To say this has been a tough season for the Vets would be an understatement…but you cant keep a good team down and the Vets proved this whilst playing their arch enemy on Wednesday night. Debuts were given to Jack Thornborrow and Nathan Allen, Glossop lost the toss and were put into bowl. Glossop opened with Allen at both end, with Nathan outshining his dad and only going for 6 runs, whilst Jason was abit leaky in his second over but after 4 overs Hadfield were only 28-0. The Allens setting the Vets off on a solid footing. Steve Page and Tim Halpin were up next, Page kept it tight with some fast bowling, Halpin conceded a few fours but made the breakthrough and removed the opener with a full length swinging delivery, ripping out the middle stump. The vets were off and the mood was positive. Lewis Calvert and Rick Ingham bowled the middle overs. Calvert was exceptional, only going for 3 runs and picking up the second wicket, again bowling a lovely full length delivery, again bowled, again middle stump out. Ingham, having just pulled a hamstring went through the pain barrier and took one for the team, completing his 2 overs for 19 runs. Thornborrow came on for his bowling debut and bowled some wizardry fast spin, claiming his first wicket for the vets, bowling the Hadfield batsmen through the gate, with Taylor at the other end supporting, getting the ball to the swing. Wilde behind the stumps was having an excellent game, keeping it tight and increasing the pressure on Hadfield. Steve Kirkham and Phil Haggerty bowled the last 4. Hadfield were starting to swing at this point but Kirkham bowled an excellent penultimate over only going for 1 run. Haggerty picked up a wicket, caught by Taylor at mid on. Hadfield had run out of gas abit and finished on 143 for 4, but with the exception of a few over throws and a few dropped catches, Glossop were excellent in the field and Hadfield were feeling the pressure. Calvert and Haggerty opened for Glossop and got off to a flier but were stopped in their tracks when a light shower came over and Hadfield decided it was time for the covers to come on. With some light pressure from Glossop and the rain easing abit the covers came off 10 minutes later and Glossop set about chasing down the total. Both openers batted with class and both retired on 25, bringing Wilde and Halpin to the crease. Wilde crashed a few boundaries to the fence, Halpin looked abit tentative, scored 2 but got out to a full straight delivery off Joe Faye who had started to make the ball sing. Page was next in and instantly showed his class, flicking a 6 of his hips. Wilde batted well but was run out 13. The game was in the balance but Glossop were ahead of the run rate. In came Taylor, started slow and just turned over the strike to Page with some singles as the field had begun to spread. Page continued his assault, got to 24, went for the big hit but was caught on the boundary. In came Jay Allen. Taylor started to accelerate and raced to 28 not out with a couple off flicks off his legs going to the boundary. Taylor retired and in came Kirckham. Glossop needed 10 off the last 3.5 overs. Surely the Vets were going to cruise to victory. But Hadfield had saved their best 2 bowers and with Glossop’s recent results it was always going to be tough getting over the line. Kirkham got a peach and was bowled, Thornborrow next in, got a 3rd ball duck, Nathan Allen got a first baller and trudged off to the pavilion. Hadfield’s bowler had just bowled a 3 wicket maiden over and Glossop looked on the ropes. In comes Ingham, Glossop’s number 11 with a hamstring injury, quick singles were going to be tough. Glossop now needed 4 off 12. 19th over starts and second ball Jay Allen plays across the line and is bowled but scored a valuable 8 runs in tough conditions. Fortunately Glossop had 3 retired batsmen and back came Haggerty. His fine form early on calmed the nerves and a big hit would see us over the line but first ball back in, another wicket. What was going on. Hadfield were buoyed …Glossop were nervous. Due to Ingham not being able to run, Hadfield offered Glossop a runner..Taylor came in to run. Ingham was facing….he knocked the ball into a gap ..quick single was on..Taylor called Calvert through… But Ingham set off aswel… think he thought we’d get 2 runs if we all ran! We all made it. Calvert then took things into his own hands and calmly knocked the winning runs. Glossop vets were back and had beaten their arch rivals. Man of the Match – Lewis Calvert. Super batting at the top of the order, excellent bowling with a wicket and came back when we needed him and hit the winning runs. Glossop have a week off next week but back the week after against Mottram – and we owe them 1. Up The Vets :cricket_bat_and_ball: :beer:

Trouble Brews in the Heat It was a sunny evening in the wild plains of the cricketing frontier. The Law Men, leather-hatted and squinting into the glare, took the field first. The opposition Outlaws came out all guns blazing, holstering sixes and firing boundaries. The scoreboard galloped like a runaway stallion, and for a moment, it looked like the Outlaws were in for a long night. But just when the storm looked set to roll in, the sheriffs started laying down the law. Lines were tightened, traps were laid, and the bullets stopped flying. Then came the first duel. The opposition opener, once bold and brash, found himself hog-tied by dot balls. In a moment of panic, he made a break for it. He didn't make it far. A direct hit from Chris Sonczak—clean as a gunslinger's draw—sent him packing. Next ball, Davo drew fast and snared another. Two gone, momentum slowed. Enter young Maltby, the fresh-red-faced deputy on debut. He bowled like he'd ridden these parts before—tight, composed, and full of promise. But the enemy wasn’t done. A moustachioed South African miscreant, fierce and flamboyant, stood defiant in the dust, cracking shots with grit and guile (if only his banter behind the stumps was a cracking). Still, wickets fell like tumbleweeds. Phil Rhodes spun his web, subtle and deadly, and Chris Sonczak—sharpshooter supreme—fired off another direct hit. Across the rolling North Road plane, the ball, it seemed, had made a pact with Matt Sonczak—four catches flew to him like iron to a magnet. The Marshalls had done their job. The opposition Outlaws limped to 118 for 9 from 20 overs—a respectable tally, but short of high noon destruction. A Duel Under the Dying Light As the sun dipped low, painting the sky in oranges and fire, the Law Men’s top guns holstered their bats and stepped into the street. Chris Coll and Chris Sonczak: calm, composed, and short. Coll opened with lusty blows, knocking the dust off the scoreboard with every strike. Sonczak, his partner in justice, rotated strike like clockwork. The scoreboard ticked above the required rate, and the tension in the fielding gang grew. All they could manage were a few bitter mutterings behind the stumps—not funny, not clever. Coll, his work done, retired with a nod, handing over the reins. Sonczak stayed, finally finding his range with a few well-timed shots before tipping his hat and retiring too. Then came a stumble. The Chambers boys—Rob and Tom—rode in but didn't last long. Quick exits, no time for duels. But where there’s grit, there’s always a way. Gino, all flair and footwork, and Phil Rhodes, bringing balance and poise, stepped up. They brought a dash of style, keeping the wagon rolling. Just when it looked like they’d take it home, a twist: Gino retired, and Rhodes fell for 19. The saloon doors creaked open again—Will R and Davo entered the fray. Will, wielding a new weapon, looked the part—but it wasn’t his day. First ball, out cold. Silence fell. But Maltby returned, the debutant with the solution to the Mexican stand-off, and joined Davo. Calm, steady, unshaken—they saw it through. No drama. The Outlaws fought the Law; but, the Law won! Swinging Saloon Doors With the job done and the dust settled, the Sheriff’s holstered their bats, tipped their hats, and headed off for drinks and Italian food. Stories were shared, laughter echoed, and eyes turned to the man of the hour. Maltby, the new deputy, took home the match award—not for wickets, not for runs, but for an enthusiastic throw, which he muscled to absolutely nowhere. Wild. Unpredictable. Glorious. In these parts, they don’t remember the score. They remember the show.