1973 Match Reports
Cricket Season Gets Under Way At Oadby (28.4.1973)
An excellent game against neighbouring Oadby saw Wigston’s second eleven narrowly foiled in a bid to start the season with a win.
Batting first on a placid wicket, Wigston, after losing Jim Colver in the fourth over, proceeded with the confidence normally shown in mid season, to a record second wicket partnership of 102 between Paul Dunkley and Ian Richardson. Both embellished their scores with crisp drives and cuts to the boundary and the suggestion was that both should improve their previous best seasons figures. Ken Hammond added a quick half century to place Wigston in an impregnable position at tea.
For Oadby, Warnock, Payne and Harrison all batted soundly, giving the home side little hope of forcing a win in the two hour period after the interval.
Visitors In Trouble At Willow Park (12.5.1973)
Wigston 1st XI had a comfortable victory over Great Glen at Willow Park on Saturday, reaching the modest target required with five wickets in hand.
The visitors batted first and were soon in trouble against some excellent bowling by Paul Bell and David Hill. Opener Simmons was dismissed in the fourth over and was quickly followed by Spittle and Bailey. At this stage Sutton joined Rawsthorne at the wicket and just as they looked like mastering the Wigston attack, the former fell to a magnificent catch in the gully by Graham Cadman. Bayes was the next man in and immediately attacked the bowling, scoring a quick 21 before being caught by Doug Moore off Bell. Bell snapped up the remaining batsmen, thus finishing his fine 20 over spell with 6-34. Opening batsman Rawsthorne didn’t fall until the eighth wicket, and although he only scored 15 runs, he did an excellent job for his side.
Wigston only requiring 67 for victory were soon in trouble, Bob Markham being bowled by Sutton for 4 in the third over. Doug Moore and Paul Dunkley increased the score to 40 before the next dismissal and then lost two further wickets to Sutton for the addition of very few runs. However Roy Mason came to the wicket and quickly knocked off the runs required for victory.
The main feature of the game was the bowling of both sides. Paul Bell and David Hill bowled unchanged for Wigston whilst Sutton who took 5-26 in eleven overs was in excellent form for the visitors.
Abrupt End For Wigston (19.5.1973)
Had it not been for two ill-timed run outs, Wigston 1st XI would doubtless have emerged as winners from Saturday’s encounter with Great Bowden. As it was, the second of these tragedies brought an abrupt end to a game of changing fortunes, with the visitors only five runs short of the target.
The match got off to a flying start, with David Hill clean bowling Watts with the first ball. Richard Dixey then dismissed Chamberlain in his first over. At this stage however, Roger Funnell and Joe Lee, two old adversaries of Wigston came together, and with a blend of dour resistance and calculated attack, put on a further 85 runs before the partnership was broken by Richard Carter.
Vic Hardy playing his first game of the season made a useful contribution and together with Brian Carter saw the score move past the hundred mark.
First Encounter Gave Wigston A Sizeable Win Against Ashby (20.5.1973)
In the first ever encounter between the two clubs, Wigston did well to secure a sizeable win over their opponents.
All the batsmen were made to struggle for their runs and the home sides ninety odd looked a reasonable score in view of the lengthy grass in the outfield. Once again Paul Bell bowled superbly well for an unchanged twenty over spell in which he claimed eight wickets, six of them in the most satisfactory manner of removing the stumps.
Jaggard put bat to ball in a most belligerent manner and his was the most forthright innings of the day.
Jim Colver and Bob Markham gave the visitors a sound start which paved the way to a seemingly easy victory. Markhams half century was full of good things and his efforts were well backed up by David Gibbins. David Loydall and Roy Mason saw Wigston home and dry with half an hour to spare.
Sound Batting By Wigston After Early Dismissals (26.5.1973)
Wigston First XI’s Saturday encounter with visiting Rowlands, was an excellent match, with the home team snatching victory with the last ball of the day.
Wigston got off to a rather ineffectual start with both openers making an early return to the pavilion. However, Doug Moore and Brian Carter both batted soundly and after the former’s dismissal, David Loydall continued the good work. Unfortunately, the last six batsmen contributed very little and an all-out total of 111 barely looked sufficient against a team of Rowlands known capabilities.
The visitors suffered an early setback, when Doug Moore took a fine catch to dismiss Hoffman. Then, spinner Roy Mason brought on to bowl the last over before the tea interval, obliged by cleaning up Lines with his fourth delivery.
Upon resumption, Wigston’s formidable pace attack of Paul Bell and David Hill bowled excellently, with the latter in particular swaying the game in favour of the hosts with three well taken wickets. Opening batsman Branston, was however, proving to be quite a stumbling block and when his dismissal came, he had been at the crease for two and a half hours for a well earned 53.
When the last pair came together only 12 runs separated the two totals. Seven more were added before the dramatic finish, when Hill uprooted Norton’s middle stump – a great finish to a great game.
