Martley’s Midweek Cup run goes on after another wonderful win, this time at Stourport in another final-over thriller.
With light being a concern, it was agreed a 16-over match would take place. Skipper Olly Saunders lost the toss & was asked to field, still wondering where Scott Hodgetts was. His desire to play couldn’t be faulted, & after being up at 3am & spending the day working in Newcastle, Scotty announced his arrival back in Worcester at 3pm. So just where was he at 6.15pm?
The Martlets had to battle for the first 3 overs with 10 men, as Ollie Dunks & Tobey Jones bowled well to put the hosts under pressure. A couple of half-chances went down before Scott finally rocked up, later admitting that he had fallen asleep after a fish & chips. There really only is one Scott Hodgetts!
Owen Birchley bowled one of the openers & along with Tom Vale, the pair bogged the hosts down with just 23 coming from the pair’s 6 overs. OJ finished with 2-11 in 3 as he had one trapped in front while Vale (0-12 in 3) finished wicketless only thanks to Sam Fitch who dropped an absolute dolly plopped to him at short mid-wicket.
Vale returned the favour by sliding over one at long-off in a rare boundary for the hosts off Fitchy before Doug Stormonth-Darling (2-21 in 3) & Dunksy (2-25 in 4) were tasked with finishing strongly. Dunksy obliged straight away with two wickets in his 3rd over, one well caught by the stretching high Christian Mulvihill & the other snagged by Olly Saunders. Dougie struck first over with a C&B as Martley were in pole position. Despite one big over off Doug, the posh fella bowled a super final over getting another caught by Tobey & Saunders running another out to leave Stourport with 95-7 from their 16 overs.
In reply, the in-form Owen Birchley & Scott Hodgetts opened the batting, looking to get the scoring moving quickly but Scott was caught on the ropes for 1 before OJ & Christian patiently knocked singles to keep Martley within arm’s length. Up with the rate & nine wickets in hand at the halfway stage, things went sour after OJ was caught for 31 & Tobey Jones was trapped in front for 1 & at 56-3 from 10, the rate was climbing on a tough pitch to score runs.
The sloggers Dougie & Dunksy were sent in to try & relieve the pressure but Dougie only managed 6 before being caught & ‘The Glue’ Mulvihill came on stuck as he nicked behind for 25. 17 were still needed from 11 but a Vale 4 first ball swung the pendulum once again.
8 needed off the last over before 5 needed off 4, when Dunksy ran out of gas & failed to make the most of a fumble in the deep, run out for 9 chasing the second run.
4 needed off 3, Ben Roberts got bat on ball & with 3 needed from 2, Vale (13* off 6) flicked off his legs to the vacant field behind square. 2 was the call but the ball trickled over the ropes to send the visiting support (of which there were plenty) into jubilations.
A home semi-final awaits against either Brockhampton or Worcester Nomads. Never made it past the 1st round, now 3 on the spin & into the semis. Can this defiant team go one better? #UTM
