South Yorkshire Times, Friday, August 26, 1932
Mitchell Main’s Recovery
Highest Score for Five Years
After losing three matches in succession Mitchell Main recovered their old form and brought off a sparkling win against Denaby. Incidentally the score of 225, at which Mitchell Main declared with five wickets down, was the highest attained by the club fur five years and, further, this win was their first “double” in Council cricket.
The outstanding performers for Mitchell were Colin Kilner (picture), who made 91 and Maurice Dakin, a young player who contributed 76.
Dakin who is a native of Wombwell is studying for the teaching profession and only recently came out of college. He has played in Yorkshire Council cricket only once previously—for Mitchell Main against Hickleton.
Mitchell Main batted first on a wicket that had been saturated by a “Scotch mist,” and though the pitch was fairly firm on the surface, the bat was difficult to handle. Senior and Gillespie opened for Mitchell and Kilner went in third wicket down. The change seemed to suit him for he settled down immediately. Robinson bowled him when he had made 91, including eighteen fours. He had previously walked from the wicket in anticipation of Springthorpe taking him in the long field but the catch was missed, though Robinson got Kilner with the next delivery. He had batted 75 minutes, scoring mostly on the leg side.
No less attractive was the display of Dakin who partnered him for a long spell. Dakin was at the wicket 91 minutes for 76, and hit ten fours and one three
Denaby only just lopped the hundred despite a gallant effort by Robinson to stop the rot. His was a good defensive innings which included only five fours. He faced the bowlers for one hour and 45 minutes, practically the extent of the Denaby innings. Broadhead had two spells with the ball, first getting one wicket for 17 runs in six overs, and returning later to lake five wickets for 6 runs in five overs. His final figures were 6 for 21. Mitchell’s Main fielding was excellent throughout.
Scores:—
Mitchells Main: J Senior c and b Robinson 10 , S Gillespie c Probert b Robinson 1, CV Utting b Springthorpe 25, ML Dakin Criddle 76, C Kilner b Robinson 91, F Copeland not out 2, extras 20; total (for five wickets declared), 225
Denaby: J Wright b Broadhead 2, E Robinson b Broadhead 45, R Probert run out 31. W Criddle c and b Dimmock 4, J Allen b Broadhead 17, R Pattison c Senior b Evans 3, N Hammond lbw b Broadhead 0, A Springthorpe b Broadhead 0, J Smith c and b Broadhead 0, J Jeffcote c and b Evans 2, S Wild not out 0, extras 5; Total 116
Hickleton’s Gallant Effort
Splendid Reply to Big Total
Hickleton were defeated by Firbeck, who gave them a heavy day in the field on Saturday.
Firbeck’s crack batsman, J. H. Hutchinson, the former Derbyshire player, scored a century and completed his 1000 runs in Council cricket during the match and altogether proved the master of the Hickleton attack, being undefeated with 141 to his credit when Firbeck declared at 256 for 4 wickets. Alban Turner, Cyril Probert and Silverwood each took a wicket, the other Firbeck batsmen being run out.
In spite of the formidable total which they had to face Hickleton were not content to play merely for a draw and went for the runs gallantly, Turner made a great effort for his side and in scoring 70 readied the boundary ten times, three of his hits cleared the boundary for six. The Hickleton captain received plucky support from Riley. A. Senior and Reg. Probert and Hickleton were only 20 runs behind their opponents’ total when the last wicket fell.
Scores:—
Firbeck: A Rose c H Senior b Turner 24, W Larke b C Probert 15, J. Hutchinson not out 141, C Hare c Turner b Silverwood 3. J Wheatley run out 46, W Alletson not out 6, extras 21; total (for 4 wickets, declared), 256.
Hickleton: A Turner c Jackson b Hutchinson 70. W Fawden b Williamson 9. C Overton c Le Brun b Hare 8, M Silverwood b Hare 6, C Probert c Williamson b Hart 0, A Riley b Hutchinson 20, A Senior lbw Hutchinson 21. J Sanderson c Larke b Hutchinson 15, C Probert b Hare 34, 11 Senior not out 17, J Stansfield c Williamson b Hutchinson 6, extras 18; total 227.
Rain Intervenes at Loundside
Weather spoilt what must have been a good game at Lound Side, where Swinton were the visitors. Thorncliffe scored slowly at first, but Smith began scoring from every ball and soon put the 100 up. Cooper and Smith put on 46, but with Cooper out two wickets fell for 11 runs. Smith and Stevenson had put on 66 when Price beat Stevenson and the innings was declared, Smith being unbeaten with 85. Jackson, for Swinton, took 4 for 52.
