SHEPLEY CRICKET CLUB
Members of The Drakes Huddersfield Cricket League
& The Sellers Huddersfield Junior Cricket League
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SHEPLEY CRICKET CLUB
Members of The Drakes Huddersfield Cricket League
& The Sellers Huddersfield Junior Cricket League
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© Shepley CC 2008 Updated 07 July, 2008
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Great Match – Shepley v Meltham, Examiner Mini-Cricket Competition Final, September 1984 By Dave Wooding
Title-chasing Shepley took on a Meltham side lucky to reach the final, with both teams looking for their first piece of silverware in 1984 in a repeat of the 1983 final won by Shepley…
The competition was 8-a-side, with 14 overs per innings.
Route to the Final
Shepley breezed past Huddersfield in the semi-finals. In their 14 overs Huddersfield managed 94-6, as David Cocking struck three times for Shepley. In reply Shepley reached their target, losing just one wicket, with Geoff Gill 46 not out and opener John Lindley supporting him with 27 not out.
Meltham, however, had a more controversial passage into the final. Their semi-final against Armitage Bridge finished in high drama. With the scoreboard suggesting Meltham needed 9 runs in the last over in order to win, they managed just 7. However, upon inspection of the scorebooks, it was agreed that the scoreboard was wrong, and the match had in fact been tied. This left the umpires with little choice but to order a four-over replay, which Meltham won with four balls to spare. There was to be more controversy, as in the third of the four overs, the umpire allowed an 8-ball over, when there had been only one wide bowled! This was made more significant by the fact the eighth ball went for 6!
The Final
Meltham were the first team to bat, and their hero at the crease was Paul Booth who made 69 before being run out near the end of the innings. Meltham ended their innings on 114-3, by no means an easy score to beat. With Shepley needing an average of over eight runs an over, openers Lindley and Walker, a former Meltham player, headed out to the crease. Lindley fell early on for just 3, but with Geoff Gill partnering him, Walker began to carve out a match-winning innings. Gill was eventually bowled by Paul Booth for 21, bringing big-hitting Steve Carter to the crease with Walker.
The 13th over saw Walker reach his 50 with a glorious stroke for four. The third ball of this over saw him hit a six, and then controversy again enveloped Meltham on the fifth ball. Having guided the ball through gully, Walker set off for what should have been a comfortable two runs, which would have left the Marsh Laners needing just 12 off the last seven balls. As Walker sprinted up the track, the bowler, a West Indian paceman by the name of Ronnie Graham, was found to be in his way. Walker shouted at Graham to move out of the way but the West Indian did not react in time, and a nasty collision saw Walker sprawled out on the floor. When he came to, his right eye was completely closed, and alongside it there was severe swelling. It was obvious he could not continue. Shepley had lost their star batsman due to a freak accident. As Walker was rushed to hospital, another former Meltham man, Aidy Guy, replaced him. However, Guy was unable to make up for the loss of Walker, adding just 3, as Shepley fell 6 runs short of victory. Rod Kelly, skipper of Meltham, who in his previous over had conceded 15, was able to keep it tight enough to concede just 7 in his last over, meaning he would lift the trophy for his side.
Incidentally, Walker was awarded the man of the match award for his knock of 57, much to the disbelief of Meltham and Yorkshire star Paul Booth, who had made 69. However, due to his hospitalisation, the cheque was received by his wife.
Final Scorecard
Meltham
Bowling: Glover 0-13, Guy 0-12, Carter 1-17, Lindley 1-15, Skelly 0-12, Walker 0-22, D. Cocking 0-16
Shepley
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