Cricket is the only winner in tied match

Published on 31st May 2007 in Sport

Goole Town 1st XI 221-9

Stamford Bridge 221-8

If the weather was cold and damp, the cricket was red hot as Goole and Stamford Bridge tied a magnificent game at Westfield on Saturday.

The game of cricket was the only winner, but it had everything, runs, wickets, a rain stoppage - and, oh a little bit of needle, which was handbags in fairness - but it made for excellent entertainment.

The hero for Goole was Australian Ashley Hulme. He batted throughout the 46 overs as the home side pursued 222 to win, reaching his 100 in the final over, but a leg injury restricted his movement and he was noticeably upset at failing to see his side to the win as both sides shook hands in a tie with all results possible from the last ball in fading light.

Neil Foster won the toss for Goole, and he inserted the visitors, riding high in York Senior League One and they opened confidently with Dan Hagan and Phil Hill, ex Goole Town footballer, looking largely untroubled in a first wicket partnership before Hill was out.

The runs continued to flow, but a stoppage for rain brought the first signs of tension, with Stamford Bridge clearly upset at the light rain stopping their momentum, Goole feeling they could not grip the ball properly and the umpires siding with the hosts.

The rain was never heavy, and cricket has been played in worse, but an hour's stoppage with tea taken meant two overs reduced for each side.

Hagan's momentum was affected and he fell for 80, but Jamaican all-rounder Tamar Lambert looked dangerous and went on to make 74 as the visitors reached 221-8, losing wickets in a flurry near the end to Dave England, who finished with 5-62 and bowled intelligently near the end.

In reply, Goole started well with Ashley Hulme promoted to open with Anthony Gibbins. The pair put on 67 in fine style from some wayward bowling at times before Gibbins was bowled playing across the line.

Lee Hayward took up the baton and the scoring rate was maintained before his wicket on 99 led to a mini-collapse involving Andy Rodgers for six and captain Neil Foster to a leg before he felt he got an inside edge.

That decision and one or two more led to the simmering tension almost boiling over as Mark Holmes' short, but amazing, eight-minute stay for 33 was also ended with a leg before which would have struggled to hit another set of stumps.

Order was restored and Kevin Murphy stayed with Hulme, now set to see out the match, it appeared.

Murphy was caught at deep square leg for 16, and Steve Hicks shouldered arms first ball to Tamar Lambert's friendly off spin.

Advantage the visitors, it seemed, but England's nous, and Hulme continuing to find the gaps, appeared to be turning the game Goole's way until the former was hit on the pads for the third ball in a row. Two appeals had been ignored, but not the third, and when Will Sparks was bowled for a duck, eleven were needed off four overs.

The last pair edged their way to the total, but with two needed off two balls, Hulme decided to turn down a single, but failed to negotiate the field off the last ball to tie the game.

However, his ton was well deserved, and it rounded off a fantastic game of league cricket.

In fact it was that exciting, even the cold was forgotten, not that the same could be said 48 hours later.