13/05/2026
A very tense finish to the local derby last Saturday.
Match report from Seán Thornton
Willoughby v Long Buckby
Division 5 NCL.
May 9th 2026.
Drama, needle and a lovely tie! Or
Take me to Church… in my lovely tie!
Sun is shining, Ben and co looking to bounce back after defeat last week, and our new recruit looking to face his former club.
Ben proceeded to lose the toss, and Willoughby were put into bat.
Ambrose Deery and James Andrews to open proceedings with bat, Lewis and Varghese with ball.
The first 7-8overs saw James being patient, and Ambrose also patient but looking to pounce on anything remotely loose… scoreboard slowly ticking along before Lewis removed James, gloved behind… fully deserved wicket after a sustained spell of tight bowling by both openers, 22/1 at this point.
That meant Dave Alcock, Mr Reliable joined Ambrose out in the middle, and things began to ease, partnership built… change of bowling Dias, and he soon got to work. Removing Ambrose and then Ceri Roberts with a Jaffa, while Lewis at the other end got Callum Hanks with a Jaffa also! 63/1 became 81/4 quickly, in a frenetic spell.
However Dave still remained and was being supported well by Stuart Bonthuys. 81/4 is now, 146/4… with Higgs and church into the attack. Within 4 balls Dave departed for a fine 57, and Stu for 27, partnership of 65.
146/6 now… needing to rebuild and bat the overs.
Just as a rebuild began, both Nawaz and Hollis hitting a maximum they both fell in quick succession, soon followed by Joe Oliver. 163/6 became 170/9.
Church with 2 more wickets, and Ballinger with 1.
This left Ryan Haynes, and Mark Fell to wat the tail a little… they did, before Fell was out caught and bowled by Wallinger. 193ao.
The score seemed below par, even though Long Buckby bowlers all bowled well, and created sustained spells of pressure.
Church 3/10 and Lewis 2/30 the pick of the bowlers.
Long Buckby would have been happy with that total, and with Benny and Holmes striding out to the middle, Willoughby bowlers knew they simply had to start well, and take 10 wickets.
Fell and Haynes, opened proceedings, beating the edge multiple times, and when edge was found, it goes to ground and through 3rd man… that sinking feeling, one of those days! Benny was very very patient, while Holmes the aggressor taking a few risks, and some glorious shots mixed in… they raced past 50 and this meant Hollis and Stu replacing our openers, with breaking through Holmes defence to eventually see some reward for good bowling by all. Score 63/1 now… only 131 to defend. Holmes reached his 50, before departing next ball, decent knock.
Lewis joined Benny, and they waited patiently for anything loose, and Hollis bowling fine, Stu unlucky not to grab another victim, Stu was replaced by Joe Oliver.
Oliver then removed Lewis (93/2) and then Mohan (104/3), does this slightly open the door? Buckby still huge favourites but Willoughby starting to sense something.
Hanks entered the stage just as the long lasting opener Benny was opening up… perhaps sensing a change in momentum was needed.
Back comes Hollis replacing Hanks, some captains magic required. While Fell returned in place of Oliver.
Hollis then removed Church after good partnership between he and Benny who was now counter attacking after being so patient. Church departed the service via Hollis and zinger stumps… then Fell removed the long staying Benny… 143/3 became 151/5! Benny scoring a splendid 64.
Do we start believing, even though Buckby still huge favorites… requiring 43 to win, Willoughby need 5 wickets.
Skipper Hollis and Fell bowling in tandem, searching for another breakthrough…
BOOM, bowler Fell, caught Hollis and Wallinger on his way…. 2 balls later, BOOM, bowler Fell and Higgs given out LBW… 160/7. The impossible task seemingly now possible…
Augustine and Sharrock now at the crease, trying to hit everything… nerves clearly evident from both sets of players.
Stu replacing Hollis for a final burst…
Momentum was swinging back to Buckby after a few l***y blows before BOOM bowler Fell, Ct Andrews and Augustine is dismissed… only after a rapid 10 off 6 balls. 173/8 now.
50/50 now? Certainly felt it.
Fell was done for the day, 4/37… all 4 in his 2nd spell.
Haynes returned to join Stu in the bowling attack… Sharrock was joined by Varghese…
The math… Willoughby require 2 wickets, Buckby require 21 to win… or a tie? Surely not… time was of no issue…
The next 33 balls consisted of, edge beaten several times, wild swing and misses, leg stump full toss dispatched, thick edges landing safe… every ball felt like an event in itself. The overs ticked by…
42nd over, 2 wickets required for WCC, or 7 runs for Buckby.
Stu bowling to Sharrock… 1run, Varghese 1run, dot ball, Sharrock then pummelled a full delivery through midwicket… gasps from everyone… scores are now level. 193/8.
Field brought in… Stu whistles one past the outside edge, so close… dot ball. Very next ball BOOM… zinger stumps splattered! 193/9… wow! End of over 42.
Up steps Ryan Haynes… 43rd over, scores level… Varghese on strike… dot ball calmly done, then dot ball not so calmly done flirting with the edge… nerves clearly evident by all… Ryan steams in length ball, Varghese goes to leather it into another postcode but mistimes it with a thick edge….. the ball looping in the air for what felt like a month, by more likely 2 seconds, Hassan Nawaz fielding at cover, underneath it, you could almost hear him praying ‘do not drop this’, changed his method of catching at least once… IT STICKS within his hands… and this most wonderful game of cricket ends in a tie! 193ao.
The most wonderful game of cricket, nothing to separate the sides, and a tie seemed to be a very fair result if very rare!
Big thank you to Neil for umpiring, George and the Long Buckby lady who both scored.
