Thrilling finish sees Grassmoor Works beat Blidworth Colliery by one run in Bassetlaw Cricket League opener

In a thrilling finale Grassmoor Works got home by one wicket with just five balls to spare against Blidworth Colliery Welfare in the opening day in division one of the 2022 Bassetlaw League season, writes Martin Roberts.
Stephen Thirkill
By Stephen Thirkill
Published 17th Apr 2022, 18:49 BST
Updated 17th Apr 2022, 19:32 BST
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Barnes Park Grassmoor was bathed in warm sunshine as Blidworth got off to an equally blistering start with some big hitting reaching 56 before the loss of their first wicket.

Athelbert Brathwaite [35], their overseas player from Barbados was bowled by opening bowler Ian Bradley.

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This sparked a mini collapse with the visitors falling to 58/4 losing Russell Sung (0), Kieron Blaney (0) and Gareth Ellis (1) cheaply. The remainder of the innings was aided by Daniel Sung (28) who was a threat until he was caught by David Spendlove off the bowling of John Donaldson and Andrew Watson (29), who was finally out caught and bowled off Luke James. Blidworth staggered along to 117 all out in the 30th over.

The loss of Athelbert Brathwaite spared a mini collapse for Blidworth.The loss of Athelbert Brathwaite spared a mini collapse for Blidworth.
The loss of Athelbert Brathwaite spared a mini collapse for Blidworth.

All five of the home side’s bowlers chipped in with wickets but the lead man was Bradley with four for 40, with Spendlove two for 21 and a frugal one for 20 from Donaldson in his six overs.

The reply started well with home opener Andy Woolven [13] looking to hit big but when he fell in the fifth with the score at 22/1 there was a few early doubts.

Grassmoor reached 70/3 and thanks there to opener James [16] who secured an end before losing his wicket with the score on 40. A mini collapse at 70 saw two two quick wickets fall Donaldson (15) and Mark Cain without troubling the scorers.

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Brathwaite returned to the attack and with his first ball dismissed Spendlove (27) for the top score on the home side’s card and when Dale James (1) also fell two wickets had fallen on 89. By the time the eighth wicket fell one run later Grassmoor were fearing a loss when the final wicket fell at 101 with seven overs remaining.

The tension and magic of cricket came to the fore though for Grassmoor as the final pairing of Craig Dawes (11) and Bradley (8) got to the final over with one run required. Fittingly Bradley launched the first ball back over the head of bowler Watson for four to seal a remarkable victory.

Brathwaite took three wickets for a miserly 15 runs in the Blidworth attack with Daniel Dallman also chipping in with three.