Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 29 May 1931
Thriller at Denaby.
What a contrast to Saturday! Monday was as perfect from the cricket point of view as Saturday was hopeless, and the players responded to the brightness of the weather.
Eric Brook’s fine innings at York was the best performance of the day and he treated the York crowd to a display of hitting such as they had not seen for many a day. His 109 not out was obtained in just over an hour and included tan sixes and six fours.
At Doncaster, Wath reversed their earlier defeat at the hands of the Doncaster side by beating them handsomely with eight wickets to thanks to some good bowling by Pearce and Stancey.
At Denaby the home team were beaten by the last hit of the match.
Doncaster Defeated
Wath Turn The Tables.
Doncaster 76 Wath 82 for 2
Wath got their own back and avenged their defeat at the hands of Doncaster earlier in the season by scoring a very convincing win on the Town Fields on Monday by 8 wickets. The two Wath bowlers, Pearce and Stancey took most of the credit for the win in that they took most of the Doncaster wickets between them, the termer taking 6 for 26 and the latter 3 for 15. Doncaster went in first but the wicket was dead and not ideal for run getting and the Wath attack soon had the lame batsmen fighting an uphill battle. The Wath fielders gave nothing away and the fielding became keener as the attack gradually assume the upper hand. Only Wells and Hart for Doncaster reached double figures each scoring 13, but Fletcher stayed in for an hour though only scoring six. Wath fours home the advantage their strong howling end fielding had given them and Senior (39 not out) and Ellis (21 not out) knocked off the runs with assistance from Potts, Tommy Hargreaves being out for 3.
Last Ball Decides.
Denaby Lose On The Post.
Denaby 131 Pilkington 136 for 9
There was an exciting finish at Tickhill on Monday, where Jennings scored the winning hit for Pilkington’s with the last hall of the game. Greenwood was run out without scoring for Denaby, but Robinson and Clarkson played their best innings since joining the club and in the end respectable total of 131 was reached. Staves took five of the Denaby wickets at low cost. When Pilkington’s went in to bat their early batsmen were never comfortable against Wild and Jeffcott. Denaby appeared to be certain to gain an easy victory when seven wickets wore down before half the total had been compiled but Thompson and Jennings batted excellently as the ninth wicket pair.
They were separated when a few runs were still needed. Thompson been run out. Orford joined Jennings and the latter won the game for Pilkington’s. Wild took five for 33.
A Close Call
Mexborough Stave off Defeat
Sheffield United 221 for 4 Mexborough 95 for 8
The weather and some stubborn batting enable Mexborough to draw Sheffield United, at Sheffield, on Tuesday.
United had first knock and soon mastered the Mexborough attack, declaring the total at 221 for 4 wickets. Beckford and Kilner were the opening batsmen, but neither of them did great things, their wickets being claimed by White and Bowman when each had scored five. However big innings by Gill, who made 79, and Bottomley and Bentley, who were both unbeaten at the declaration having scored 75 and 43 respectively, put Sheffield in a strong position.
Mexborough lost their first six wickets for 28 runs. Wills Broadhead being clean bowled by Goulder before he had scored. Great hearted batting by G Williams (31 not out) and a W car, coupled with stoppages owing to rain, enable Mexborough to survive defeat. The game was stopped with the score at 40 246, and finally with the score at 93 for eight. Elms and Goulder bowled best for Sheffield, taking five for 26 and three for 30 respectively
Swinton Tour
Brook and Jackson
Moral Victory at York
Swinton 209 for 6 York 102 for 8
Swinton’s fourth annual Whitsuntide visit to Scarborough and York brought them a draw in the first two matches, at York on Monday but with the honours heavily on their side.
Although there was no decisive result to the match the game will be recorded the most memorable one played on the York ground. On a sudden wicket and dead slow outfield Eric Brook played his best innings to date for Swinton. He went on when the side were “scratching” around in a manner which suggested that the wicket had vices not apparent on the surface, and the bowling had merit which the ardent followers of York would, it seemed, be the last to attribute to it. Swinton were well behind the clock in a match in which theoretically the base of the scoring was a prime element, when Heaton fell at 48. Brook completely changed the course of the game. After an hour and ½, against off changed bowling and industrious fielding, Swinton for the first time touched the run a minute rate. Then after they never looked back. Brook passed his half-century in 25 minutes and, went on to complete the century just before Swinton’s share of the batting time expired. He was at the wicket 65 minutes for his 19 runs, and without hitting was quite its fullest power. 10 of his hits were sixes – one not sent the ball clean over the housetops on the leg side, and another six was got over points head! – And there were six fours. It was a great is that seemed to leave a big bank holiday crowd almost called to the end, when they rushed to the pavilion to give him a hearty ovation.
Swinton then gave their best fielding display this season and the bowlers, on a wicket which could not be said to “suit “any of them particularly, deserve much better fortune than they got. The other “star” of the match with Brooke was Ernest Jackson, who was brought into the side because Platt could not be released from police duty. His final analysis was five wickets for nine runs.