On the 29th of August, amidst the beautiful setting of Attenborough Cricket Club, two teams gathered to compete for the prestigious Cricket Shield in what was known as the 'Battle of the A52'. The teams in question were made up of solicitors hailing from Nottinghamshire Law Society and Derby & District Law Society.
Under the leadership of team Captains Aaron Singh (NLS) and Phil Bramall (DDS), the stage was set for an intense showdown. James Sookias, a talented batsman, stood in for Aaron during the coin toss, which was won by Derby & District, leading them to choose to bat first.
Peter Kidds and Matt Holtham took the first turn to bat, facing Philip Cordery's initial delivery. Unfortunately, Matt Holtham was dismissed without scoring (golden duck) in his first attempt, making way for Tom Glenister. However, NLS's fielding was strong, and Tom was quickly caught by the wicket keeper, James Sookias.
Following them, George Domleo and Mark Wilcock stepped up to the crease, with the score standing at 9 runs after 4 overs, having lost 3 wickets. As Alastair Rose and Alex Lucas took over the bowling duties for Derby & District, the DDS team started building momentum. Domleo and Wilcock showcased impressive batting skills, accumulating a total of 38 runs in 6 overs while losing 3 wickets.
In the seventh over, a change in bowling end brought NLS's Vikky Lai into the attack. Her first delivery led to the dismissal of Mark Wilcock, sparking celebrations among NLS players and spectators who lifted Vikky in the air amidst cheers.
George Neville and Vikky Lai showcased impressive bowling skills, leading to the retirement of Domleo at 30 runs. George Ottewell, taking over from Wilcock, hits a six in his first at-bat, bringing the DDS team to 53 runs after 9 overs and 5 wickets. James Gray replaces Domleo and starts scoring well.
The NLS team faces the challenge of displaying their fielding abilities due to the excellent batting performance. Captain Aaron Singh demonstrates fantastic catching skills, resulting in another player caught out. Ottewell is caught out, and Mitch Palmer takes the field on the sunlit cricket ground. Derby & District's score stands at 69 runs after 10 overs and 6 wickets.
Gray remains consistent in bolstering the score, but eventually, Palmer is snared by wicket-keeper James Sookias. With a handful of overs remaining, the onus falls on Gray and newcomer Liam Wicks to set the benchmark that NLS needs to surpass to recapture the esteemed shield. However, Wicks is ousted swiftly, leaving the responsibilities to DDS Captain Phil Bramall to wield the bat and conclude the remaining overs in tandem with Gray. Together, Aaron Singh and Ben Burton faced the bowlers, leading the Derby & District team to a final score of 99 runs after 13 overs with 8 wickets lost.
Opening the innings for NLS are teammates James Sookias and Martin Foulds, with Sookias showcasing excellent batting skills by scoring a series of four runs. Mitchell Palmer and Matthew Holtham are the bowlers for DDS, and within the first over, the score stands at 15 runs with no wickets lost.
Foulds is dismissed at 22 runs in the initial over, making way for team Captain Singh. The partnership between Sookias and Singh sees the runs steadily increasing, displaying top-notch batting performances. Sookias eventually retires after scoring 30 runs, leaving the total at 38 runs for 1 over and 1 wicket down.
The batting prowess is evident as two balls hit by Sookias and Singh come dangerously close to NLS Head of Operations, Michelle Foster. Fortunately, the protective glass screen prevents any mishaps, although onlookers witness Michelle swiftly moving out of harm's way.
Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that during Sookias' final bat, where he hits a spectacular 6, the cricket ball's impact is felt even by the club's BBQ.
Captain Bramall led DDS team by taking charge of the bowling as the NLS team reached 44 runs in 4 overs with 1 wicket down. With such a strong performance, it seemed like the NLS team had a good chance of winning the game. However, things took a turn when Sookias retired and Jak Ward came in but got caught out at 49 runs in 5 overs with 2 wickets down. John Hooper then joined the game as the sun began to set on the cricket pitch.
In the seventh over, Singh and Hooper were still at the crease facing Domleo's bowling. The game progressed to 69 runs in 8 overs with 2 wickets down. Meanwhile, there was a bit of action on the field as DDS fielder Mark Wilcock injured his finger while catching a ball. He had to leave the ground for treatment, accompanied by Ottewell.
Singh retired after scoring 30 runs, and Joshua Ganley took his place to continue batting with Hooper, who was eventually bowled out. Liam Wilkinson came in as the sixth batsman with Joe Arcari bowling, and soon the game came to an end. NLS managed to score 103 runs in 11 overs with only 3 wickets down, securing the trophy for Nottinghamshire.
After the game, the teams gathered in the clubhouse for some refreshments and cricket tea provided by David Wykes. Michelle Foster, the Head of Operations, expressed gratitude to everyone for their participation, the use of the beautiful cricket grounds, the official umpires Paul Westbury and Nick Sanders, and David Wykes for the delicious tea and sandwiches. The trophy was handed over to DDS captain Phil Bramall to present back to NLS Captain Aaron Singh. Both captains thanked their players and supporters for their backing.
It was indeed a fantastic evening of cricket filled with sportsmanship and camaraderie. Looking forward to seeing everyone again next year as the trophy heads to the engravers.
