Report and photos by Peter Rogan

Sunday saw Ormskirk CC play Furness in the National Cup Knockout, progressing through to the National Quarter Finals.

On a small compact ground in front of a large home contingent of support, Furness won the toss and elected to bat.

They started well with their openers making a stand of 74 runs before Ian Robinson came into the attack to claim the first wicket. From then on it was a steady batting performance that took them to total 181 runs for the loss of nine wickets.

All five Ormskirk bowlers did well but the best performance was that of Ian Robinson who took 3-45. In support of the bowling, the fielding was outstanding with five wickets being claimed by catches and two by run outs.

Ormskirk had done well to contain the score to 181 in the knowledge that such a total was well within reach of their strong batting line up. On the other hand the Furness supporters were upbeat in so much as they felt their main strength was in the depth of their bowling line up.

With a scoring rate of just over four an over required there was a need to push things along quickly and Andy Baybutt and Michael Jones added 54 runs before they were separated when Andy (25) went to a well taken catch. Very shortly after that Michael (22) was bowled, leaving the score on 58-2 and two new batsmen, Ian Robinson and George Lavelle at the crease. When the score reached 111 George (32) was given out lbw and with only two more runs added Ian (22) was bowled.

The two new batsmen Gary Knight and Matt Glayzer found themselves having to steady the ship against a “cock a hoop’ bowling attack, fired on by a vociferous crowd. As they bedded in, the required run rate increased and, in attempt to move it on, Matt (11) was caught on the boundary. The loss of Matt’s wicket made the home support even louder as they scented victory.

Young Alex Rankin entered to join Gary into a situation that was becoming more like a roman gladiatorial arena as each ball was bowled. He had a lot to contend with but refused to be intimidated albeit that he was actually booed by a small section of the crowd as he walked in to take his place at the crease.

The required over rate increased to wanting over eight runs an over with less than 10 overs to play. In a mid-over conference Gary and Alex obviously decided that attack was the only way forward and in the single over that followed the whole complexion of the game changed. In that over 19 runs were hit, which included two sixes from Alex who was now revelling in the situation. Gary (33) and Alex (26) had silenced the crowd into something now more resembling the atmosphere of a ‘Funeral Parlour’ that a ‘Roman Amphitheatre’.

Against the run of the tide the game was turned on its head and what had seemed to be a lost cause was reversed into a victory by a margin of five wickets with overs to spare.

One thing learned from his match, and several other matches this season was that being a supporter of OCC is not for those of a nervous disposition! Victory takes the team into the Quarter Finals with a long trek to Newcastle in July to play South Northumberland.