Last updated 13:33, Thursday, 14 August 2008

John Rutherford's impact on sporting life in the Allen valleys was immense.

Whether it was football or cricket, John was involved behind the scenes.

He commanded huge respect from all those who had the pleasure to know him and the score box at Allendale is a much less entertaining place without him.

It is testimony to the man that cricketers from such far-flung regions as Shilburn Road, Whitfield and Farney Shield alike had no hesitation in turning up in order to remember him in the second cricket annual match held in his honour at Riding Haugh.

Once again an Allendale XI took on the might of the invitational Chairman's Select.

Club chairman and grenade launching cafeteria bowler John Mews had spent the last 12 months scouring the region for talent so that he could hold on to the prestigious trophy he won last year.

However, with talent thin on the ground these days, he had to make do with the likes of Whitfield gamekeeper Craig Barber, competitive dad Ali Thirlwell and blue bat wielding Benn Horncastle.

Donning his captain's armband for the chairman, 2nd XI despot Mick Lee called incorrectly and bitter rival Gareth Mews elected to bat.

Allendale's skipper decided to reverse the batting order and sent out guru Dave Swann and under 18 skipper Joe Mills - one of life's more natural number 11s - to open the batting.

With the frivolous nature of the batting line up and Howey Robson's attire at fine leg, one could be forgiven for thinking this was not a serious match.

But then the sight of Trevor Wallace hurling himself around the boundary stopping runs, left no one in any doubt that both teams were well up for this one.

Tynedale's Craig Barber opened the bowling and soon accounted for Mills and Swann but this brought together last year’s man of the match Dan Mills and 1st XI special guest Amit Sunda together.

They decided that trying to find gaps between 13 fielders was pretty pointless and chose the aerial route to good effect.

Their ploy was working well until they picked out the wrong men on the boundary in Thirlwell and Robson.

Runs continued to flow through Ant White and Dan Anderson but wickets were falling and nobody was achieving the feat of reaching 25 and retiring.

However if you're looking for a man to get a not out then go no further than the average nurturing John Richardson.

He carried his bat for 28 but received little support from his skipper when he was deceived by Horncastle's well disguised crapper ball.

There are few finer sights in cricket than Chris Welch hopping on one leg while he flays the ball like a tracer bullet through a petrified cover point.

Unfortunately for the assembled crowd there was no such fireworks as he fell to Thirlwell and Allendale's innings closed on 143 from the allotted 30 overs.

With 13 men and a bit of talent in his batting order, the chairman was bullish at the interval and confidence within his ranks was high.

Opening the run chase were Barrie Waller and John Welch.

Chris Rutherford removed Waller early but this only brought Kevin Wallace to the crease.

He played with real authority, showing everyone present the talent that has lain dormant for years, timing the ball as though he'd scored a hundred the previous day.

Along with Welch, he got the reply off to a flier and raced to 25 in no time.

The dangerous Howey Robson was well caught in the deep by Anderson and Benn Horncastle strode out looking slightly confused with a timber bat in his hand.

The extra pace of the leather ball caught him napping and he was dropped at slip first ball.

The partnership of Horncastle and Ali Thirlwell was crucial as they could take the game away from Allendale quickly.

Dave Swann cleaned bowled Thirlwell and Craig Barber entered the fray.

He showed his class, driving with power and quickly became the second of his team to retire.

Stewie Bell clubbed Amit Sunda about a bit before having his leg stump uprooted and with four overs to go, the chairman's select needed 10 runs.

Gus Dalton is well renowned for his running between the wickets and he decided that tippy run was the way ahead.

The volume increased with lots of bellowed 'Yes!' 'No!' and 'Get Back!, often to the same shot.

Swann bowled Terry Sparke with the last ball of the penultimate over and Gus needed four to win off the final over.

Ant White held the ball in his hand as a pregnant hush descended upon the ground.

The first ball was a dot and the tension increased.

The second was pushed to mid wicket but John Richardson swooped and no runs were scored.

Gus was getting twitchy and wasn't amused by the advice he was receiving from the fielding side.

He swiped at the third ball and was clean bowled.

Cometh the, hour cometh the man. With a captain’s innings required Mick Lee stood up to the plate.

He had been in this situation before this season,although the experience of that hardly boded well.

He missed the fourth ball of the over and now four runs were needed from two balls.

The next ball was smashed over the bowler’s head, looking for all the world as though it was destined for the river and was willed on by huge cheers from the pavilion.

But the ball landed short, and plugged in the wet ground and two runs were scored.

The final ball was a yorker; Lee squeezed it out to his nephew Sam Lee and set off as though his life depended on it. Quick as a flash Sam speared the ball to the bowler’s end, White whipped off the bails and Mick was two yards short.

Allendale had won by one run and the fielding side went ballistic.

Back in the pavilion both teams enjoyed a fantastic barbecue, and as part of the presentation ceremony, man of the match Kevin Wallace received a bottle of wine for his superb knock.

The wine will doubtless be put on ice till later in the month when he will have further cause for celebration.

The match was another fitting tribute to John who would have loved every last second of the game and the post match socialising. He would also have had 18 wickets to make detailed inquiries into.