Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 22 May 1931
100 An Hour!
Another Palpitating Finish at Swinton.
Denaby and Cadeby 209 for 6 Swinton 202 for 8
Missed catches cost Swinton their home match with Denaby, but they made amends for their unusual fielding errors by a splendid effort to score 210 runs in 135 minutes, which just failed.
Denaby’s opening pair got going in earnest and the score-board reported 131 runs got before Swinton’s formidable attack made a breach and that was after all the regular bowlers had failed and Eric Brook had been given his chance with the ball. He split the opening partnership and completely changed the face of the situation by sending back Tibbles, Carlin and Wright with five deliveries.
The feature of the Denaby innings was a characteristic effort by Tibbles (picture), who provided the prettiest batting of the day and offered no chances — except that he got the benefit of the doubt on a very confident appeal for a catch behind the wicket in the first over of the day. Greenwood was much less confident and he was missed at 16 (in the slips), at 21 (point), and at 52. Swinton were surprisingly unsure in the field and almost the whole team seemed infected by the epidemic of mistakes. It was far below Swinton’s standard of fieldwork, and the bowlers had an unlucky time, It was not their fault that the task in the second innings was such a formidable one, for they bowled well enough to deserve much more success than they got. Brook returned the only figures of note: 3 for 29.
Swinton’ impetuosity was curbed for a while when Denton fell early and for a spell there did not appear to be much prospect of a race for the runs. But after the edge bad been taken off the bowling by Heaton and Dodd, the later batsmen went gaily for the runs and the affair became keenly exciting. Brook’s effort with the bat was cut short in the nick of time by Jeffcott, for another over at the rate he was going would have given Swinton victory with a margin of time to spare. He hit three consecutive balls for six, one landing against the far hedge in adjoining field. His 40 occupied less than quarter of an hour. Price again batted well and bit with his customary power. While he stayed the odds were on Swinton. With his departure chief hopes were vested in Machin, who also rose to the occasion and hit well. Wild got Hart’s wicket with the last ball of the last over but one and Platt arrived to take the bowling. But he hit well over the first ball he received and the game was over.
The spectators were left to discuss how many eventualities would have brought Swinton victory; but it was a glorious effort for all that, and cricket of the type that will in time rekindle the old enthusiasm.
One of the thrills of the game was the remarkable one-handed catch of a hard, going-away ball with which Heaton sent back Wright.
Chief Scores:
Denaby
E Tibbles 68, I Greenwood 64, E Wainwright 31*
Swinton
C Heaton 30, E Brook 40, G Price 36