28/04/2026
A spot of bedtime reading for you all. Check out how your Ws got on in week two of the Darlington & District Cricket League.
25th April 2026
Witton le Wear Vs Cliffe
Week two of the D&D League and a first home game of the season for your Wâs. It had been a dry and sunny week in the lead up to the game, which is great apart from one thing, rabbits and rabbit holes everywhere!!! But many hands make light work and a four strong team met up early Saturday morning to get as many of them filled in as possible (NB, this is the very unskilled work that needs doing prior to a game, not like the actual curating of the wicket and outfield under taken by Mick and Gale [and the other fella]).
Enough of that and on to the game, the skipper had managed to get a full eleven sorted for this week, just one debutant today in Joe McIntyre, but four people making their first appearance of the season, Tom Walters making the trip down from the wilds of Hill End, young Joe Ingman starting his holidays from his sports journalism degree (I might have to watch my back!!), and the ever reliable Head Groundsman Mick Penfold. Ahhh nearly forgot George was back in the fold too.
After Tim Smalleyâs captaincy master class last week George was back at the helm, and not only did George have a tough act to follow on the back of Timâs Brearleyesque display at Barningham, he also had the Chairmans winning of the toss to match as well. So, first things first the toss, and guess what? Yes, another that went Wittonâs way, George decided we should have a bat first.
A different opening pair to last week with the Man of Kent missing due to a YUNGBLUD gig of all things!
It wasnât the romping start we had last week that was for sure! In the 3rd over of the innings with just four runs on the board (3 of which were wides) Mano struck with one of his vicious outswingers for the visitors, catching the outside edge of Timâs bat for second slip to take a smart catch low down to his right. Tim gone for a duck.
Enter Mr Humberstone who looked in decent nick last week with his 25 at Barningham. And Iâm cocker hoop to report this form continued! Adam and John took a little while to settle, Mano with prodigious swing continued to cause problems but Heathcoate and R***r didnât fare quite as well. Adam, now strongly advocating any practice is about as much use as discussing the value of a good forward defensive with Brendon McCullum, played cautiously at first, but once he found his Witton mojo, he made it hard work for the bowlers. As he started to open up there were strong lofted shot off his legs and through the offside. R***r replace Heathcoate at the old pavilion end and his off spin surprisingly was right up Adamâs street. The only chance Adam offered was one missed caught and bowled attempt where R***r, not following the Witton way failed to get his face behind it!! This was followed by one of the biggest hits I have witnessed at the Riverside, as Ad dismissed a full bunger from the same bowler, unfurling a huge pull over deep square for six. I couldnât identify which of the fielding team had the temerity to shout âCCCAAAATTTTTCCCHHHHâ as the ball spiralled towards the River Wear. Iâll give the unidentified member of the away team the benefit of the doubt and speculate perhaps he was trying to warn the dog walkers and fishermen on the distant riverbank of the impending impact of the Nelson launched projectile??? Not long after that Adam completed his second score of fifty for the season. However, R***r did eventually get his revenge removing Adam for 58 (8 fours and one massive six), leaving the Wâs 87 for 2. Two big wickets for the away side, Mr Humberstone was making good progress though in his new top order slot and needed some support. He did get it in a fashion, but it came at a much reduced run rate that had been provided by Adam. A double change of bowling helped slow the rate with the introduction of Bessford as he replaced Manoâs away swing with his own inswingers to the righthanders, and the return of Heathcoate who appeared to have regained his line and length after Nelsons departure. Your correspondent departed caught behind for just 9. The arrival of Tom Walters seemed to spur Mr Humberstone on though and he started to cut loose, he and Tom had added 27 runs for the 4th wicket, a whole two of those runs contributed by Tom. John was now closing in on a first 50 in 16 years I think he said. When absolute disaster stuck! Oddly this disaster literally sprang from Tomâs bat as he nailed a straight drive back towards the bowler Heathcoate, who whether intentionally or not, Iâm going for unintentionally, managed to deflect the ball on to the stumps at the non-strikers end running John out for 47 (6 fours and 1 six [not as big as Adamâs six]). Now Mr Humberstone is of Yorkshire decent, and there were one or two that suggested the prospect of buying a jug of beer, the honour bestowed on every scorer of a half century for the Wâs (strangely enough this honour was the brain child of skipper and publican Mr G Hall), could have been the reason he was stranded out of his ground. Probably harsh, but you can take the Yorkshireman out of Yorkshire, but you canât get his wallet out of his pocket.
