Another Saturday and another coin flip lost for the most useless tosser in 2nd team history, Ash Sefton. He's now only won one in nine attempts! The Irby skipper opted to bowl first on another green tinged runway at the NACA. Sefton again chose GJB and Macca as his opening batsman. Despite the language barrier, these lads have developed an effective partnership in recent weeks. This week, it was key for them to take the shine off the ball and blunt the Irby attack as the pitch offered something for the bowlers after being covered all night. GJB was at his disruptive best, rotating the strike and supporting Macca who found more fluency with the home comforts of Moss Farm. GJB (10) was first to depart after missing a straight one - bowled. NCC - 21/1. *In at 3 - Alex YU*. It seemed that Y-U only wanted to score in boundaries today! He crashed 3 powerful shots into the flower bank to get the run-rate going. Unfortunately, Alex (12) top edged another big hit and the visiting skipper took a good catch with the gloves on. NCC - 40/2. *In at 4 - Joey Wakefield*. With Macca caressing the ball around the outfield at the other end, Joey took the time to play himself into form. The pair exchanged glorious leg glance boundaries as Irby heads started to drop. The Irby skipper opted for an in/out field to stem the flow of boundaries but that didn't deter Joey. With Macca now playing the supporting role, Joey teed off! A quickfire partnership of 32 ended when Macca (31) smoked one into the hands of the cover fielder. It was a great catch to end a McDougall masterclass. NCC - 72/3. *In at 5 - Ashley Sefton*. Joey was ruining economy rates faster than Liz Truss and his skipper wanted to join the party! Another NCC who only dealt in boundaries, Sefton (8) found the rope twice to take his team to 93/3 at the drinks break. He fell almost immediately after play resumed & in agonising fashion too. Caught on the mid-wicket fence. NCC - 99/4. *In at 6 - Muhammad Iqbal*. Joey continued to entertain the increasingly lubricated crowd gathered at the NACA. Joey smashed an incredible 10 boundaries during his innings. Looking to bring up his half century in style, he chipped one to extra cover - falling one short of a deserved half century. NCC - 131/5. *In at 7 - Lampo Sivakumar*. Lampo (?) was unlucky to be given out C&B after clearly hitting the ball into the ground. NCC - 132/6. *In at 8 - Charlie Shuttleworth* Chaz (to his friends!), joined his mentor Muhammad in the middle. Even the words of wisdom from Mo couldn't prevent Charlie (2) being bowled with a ripper from the Irby left arm spinner. NCC - 137/7. *In at 9 - Will Marston*. Wilson (?) didn't trouble the scorers after being trapped LBW from his second ball. NCC - 137/8. Wickets were falling faster than Jacob Booty playing football outside the club (video proof available!) After scrambling to get his pads on in time - *In at 10 - Alex IC*. Northwich needed some stability to rescue their innings with Muhammad in danger of running out of partners. With nearly 8 overs left, a below par score looked on the cards for Sefton's men. That was until a quite brilliant 9th wicket partnership emerged. The experienced Muhammad absolutely nailed a maximum which in turn inspired Alex to smash one of his own! The 'Burnley Lara' certainly found the middle of his willow in the mid-afternoon sunshine. With it being 'festival' season - Mo and Alex celebrated with their own version - the NACA boundary fest. Even better, entry was free for the fortunate spectators at NCC. Their 63 run partnership changed the game completely and momentum swung back in Sefton's favour. Muhammad (34) fell to the final ball of the 39th over - caught at mid-wicket. He also passed 200 runs for 2s in the season during his knock today ??. NCC - 200/9. *In at 11 - Pete Gibbon* With just 6 deliveries remaining, Gibbo decided that Alex (needing 10 more for an unlikely half-century) should retain the strike at all times! A straight drive for four and great running between the wicket gave Alex one last chance from the final ball of the innings. Amazingly, he pushed Gibbo to run another two and grabbed an outstanding 50* from just 28 deliveries in the process! Northwich ended 210/9 from their 40 overs. Gibbo 0* without facing.

The NACA was bathed in glorious sunshine, so NCC needed to make good use of the new cherry. With Alex IC needing a rest after his batting exploits (young lads have no stamina these days!), it was down to Lampo and Sefton to open the bowling. Lampo sent down some thunderous deliveries from the primary school end. His raw pace was just too hot for the Irby batsman. From the football pitch end, Sefton bounded in like a follically challenged Glenn McGrath. The first wicket belonged to the old boys of the team (or Dad's army). Sefton rapping the gloves of the Irby batsman with a brutal lifting delivering. The cushioned impact looked like ending up short of the fielders until Gibbo sprawled forward and grabbed an incredible one handed catch. Irby looked to counter attack immediately. A couple of boundaries came before Sefton put an end to their fun! He nipped one back off the seam and into middle stump. Irby - 22/2. Not to be out-done, Lampo produced the ball of the day. A simply unplayable in-swinging yorker demolished the stumps and had the spectators on their feet in appreciation. They were barely back on their benches when the significantly suncreamed skipper, Sefton struck again! A well disguised slower ball bringing a false shot from the batsman & a 'really' tired Alex IC taking a dolly at mid-off. Irby 27/4. All season, our veteran Pakistani Muhammad has demanded bang-bang. Well today was a triple bang for Northwich 2s. Lampo drawing an edge for Gibbo to gobble up in his gloves. Lampo finished with 2/27 from his lightning fast 7 overs. Sefton weighed in with 3/8 from his 7 over spell that included 5 maidens - outstanding. The change of bowlers saw the NCC swingers called into action. Will Marston & Alex YU began to hoop the ball against an already bamboozled Irby line-up. With scoreboard pressure building Alex YU got the sixth wicket for Northwich. Everyone fields better off their own bowling but this was YU's second c&b in two weeks! Irby 43/6. That wicket brought father & son to the crease for the visitors and they stemmed the tide briefly. 'Orange' Will (0/13 off 4 overs) was forced out of the attack with a damaged wedding ring finger (Joey take note of which one it is pal!). His replacement was team chef, Muhammad. After his rest, Alex IC replaced Alex YU from the primary school end. The sultan of swing, YU picked up 1/13 from 6 overs. If Carlsberg did bowling changes . . . . . ! Alex IC shattered the Irby family dynasty. Taking the off stump of the son. He then took two in two wickets with another full pitched delivery. This time he rocked the middle stump backwards! His hat-trick ball was a bit of an anti-climax. With 8 people in close catching positions, he fired the ball down leg side! Alex ruined the family dad out soon after by collecting the key wicket of the dad with the help of another fine catch from Gloucestershire's Will Price. Price dived full length to his left at short cover to complete the catch. Irby 83/9. Muhammad collected figures of 0/18 from his 5 overs before Charlie replaced him. The Irby tail wagged which helped the bar profits! Despite bowling leg spin and seam up, Chaz somehow went wicketless. He finished with 0/22 from his 4 overs. Irby's 10th wicket partnership was worth 42 when the man of the moment struck again in the last over of the match. Another victim bowled. Irby were 125 all out. Alex IC claimed 4/18 from 6.1 overs. Imagine if he wasn't so tired!! NCC won by 85 runs!!

2s player of the match (sponsored by Britvic) = Alex Ingham
Two huge shout-outs from yesterday. Firstly, to the Irby umpire who stood at the strike end for 79.1 overs. Secondly, to our chef Muhammad for making a delicious lamb biryani for the entire 2s team. Excellent Mo ? Inshallah.

Pete G