 11. 28 for 2.

Denton Pro and ex Lancashire Steve O'Shaugnessy however wasn't prone to his team-mates rashness and along with John Foxhall jnr set about taking the Bradshaw attack apart. A faultless display of batting by O'Shaugnessy and Foxhall moved to score to 110 when Shah, having been brought back for a second spell, forced one by Foxhall's bat edge to keeper Chris Evans for 24. Simon Turner joined the pro and the runs kept flowing. a further 68 runs were added before the big breakthrough came, again Mark Brookes taking the high pressure catch this time from a Tebay delivery. O'Shaugnessy out for a delightful 101 that included 8 fours and 5 sixes, 178 for 4.

With 6 wickets left there was no way to slow down the runs and despite Chris Evans taking a smart stumping to dismiss Turner for 36 off Paul Tebay and the return of Sajid Shah who took the wickets of Martin Leech for 13 and Andrew Neill for 24, both clean bowled the final total of 229 for 7 was going to be a tough ask. Particularly considering Bradshaw's recent batting displays. Only Myles Cunliffe who bowled out his 9 overs early on taking 1 for 22 and the pro with 9 overs 2 maidens 4 for 20 escaped O'Shaugnessy's mauling with Paul Tebay the pick of the rest with 2 for 51.

Bradshaw reply saw the return of Paul Tebay to the openers spot along with Chris Evans because of Paul Stafford's broken finger. Paul hit Andrew Neill's first ball to the boundary with a sweet cover drive before being bowled all ends up 2 balls later. Until he's available full time and can spend some time in the middle he's proving ineffective. David Morris clearly intended to set himself to play the O'Shaugnessy role for the bradshaw innings and the score moved on to 66 before Evans was caught by Tim Standing off Martin Leech for 22. Neil Johnson was getting himself set and Morris was moving comfortably towards his half century when he was undone by the Neill brothers. Andrew doing the bowling and keeper Martin the catching. gone for 41 and 78 for 3.

With each wicket that fell it became harder to see were the runs were going to come from. Neil Johnson was really the last of the front line batsmen and realistically the last chance of pulling off a shock win. He stuck at it but it was slow going as first Neil Hart fell for 8, caught Leech bowled Foxhall, then Sajid Shah for 4, caught Standing bowled O'Shaunessy, followed by Andy Kilner for 2, bowled Leech and with a run a ball now required Johnson fell to Chris Pilkington, caught Foxhall for 27. 122 for 7 and the match was out of reach.

Ian Tattersall once again showed his improved batting with a creditable 27 as he and young Mark Brookes (12no) added a tenth wicket partnership of 35 but by that time Denton were so comfortable that they let their twelve year old last minute stand-in, Ben Tighe who had worked hard all through Bradshaw's innings, happily running from long leg to long leg between overs and fielding and throwing faultlessly, bowl the last three overs from the bowling green end. To rub the salt in his last over was a maiden. Dale Chandler finished off proceedings in the last over having Tattersall caught behind by Martin Neill for his third tail end wicket and Bradshaw all out for 168 to win by 61 runs.

The difference between the sides was O'Shaugnessy's innings. If we had got him out early on it would have been a different game but if's and maybe's... Well done to Denton and we wish them well for the rest of the competition.