Club cricket team chase down target in one ball

It took Checkley Cricket Club’s second team just one legal delivery to chase down their target and beat their opposition on Sunday.

Playing in the first round of the Cricket Cave Talbot Shield in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire League, Checkley skittled Wedgwood CC second XI for just eight, then wasted no time knocking the target off.

Wedgwood, playing at their home south of Stoke-on-Trent, confidently opted to bat first, only for the wheels to come off quickly.

There were eight ducks in their innings, while the not-out No 11, Gary Timmis, also did not trouble the scorers. Opener – and captain – Tom Smith top-scored with two, with last man out Marcelle Souce the only other batsman to score a run. He made one, then was run out to end the innings in 10.1 overs. Extras was the main contributor with five: four leg-byes and a wide from opening bowler Nick Hunt.

The wide did not mar Hunt’s day, though, as he picked up figures of 5-2-3-4. His opening partner Charlie Lewis did even better, taking 5.1-4-1-5. Lewis blasted out the top order, before Hunt blew away the tail.

Checkley’s chase was completed promptly. Opener Blake Haddrell hit Dom Marsh’s first two balls for four, with the second of them a no ball, meaning Checkley had scored nine runs from a single legal delivery.

Elsewhere in club cricket this weekend, the Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara popped up in the third division of the Dorset Cricket League, batting No 5 for Shillingstone CC against Kingston Lacy CC in Wimborne Minster. Sangakkara – who has 12,400 Test runs – made 68 from 50 balls before he was bowled by John Burns in a 76-run win for Shillingstone.