Only A Tie For Wigston (2.6.1973)
A first class innings by Roy Mason, followed by some good hitting by David Hill, should have been sufficient to have ensured Wigston a victory over Hinckley Casuals at Willow Park, on Saturday. However, their excellent work was almost squandered, with the game ending in a tame tie, with three more batsmen still waiting to go in.
Taking first knock, the visitors made slow progress against Wigston’s attack. The game having been underway quite some time before David Hill dismissed opener Ellis and then John Barlow coming on to bowl first change took two further wickets to bring Wigston back into the game. Allen however, continued to bat soundly, and together with Cotton started to push the score along at a much faster rate. The latter finally falling to Hill, during his second spell, for a well hit 44.
The pattern of Wigston’s innings went much the same as the visitors. A slow laboured start against an accurate pace attack, with four wickets falling for a mere 30 runs. At this stage, it looked as if the home side might well be in some difficulty. Fortunately Roy Mason is having a good season and it was at this time that he came in to take the bowling by the scruff of the neck and hammer a very fine 56. David Hill then carried on where Mason had left off and his 25 included a six and three fours. After his departure, only 15 runs were needed for victory with fifteen minutes still left, but alas, all good things must come to an end and the game finished in a tie, with Vic Hardy being run out off the last ball.
Good Win For Wigston Seconds (16.6.1973)
A good win for Wigston’s second string against Norton and Gaulby, with several of the young members playing leading roles. In particular one should mention the bowling of Paul Clayton, who took five wickets for 14 runs in a 12 over spell, the tidy wicket-keeping of Jim Coe, who accepted four catches and the competent batting of their captain, John Hammond.
For Gaulby, Boyce took the eye with some fine hitting and with Welch added 49 runs at a time when the visitors were well in control of things.
The Wigston batsmen played more positively than had the home team and from the time that Jim Colver and Pat Merry took the score to 32, never looked in any danger of defeat.
Satisfactory Win For Wigston’s First String Cricketers (17.6.1973)
A satisfactory and sizeable win for Wigston at Willow Park on Sunday with Paul Bell and Roy Mason the chief architects.
After winning the toss, Heighton and Lissaman gave Kirby Muxloe a solid start and the quick bowlers were hard pressed to keep down the runs. Paul Bell and Geoff Dunkley each took a valuable wicket, the second with the score at 58, and from that point all went well. Roy Mason bowled his off spinners with clever control whilst Bell, by sheer pace, provided the complete contrast. Only Sexton of the remaining batsmen looked in control and his contribution saw the visitors to a respectable 118.
For Wigston, Paul Dunkley scored a pleasant half century. Brian Carter scored steadily in a stand of 61 and late in the innings Roy Mason hammered the bowling at will to secure a seemingly easy win for his side.
Wigston Bats Fell To The Brothers Spires (24.6.1973)
Having won the toss and elected to bat, Wigston’s early batsmen were hard pressed to withstand the brisk bowling of the brothers Spires and only 27 appeared on the board in the first hour, a run rate that did nothing to suggest an eventual win.
Bob Markham played a fine aggressive innings and when joined by the promoted number eleven Geoff Dunkley the total quickly moved to respectability. The tail enders all swung their bats to good effect and the total of 110 was probably more than one might have expected.
The home teams innings was more positive, Mick Spires and his partner Bird, untroubled by a number of narrow escapes quickly saw the total to 62 and the middle order men were able to play quietly for a convincing win. Brian Carter, an occassional medium pacer, was the most successful bowler, returning figures of three wickets for 14 runs.
Good Show By Wigston Cricketers (8.7.1973)
Having won the toss, Wigston’s batsmen were soon under way on a very damp and correspondingly slow wicket. Paul Dunkley and David Gibbins shared a second wicket stand only one short of a century. The bowling of the home team never looked more than steady and the advantage lay with the batsmen who had the patience to wait for the ball coming through. The middle order flourished only briefly. Richard Dixey played soundly enough to promise better things, but a flurry of runs at the end saw Wigston declaring with 157 for 7 wickets.
Paul Bell, the Wigston opening bowler removed the first six Ufford batsmen, all of whom, with the exception of Rawlings, looked decidedly unsure, but with the score at 44 for 6, Wigston’s successes ended for some time. A variety of bowlers were tried to break the stubborn resistance and eventually Bob Markham removed one of the chief obstacles. Drake and Depear saw out most of the remaining time and thus Wigston’s attempt to force a win petered out. Ufford Park 108 for 8 wickets.
Close Match (11.8.1973)
On Saturday, the 1st XI entertained Isham from Northamptonshire.
The hosts batted first, losing batsmen at regular intervals. However, a fine innings by Ron Smith gave some respectability to the score and when the last wicket fell, the total was a mere 64.
The way Isham started their innings, it looked odds on that an overs game might be underway, well before the tea interval. Twenty runs came off the first four overs but after paceman David Hill had secured his first victim, the visitors were really made to struggle. Fine bowling coupled with some excellent fielding saw Ishams innings close just eight short of the required total.
