12:52pm Thursday 2nd September 2010
CRAIG Walmsley and Marc Hadwin carried Netherfield to within a smidgeon of their three-wicket victory with a bundle of grittily earned runs on Bank Holiday Monday.
The old guard came good and it was a quirk of the derby game that Walmsley (21) and Hadwin (11no) had never before batted together in a Northern League match.
And that despite having seen collective honourable service for the Parkside Road club that would qualify you for a bus-pass.
Walmsley has struggled to make his farewell season at Netherfield a vintage one, but this was satisfying indeed.
A dashing fast-scoring left-hander in his prime he has dropped down the order..but he came good and his 21 off 40 balls before he ran himself out was vital.
He and Hadwin held off a spirited Kendal bowling effort to enable Nathan Chambers to coolly strike the necessary three runs for the win.
Kendal contributed immensely to this 2010 derby, surely not the last seen here despite Sainsbury's attempt to put frozen chips where the bails should be.
Top-order runs were healthy with Jack White compiling 52 in 102 balls and Terry Hunte's contribution (38) just surpassing Ross McMillan (37), though the professional felt wronged to go to a legside catch off the pad.
Once the leading batsmen were dismissed, Netherfield pressed their advantage with Aussie Nick Kruger rewarded with 5-61 off 15 overs and Hadwin extracting plenty of turn with his legspin to emerge with 5-53.
The upshot was that Kendal were restricted to 172 all out off their 50 overs - short of the 200 that had looked likely.
Netherfield's openers put on 43 before Kruger fell one of two excellent diving catches by Ollie Field in the covers.
But Kendal's effort was driven by McMillan, who consistently beat the bat in a superb 24-over stint that was not fully rewarded by his 3-61 return.
Spinner Chris Miller was put out of the attack when Huck's straight drive nastily flicked up off the non-striker's bat on to the bridge of his nose, but he returned from hospital to watch the closing stages.
At 110-4 the verdict could still have gone either way, but Ben Haddrick's 35, Kruger's 26 and John Huck's 32 had Netherfield into a strong position.
It still needed Walmsley and Hadwin to eke out the 15 needed to put victory in sight with three wickets in hand.
The result leaves Netherfield 13 points ahead of their rivals, but more important this was pure cricket .. not a dodgy no-ball in sight.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/trade_directory/