Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 25 May 1912
Spicy Cricket at Mexborough
Mexborough 65 Denaby and Cadeby 37
There was any amount of spice in the meeting of Mexborough and Denaby on Saturday, at Mexborough, even though the two teams between them contrived to get fairly a hundred runs against bowling, which was simply splendid.
The match was full of excitement from beginning to end and if we could guarantee the same kind of interest, and withal pleasant cricket match by match, the Mexborough league would boom.
Mexborough could do nothing with the bowling of the brothers Robinson and Reg Nicholson along batted then with confidence, staying at the crease an hour and a half for 28. The younger Nicholson has been hovering on the fringe of the team for three seasons, but has gradually been developing into a sound batsmen. Indeed I think he will be one of the most reliable in the league this year.
When Mexborough were dismissed at 65 the game looked a gift for Denaby and they set off with a reply at a pace which suggested a 10 wicket victory. The substitution of young Hopson for Field in the attack was the signal for an outstanding collapse of the Denaby batsmen. The second, third, fourth and fifth wickets fell at 28, and Brown and Hobson simply mould the Denaby men down. The last eight wickets fell for eight runs, and between the second wicket and the ninth only two runs were scored.
Every Denaby man died in the block of, that is, eight were clean bowled, and to taken leg before wicket. It was a wonderful performance by Brown and Hobson. Brown took 6 to 16 and 13 and those of him by Cusworth before he took a wicket. Hobson, who last week had three for 14, now had three for 4, and up to last over, had three for one.
The story of this match will often be repeated by enthusiastic Mexbroites.