It was a top of the table clash as Glossop on Saturday with us in first against Glossop in fourth.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, we struggled to take full advantage of the conditions on probably the best wicket we will see all season, as Glossop openers Coleman and Usher bowled with purpose generating plenty of bounce and movement. After losing early wickets our middle-order showed tremendous fighting quality and spirit, and where as in the past we would have crumbled from 36/3, we batted our way back into the contest.

Chris Holt led from the front with 41 and shared a fourth wicket partnership of 39 with brother Matt, who added an important 30. Yahathugoda and Matt Holt took the score to 113/4, before Holt departed. Sutcliffe and Yahathugoda then added a sixth wicket stand of 54 to put us in a strong position of 167/5 with 10 left. Unfortunately once Sutlciffe (38) and Yahathugoda (35) were dismissed, our tail failed to wag and we didn’t take full advantage of all their hard work, losing our last four wickets for 17 runs, to finish 184 all out, on what was at least a 200 wicket. Mark Usher finished with 4/42 and Batiya Perera 4/41.  

In reply Glossop lost Pennington (1) caught behind early on and Dyson didn’t have things all his own way against Sutcliffe and Weththasinghe. Glossop professional Perera played patiently early on, but by the time he reached double figures he looked set for another big knock. Dyson fell with the score at 37/2, but a third wicket stand of 97 between Perera – who was the main contributor – and Bates, put the home side in the box seat and cruising to victory. However, that never say die attitude, bred through the belief and confidence in each other was evident again and with the score on 148/3, Perera (74) smashed a ball high into the air off Matt Holt, towards the mid wicket boundary. Paul Duerden set off in pursuit and after circling underneath it for what seemed an eternity, when it finally did come down, he dived full length, stuck out his right hand and grasped an unbelievable one handed catch, to turn the game on its head and in the process took the accolade of catch of the season if not the decade!

Glossop lost three more quick wickets as Holt and Weththasinghe combined and at 156/7 the door was open and our tails were up. The home side lost two more wickets (173/9) leaving the contest on a knife edge, with 12 runs required, whilst we needed one more wicket. However, it wasn’t to be as Allen and Usher held their nerve and saw their side over the line, in what was a great game of Cricket. Weththasinghe finished with 4/71 and Matt Holt 3/38. Ultimately our sloppy fielding and undisciplined wide bowling cost us as we gave Glossop 30 extras.