South Yorkshire Times, July 2nd 1955
Managed Victory with the Ease Suggested
Denaby beat English Steel Corporation by the decisive margin of 82 runs at Denaby on Saturday, and managed the victory with the ease suggested in the result.
But English Steels looked very ordinary. Their bowlers wasted the new ball by bowling it into the ground instead of up to the batsmen and their batting profited little from hesitancy. However, Denaby can be satisfied. They looked throughout the better side and always seemed certain to gain maximum points. Valuable points they are to, for they took Denaby from the Yorkshire Council doldrums.
Denaby elected to bat first on a wicket that, like a good magician, looked innocent but concealed more than one trick up its sleeve. Ellis and Oakley opened and with only five scored Oakley was beaten on the forward stroke by one of the few pitched up balls and was given out lbw. Ellis, imperturbable and polished, was partnered by Cory, who battled while Ellis boxed, so to speak. They survived and added over 50 runs in a partnership sprinkled with many crisp like side shots from Ellis and some pugnacious offside hitting by Cory.
After they were out the game lost some lustre and the Denaby innings was drawing peacefully to a close when Downing in a display of rumbustious hitting, woke things up and scored a quick 32. He and Ellis made similar scores and Cory made 21. Denaby finished with 144. Of the E. S. C. Bowlers Shaw laboured longest without fitting reward for his exertions.
Denaby’s bowlers, with an ease that suggested long familiarity with the wickets peculiarities, soon had E. S. C. Floundering, Cory was especially effective and he was rewarded for a fine spell of sustained bowling with the handsome figures of six for 14. Ferris, Newton and Peter Downing all claimed wickets and E. S. C. Managed only 62 runs.