Didsbury Bulls v Alderley Edge u13s

This evening, on a cricket pitch very, very near….

May the fourth – International Star Wars Day. And so to the first episode of intergalactic battle of the league season. Bouyed by a commanding first round Cup victory the evening before, the u13 Didsbury Bulls hosted the Alderley Edge Hedgehogs – and duly suffered the same fate as the Death Star.

Didsbury won the toss and elected to bat on a pitch beautifully rolled that very morning by Jack of All Trades Chris Ward: manager, fundraiser, groundsman, scorer, fitness coach, sports psychologist, proper-upper of the bar – the fellow can turn his hand to anything.

The bat carrying hero on the previous night, Raheem was a shock early scalp out to a good straight one. Seb and Noah then calmed the nerves before Seb departed to a beaut and Will was shortly also back in the hutch after being well caught attempting a trademark cover drive (21-3 off 6). Ben R fell to another cracker first ball, bringing Louis striding to the wicket. Noah wielded his bat like a light sabre, swooshing two consecutive fours: a leg glance and a smashed mid on drive, followed thereafter by a clubbed leg sweep, before being felled going for a repeat on a straight one for a swashbuckling 22. Louis and Ben L steadied the ship and got the scoreboard ticking along. Louis was unluckily out to a fantastic catch, just as Harry swanned Compton-like into the ground in a smoking jacket and sauntered out to bat. Ben L finally succumbed trying to take a quick Han Solo having made a very impressive 15 off 20 balls. That brought Joab to the crease, but, unfortunately for him, Harry showed all the pace of Jabba the Hutt reacting to a single from Joab and left him stranded. Michael went down fighting being unluckily caught going for a boundary. Hannah then came in as last woman and a maiden to finish duly left the Bulls on 68/9 from their allotted 20 overs.

Noah and Hannah then opened at the Nets End as sizzling summer smoke wafted across the field of play and the clink of glasses formed a sonorous backdrop. Noah bagged the first wicket with Hannah taking a brilliant catch at cover. Excellent fielding from Will at fine leg stopped a certain boundary. Michael did the same, stopping a lofted hit off Harry that looked a certain 4 and Joab also reacted smartly to a mid off drive.

Alderley were relentless but still the Bulls battled on. Seb executed an unbelievable diving stop on the boundary and Michael made a great attempt to take a steepling drive. Ben was sure he had niftily bagged a run-out but the umpire struck back, turning down a vociferous appeal.

The Hedgehogs finished off proceedings at the halfway stage but the Bulls valiantly went down fighting. As the famous Japanse leg-spinner, Yoda, once sagely observed "Do or do not. There is no try."