Thread by @TomEvansEcho

After some difficulty, I have gained access to New Brighton Cricket Club, where Formby are batting. Visiting skipper Callum Turner has recovered from his knee injury to open the batting with Will Porterfield. Louis Botes and Mark Hale tasked with dislodging them.

Early breakthrough for the hosts as Botes persuades Turner to nick one to keeper/skipper Adam Neal. 4/1

Excellent over from Botes. New man Ian Cockbain - who is very good at getting his bat on things - can’t get a bat on it.

Bowlers are giving very little away here. Very tight fourth-stump stuff. New Brighton won the toss and fielded, so a lot of faith placed in them against a star-studded top order.

Cockbain absolutely SMEARS Hale through the covers twice for the first boundaries of the innings. 14/1

Meanwhile at the other end Botes is sticking to the plan; Porterfield edges just short of second slip.

Cockbain starting to tick over nicely; a flick and a drive off Botes bring two more boundaries. He’s on to 20 already. 26/1 from 11 overs.

Field spread already for Cockbain; a reasonable move, if a defensive one. One straight drive off Hale brought groans of appreciation from the Formby bench. Porterfield on 3, comfortable in the anchor role. 35/1.

Hale gets some more punishment, then draws Porterfield’s edge, but it runs away for four. Thankless task, bowling. 49/1

Cockbain pushes Botes for a single and the field comes *in* for the batter with 11 ODI centuries.

Seb Botes replaces Hale and beats Porterfield outside off a couple of times. New Brighton aren’t doing much wrong. 53/1

Seb Botes has a slip in now for Cockbain, which I think is a sound move. He collars a four through extra cover but he’d have done that anyway; they need to get him out. 59/1 (Cockbain 44)

SLA David While replaces Louis Botes after a tireless and probing opening spell. First ball cut behind point for four by Cockbain, who moves on to 49. Porterfield moves into double figures with a four then heaves a massive six over mid-wicket. 74/1.

50 for Cockbain as he pushes While for a single. 80/1

Need to let phone charge a bit. Switching highlights level from High to Medium.

Drinks; 93/1. Scoring has slowed down somewhat.

Porterfield holes out to While for 30, well held by Alex Watkins. 94/1.

19 runs from 10 overs since drinks. While and Matty Thompson putting the squeeze on with spin. Sam Oldham busy but struggling to get it away so far. 113/2

Reprieve for Cockbain when a stumping chance goes begging off While. It kicked up a bit, as the odd one is. Oldham finding the gaps now; 124/2

Cockbain smacks Thompson into someone’s garden to move into the 80s; Oldham lofts While back over his head for six. The pedal has been pressed again. 150/2

Louis Botes back on for While (and for a while). Cockbain on to 97. 176/2 after 43 overs.

Cockbain on 99…

…and that’s a fine century brought up with a bunt to deep mid-wicket. Oldham motoring too. 192/2

He was on 94+ for quite some time, so that video took a lot of takes. Oldham pulls Louis Botes for four to pass 50. Full of shots, this lad. 200 up, partnership worth 108.

Cockbain puts Seb Botes over the pavilion. Then he mishits one into the sightscreen; and then he’s spilled at long-on. Another six over cover from a loose (but in the circumstances understandable) full toss. 222/2.

Another enormous six over long on from Cockbain; then Seb Botes yorks Oldham. Deserved the wicket for a tough few hours in the field; 235/3. Cracking knock by Oldham. Ollie Sutton next in.

More punishment for Louis Botes though, Cockbain flays him for two straight sixes to move past 150. This has been brutal. Long-on misjudges a chance and runs under it; heads are a bit frazzled under the onslaught. And they can’t find the ball. 255/3

And there’s the declaration, after 51 overs. 260/3; Cockbain finishes on 162*. Batted. New Brighton stuck at it.

So then. New Brighton need 261, which is a dangling carrot. Sam Ellis with the ball for Formby; Owais Shah and Seb Botes the batters.

Cole Turner from the other end. “There’s that spongy bounce,” shouts someone as Shah fences at one.

Ellis draws a loose shot from Botes but the edge flies safely for four. 7/0 from 3 overs.

Turner has #wheels.

Botes hits two leg side fours off Ellis. I have to get off at 6, by the way. Not sure if this influenced Callum Turner’s declaration. 17/0

Botes seems keen to get the game moving, flashing Turner for four behind square. Good start for the hosts. 22/0.

Turner is prepared to get driven if it means pitching it up; Botes drives him for three, but then Shah is well beaten. Still no breakthrough though. 30/0

Ellis clips Botes’ bail, but it is unmoved. Them’s the breaks.

Tom Simpson replaces Ellis with some #nibbly medium pace. Not much happening for the bowlers though. 41/0. Was 260 enough?

I’m starting to wonder, you know… especially when four more overs of Cockbain might have made it 300+. Still, lose to win etc. Bit of #mizzle about. 53/0.

Dewi Jones replaces Turner. Formby need a breakthrough, these are going nicely. Shah carves one through point. 60/0 and it’s only the 15th over.

Simpson is denied an LBW shout against Shah because of an edge (I reckon) then his misery is compounded with a lovely drive for four. 66/0 without any alarms. 261 the target.

Me mentioning Sam Surridge by accident in one of these tweets

Bit of spin now for Formby, as nothing else is working. Jackson Darkes-Sutcliffe from the end where David While got a few to spit. 77/0

Wicket. There has been a wicket. Simpson gets Shah LBW padding up for 43. 78/1 and an end opened up? Cracking job by the openers mind.

Really nothing out there for the bowlers. Botes and David While ticking along nicely. 100 up in the 24th over; 161 needed.

Dewi Jones replaces Simpson; While eases him down the ground, then through backward point. I make New Brighton favourites here. 108/1, at least 35 overs to get 153 runs.

Botes gets a life asCallum Turner spills a sharp one (possibly via the keeper’s glove) off JDS; next ball he glides him through point. But then Turner makes amends by holding While off the bowling of Jones. 115/2. 146 to win. Mizzle verging on drizzle.

Danger for New Brighton is if they lose wickets in clusters, of course; more likely as the target gets closer. 117/2

Dan Cooke happy to continue attacking though, pulling Jones for four. 122/2. 20 minutes plus 20 overs left; 139 runs or eight wickets. Botes the key to this. He’s on 40.

Skipper Callum Turner throws the ball to himself. And after a four and a six, he turns a leg-break past Cooke and trims his off bail. 137/3. And drinks. Some of us have to go in half an hour, guys.

Matty Thompson joins Botes. Sam Ellis replaces JDS. Tough game to call.

Ellis thinks he has Thompson twice; in fact he has Thompson zero times. 140/3. Callum Turner continues.

Now then. Turner finds Botes’ edge on 49. Porterfield with the catch at slip. Good knock but the game has shifted. 150/3.

Last hour begins and straight away Thompson’s edge falls just short of Turner at slip, off Ellis. Score is 152/4 btw. Scoreboard playing up a bit

And with that I have to take my leave. Draw, I reckon.

Wow, New Brighton win by one wicket in the last over. Incredible.

This play best be good.

It was, tbf. Potted report & round-up on the Facebook group soon.

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