Methley v Wrenthorpe
Sunday 16th August, 2015
To the impartial observer the Central Yorkshire League match between Methley and Wrenthorpe on Saturday the 15th August would be a sure indicator of the likely outcome of the Jack Hampshire Trophy final to be played by the same teams on the same ground the following day. It is also highly likely that the view of the most ardent and knowledgable supporter of the home team would concur given that Wrenthorpe won the Saturday league match with consumate ease.
Batting first Methley were only able to post a modest total of 225 runs to which the Wrenthorpe batsmen responded with aplomb and fired 226 runs with loss of only one wicket treating the Methley attack with disdain.
Come the next day, any latecomer like myself would have been astonished to learn that the powerful Wrenthorpe batting line up had been dismembered suffering to gather only 55 runs at the hands of a rejuvenated bowling attack spearheaded by Sohail Raz who helped himself to 5 wickets for 24 runs, and in so doing earned himself the man of the match award. All this in contrast to the bowling efforts of the day before.
There was to be no equal collapse by the home side with skipper Richard Foster 39 not out and Marcus Walmsley undefeated on 17 enabling Methley to take the honours and the trophy with ease.
The outcome reminded us of the same weekend in 2010 when Methley lost and won the following day against the very same side although on that occasion the Wrenthorpe attack contributed to an exciting finish for a result which could have gone either way.