Heaton and Price took heavy toll of the Thorncliffe bowling, but with the total at 147 for four rain brought the match to a close.
Scores:—
Thorncliffe J Rates b Cutts 43, R Taylor lbw b Jackson 31, C Smith not out 45, W Cooper b Jackson 26, J Bateman b Jackson 7, H Adams c Cutts b Jackson 0, E Stevenson b Price22, extras 14; total (for 6 wickets, declared), 228.
Swinton: C Heaton not out 73, R Denton b Adams 16, D Willoughby c Bates b Adams 17,G Price b Jones 35, L Machin lbw , b Jones 0, C Cutts not out 1, extras 5; total (for 4 wickets). 117.
A Famous Victory
Sheffield United Fall at Mexboro’
Mexboro’s last home match in the Yorkshire Council brought the season to a joyful close for the home crowd, resulting in the defeat of the redoubtable Sheffield United side which included no less a person than , Wilfred nodes. It was not only the fact that victory was secured at the expense of the Sheffield team which moved the Mexboro’ supporters to such enthusiastic applause at the end of the game. The close finish roused all to a feverish pitch of excitement and nothing better could have been done for the, good name of cricket locally than for one side to snatch a win after their last man had gone in with eleven runs still to be scored.
If cricket were always as exciting as Saturday’s match most of the benches round the Mexhoro’ ground would have been more often full than empty this season. Apart from the magnetic presence of Rhodes, who, by the way found himself very popular with the crowd and was applauded on the slightest excuse, the game was intensely interesting from start to finish.
The first three Sheffield batsmen, Bedford, Spicer and Turner were back in the pavilion with only 29 runs on the heard. Medford and Turner having played on to White and Day respectively, while Scarcliffe, fielding substitute, made a splendid catch to dismiss Spicer. Rhodes after scoring four, edged a going away ball from White into Ambler’s hand, this being the third wicket to fall in three balls. Day had Turner and Bottomley with the last two balls of his sixth over, and Rhodes fell to the second ball of the next over. With five men out for 31 things looked very bad for Sheffield, but Gill and Rawlin pulled the game round and the sixth wicket fell with the total at 70. Gill stayed a little longer before being clean bowled by White, his 35 including seven fours. The seventh wicket fell at 99 and the last two men went with the addition of only nine runs, leaving White with 6 wickets for 35 and Day with 3 for 39. The other wicket fell to Chadwick.
Mexborough’s innings opened badly with the dismissal of van Firth at 8. Rawlin, who was howling very fast, was the howler and he also clean bowled Ambler when the Mexborough player had only made 3. David Brown and Broadhead fell victims to Turner who got the ball to come sharply off the pitch on occasions and had them both taken behind the wicket. Broadhead scored quite freely while at the wicket and so long as he remained there seemed a good chance of Mexborough winning. Wickets fell steadily, however, after this dismissal, Goulder, the Sheffield “googly” bowler doing most of the damage, and though Rob White seemed quite set at one end he could get no one to stay with him for long. Field was run out with the total at 98, and Reg. Day joined White with Mexborough requiring 11 runs to win.
Gradually the Mexborough total mounted, until a single by White brought the scores level, and left Day to face Rhodes for the first time. The Mexborough man did not keep the crowd long in suspense, however, but hit the famous bowler’s second hall to the boundary to win the match. White, who followed up bowling feat by batting over an hour for 37 not out, was the hero of the match and but for his sound batting Mexborough’s total would probably have fallen considerably short of the 100 mark. He never gave a chance while at the wicket and showed admirable judgment in selecting the right balls to hit. Boulder’s 3 for 22 was the best bowling performance for Sheffield. Rhodes bowled 12 overs, three of which were maidens and took 1 for 21.
Scores:—
Sheffield United: L N Bedford b White 6, W Spicer c sub h White 11. H C Turner b Day 5, W Rhodes c Ambler b White 4,T Bottomley c Bamforth b Day 0. B Gill b White 35, A Rawlin c Bamforth b Day 24, G A Buckley c Brown b White 7, G Handley c and b Chadwick 1, A Goulder b White 5, C Scarcliffe not out 1, extras 9: total 108.
Mexborough: J Bamforth b Rawlin 6, D Brown c Scarcliffe b Turner 13, T Ambler b Rawlin 3. W B Broadhead c Scarcliffe b Turner 22, R White not out 37, L Williams hit wkt b Goulder 5, C Machin c Bottomley b Goulder 5, R Smith c Boulder b Rhodes 5. N Chadwick c Turner b Boulder 3, T Field run out 3, R Day not out 8, extras 2; total (for 9 wkts.),112