Last updated 13:36, Thursday, 31 July 2008

AFTER five weeks of enforced idleness because of the weather, Tynedale Cricket Club first XI returned to action with a real thriller on Saturday.

They travelled to Benwell & Walbottle boosted by the return of professional Stuart Graham who was available for the first time in six weeks after injury.

However, they were still without Neil Clark, Jamie Crichton and Mark Armstrong who have all played major roles in the team’s recent successes.

Skipper Richard Darling opted to bat on a well-worn wicket with very little life.

This paid off as one of the league’s quickest bowlers, Graeme Angus, struggled to get the ball to bounce over shin high.

Simon Prudhoe and Paul Scandle were perfect players for the situation, fighting hard and eking out every run possible.

Scandle was first to fall after putting on 30 for the first wicket with Prudhoe.

Graham’s return wasn’t memorable with the bat as he tamely chipped a return catch to Angus for 0.

Tony Pick quickly followed LBW to Brown, again for 0, as Tynedale’s decent start quickly ended.

Youngster James Rainford, making his league debut, was next man in but after one lovely cover drive for four was bowled by the wily Brown.

At 40–4 with over 20 overs gone, Tynedale were in big trouble and were relying heavily on Prudhoe and Darling to get them to a decent total. They slowly started to grind out a partnership against some tidy home bowling.

With spinners Rashid and Singh now in tandem scoring was becoming more and more difficult.

Prudhoe fell to Singh after playing back and being trapped LBW for a well made 30.

Phil Mellons joined Darling and looked to be more positive than in his previous innings for the first team.

With Darling also starting to play a few more shots the score started to head towards the 100 mark.

Both players hit sixes, Mellons down the ground and Darling with his customary slog sweep over the leg side..

Mellons fell going for another boundary which brought the returning Dixon to the crease. He and Darling went for broke in the final 10 overs hitting big shots and running hard between the wickets .

Darling brought up a fine 50 with a towering six down the ground.

His innings was only ended in the 49th over when a mix up led to him being run out.

Dixon was also out off the last ball leaving the visitors with a respectable 167 to defend.

Tynedale knew that although the wicket was slow and the bounce variable that they had to bowl well to contain the home side.

Graham and Darling renewed their opening partnership and looked to make early inroads.

After a couple of overs Graham was back amongst the wickets claiming both openers.

This brought one of the league’s top batsmen, Singh, to the crease andTynedale didn’t help themselves by dropping the Indian twice at slip before he was into double figures.

After the early misses he eased his way past 30 and with Reed took the score past the 60 mark.

Henry Twizell replaced Graham and claimed the prize wicket of Singh early in his spell when he was bowled playing across the line.

Liam Pringle, on for Darling, claimed two cheap wickets also as the game turned Tynedale’s way.

The score edged past 100 but wickets kept falling and with six wickets down Tynedale remained on top.

Graham took a couple more wickets before the game swung in favour of the home team.

Angus came to the crease and instantly hit out, peppering the boundaries.

He and number 10 Brown whittled the score down to under a run a ball.

Tynedale had almost given up hope with nine runs required from two overs.

However, with four needed, Angus was brilliantly caught at long off for 40 by Scandle.

With the last pair at the crease going into the last over, four runs were still required.

The scores were tied with one ball left, and Darling bowled Rashid with the final delivery to leave the scores tied at 167.

It was a good game which at times both teams looked like winning but a draw in the end was a fair result.