This coming bank holiday weekend is a big one for Keswick Cricket Club with the 1st XI at home in important league and cup matches on the Saturday and the Monday and sandwiched between, on the Sunday, a fun occasion with the town’s rugby and soccer clubs fielding teams for a ‘winner takes all trophy’ T/20 clash, a game to be followed by a special appearance from KCC player Alfie Davies and his colleagues in the Costa Del Solway band.
The three-day special comes on the back of two excellent results for the club’s 1st and 2nd XIs and some great individual performances at a time when the club continues to be racked by an injury list longer than the Royal Mile, writes Keith Richardson.
I certainly did not predict wins for 1st and 2nd XIs last weekend. In fact, quite the contrary, I feared the worst for the 1st XI at Cleator in the premier division of the Cumbria Cricket League (CCL) and the 2nd XI at home to St Michael’s, Dumfries, in the first division of the Eden Valley League (EVL).
I could not have been more wrong as great performances from key players stole the show and resulted in massive wins for both teams.
Heroes of the hour at Cleator were the Hindmarch brothers, Steve and Paul, who are enjoying playing alongside each other again since their halcyon days in John Bryson’s very successful junior set up at KCC. Steve, who was selected for North of England Under 15s, usually a precursor for a career in first class cricket, chose to go down the soccer route with Carlisle Utd and, later, Workington Reds, while Paul was a squad member at Durham CCC before playing as a professional at various clubs – including a spell at Keswick – and working as a highly qualified ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) coach.
On Saturday they were in the same team and, once again, making a significant impact for their team Keswick. And how good was that to see them playing together after so many years orbiting different sporting zones.
Cleator had been going well in the early stages of their 2023 campaign but were no match on the day for a Hindmarch-inspired Keswick.
Put into bat after Cleator won the toss, Hindmarch (S) opened the innings and went on to make an undefeated 103 (132 balls, 11 fours and one six) and, in partnership with Keswick’s Sri Lankan professional Rishi Upamal (66 runs, 91 balls, eight fours) the pair put on 135 runs for the third wicket, taking the score from 50/2 to 185/3.
Hindmarch (P) eventually entered the fray and smashed 42 off 21 balls (three fours and four sixes) and lost two cricket balls in the process, as the brothers put on 50 runs for the fifth wicket (186/4 to 236/5). Stephen Moss, good to see him back, was run out for 11 in the final frenzy, as Keswick made a whopping 263/6 from their 50 overs.
Cleator, in response, was bowled out for 106 from 36.2 overs as Hindmarch (P) took 5/25 from 10 overs to win a place on the club honours board. Other wicket takers for Keswick were Ben Sharp (2/31 from 6.2) and there was a wicket each for Scott McGown and Rishi Upamal (both 1/7 from five overs) and the captain Will Atkinson (1/17 from six). Young Jake Anderson, who has impressed everyone with his fielding, enthusiasm and general attitude, also got a bowl.
And Oscar Link will have been a happy chappy following his display behind the wickets as he claimed two stumpings and three catches, one of the dismissals being that of Cleator professional Abdul Muzammil for 15 off the bowling of Hindmarch (P).
And so, the scene is set for the weekend to come with two tough home games for the 1st XI and, possibly, more positive news relating to the long-term injury to all-rounder Glen Weightman. There is a possibility now that he might even be back this season. All of sudden things are looking a lot brighter. What a difference a week makes.
Thumping win for Keswick Seconds
Joe Grisdale’s 72 not out paved the way for a thumping 2nd XI home win over St Michael’s, Dumfries, in the first division of the EVL.
The visitors decided to bat first on a batting strip that had been used only once by the 1st XI the previous weekend, and posted 203 from 37 of the 40 overs. The hard-hitting Scottish team was obviously taking a leaf out of the England cricket team’s Baz ball book of batting: see ball, hit ball. Hard. And a long way.
Top scorer was their captain, Reece McNay with 62 while opener Shanawaz Shan made 36.
For Keswick, Sam Crowther (3/44 from nine overs) and young Lewis Edwards (3/37 from seven) took the lion’s share of the spoils and there were wickets apiece for Paul Fleet, captain on the day Karl Link and Joe Grisdale. Graeme Dixon took two catches.
Keswick raced to a match-winning 205/3 from 29.3 overs as Grisdale, coming in at No3, took only 41 balls to make his undefeated 72, an innings that included five fours and four sixes.
He and Link (32) put on 81 runs for the third wicket, taking the total from 82/2 to 163/3.
At the top of the order Graeme Dixon (38 off 48, eight fours) and Keelan (“Kilo”) Johnson (21 off 44, three boundaries) got Keswick off to a sound start and laid the foundation for the destruction to follow as Keswick won by seven wickets.
The 2nd XI travel to Langholm this Saturday. Kilts are optional.
Encouraging sight
Just a point, but it was great to see the KCC women’s and girls’ squad practising in great numbers at Fitz Park on Tuesday evening; not least because they far outnumbered the senior men taking the opportunity to have a net in the middle. For the record, the number of juniors being put through their paces in different age groups, and clearly having an enjoyable time, was also good to see.
Swift action
Finally, this week, in association with Cafe West, a nest box for swifts has been attached to the top of a gable end at the Keswick CC pavilion in lower Fitz Park. So, if you see any swifts looking for a nest, please send them our way . . .
Next senior games at Keswick Cricket Club
- Saturday (1pm) Keswick 1st XI v Millom in the Premier Division of the Cumbria Cricket League.
- Sunday: Rugby club v soccer club (2pm), a great fun-filled ‘friendly’ match followed by Costa Del Solway. And barbecue.
- Monday: Keswick 1st XI v Whitehaven 1st XI in the quarter final of the Higson Cup (please note, game starts at noon). The weather forecast is brilliant. Be there or be square!