Moving on there was no other batting of note. Tom didnât add to his two runs, The Chairmans early season form spluttered a bit, gone for 4. Sadly, Josie bagged another nought and the trainee cricket correspondent Joe (I) didnât manage to get off the mark with his none not out. Thatâs it. Done, nothing else to see hereâŠâŠ
Ok so thereâs no way I can get away with not reporting this as the sun had brought a season high attendance to the Riverside,17 people saw what actually happened (not counting players), well not that what I have written in the previous paragraph didnât happen, it did, but I have missed the performance of one man. The Marathon Man, the returning skipper. Our George bumped himself one spot up the order when Big John was out with the score at 126 for 4 in the 32nd over. Witton had wickets in hand but were in need of some runs and sharpish! The skipper delivered, running sharp singles, turning ones into twos, and even a two into a three (poor Mr Chairman who was batting with him at the time), as well as splattering 4 fours and a six. No âon the tee George Hallâ this week he batted with purpose and hit some exceptional cricket shots. It wasnât all great, as he also sent Simon and Josie back to the sheds, both run out (in mitigation the right reasons behind the runs). There was talk on the side lines that perhaps the Chairman could have got a dive in to save his Red Leicester but he didnât, and when he got his breath back, I heard Simon muttering something about how George had sacrificed him for his own selfish needs ha ha ha. As for poor Joe, he never even faced a ball he just ran and ran and ran. Heâd been in Manchester the day before, came home Friday to watch his team get royally stuff in the football and now this!! But at the end of it all George and his various partners moved the score along to a very competitive 171 for 8 when the overs ran out. Pick of the Cliffe bowlers with two and one wickets respectively were George Hall and Tom Walters err, second thoughts, it was Bessford for his testing inswinging spell of 10 overs, four maidens, one wicket for just 21 runs.
So weâd done it again and put ourselves in a good but not impregnable position at the halfway stage, what is going on with this team!!
Cliffeâs response got underway with Mr Humberstone picking up where he left off last week opening from one end, but there was a big change in thinking from the other end as the brains trust of George and Tim thought it would be a tactical master stroke to open up at the Old Pavilion end with off spinner Josie. It was a very cagy response to start with from the batting side, and understandably so due to the going over the received from a fired up Mr Humberstone, who bowled some absolute snorters that went unrewarded. Josie played the perfect foil to the nasty Mr H, her use of flight a delight to watch. The contrast in the two bowlers style was stark, but the threat was there from both of them. By the end of the 10th over Cliffe found themselves 4 wickets down John making the first inroads with two wickets. Then Josie got in on the act bowling Bessford for 11, he was replaced at the crease by Barwick at five, who strode purposefully to the wicket. Usual practise is to stop at the strikers end and take guard, but Barwick continued his march down the ground to Josieâs first delivery at him. He missed it, and Tim Smalley completed the stumping with the batsman miles out of his ground. Josie Harrington, only on a hattrick!! The hattrick ball was blocked by new man R***r. The score now 29 for 4, and this is where the fight back began. Josie and John both bowled their full complement of 10 overs each, but neither could find a way to winkle out either of Heathcoate or R***r. As Adam and George came on to replace the opening bowlers Cliffe were starting to make a fight of it, having moved the score on to 93 for 4. Fast-forward 5 overs and R***r was approaching his 50 and the partnership was up to 90, worrying times for the Wâs! But the man who never practises was not to be kept out of proceedings much longer. It was a massive relief for all when he rearranged R***rs stumps for 48 well made runs. The equation for the win probably still favoured the away side with just 50 runs needed from 15 overs with 5 wickets still in hand. But it wasnât long before the skipper saw off Heathcote caught behind off a fine edge by Tim. That sounds much more straight forward than it was. As I say a fine tickle behind, Tim held the catch no bother. Bowler and the majority of the rest of the team appealed, but the most important man the umpire didnât seem interested!!! But this is what is great about our level of cricket after a couple or three calls of âbbbbbbbaaaaaaatttttttttttttsssssssmmmmaaaaaaannnnnn!â from an animated Nelson, Heathcoate did the honourable thing, tucked his bat under his arm and walked off. From memory there were at least three examples of batters walking in todayâs game. I know everyone doesnât agree with me but I think it is refreshing to see.
Despite removing the two major run scorers Cliffe were still well in the game and they kept chipping away at the score, but they were unable to get any decent partnerships going. Hall was expensive but always had a dangerous delivery in him. Nelson was almost unplayable, very threatening and very economical. His economy was helped in no uncertain terms by some good fielding from the home side. Debutant Joe McIntyreâs ground fielding was exceptional. As for Tom Walters though he was out of this world. They say 70% of the worlds surface is covered by water, well I can tell you Tom Walters has the other 29% covered himself!!!! He was quick over the ground, there were diving stops a plenty and good strong and accurate throwing, a sight to behold!
The target got closer for Cliffe but Witton was not going to denied!! George snagged one more wicket, While Adam bagged himself four in total, returning match figures of 8.2 overs, one maiden, four wickets for just 19 runs. The last of his four sealed the victory.
The Wâs had only gone and done it again, against another strong team, a 17 run win this time.
A magnificent team perform, with lots of people chipping in to get the team over the line. Can the winning run continue??? Youâll have to check in next week and see how we get on as the Wâs travel to Spennymoor.
Come on you Wâs.
