REST OF THE WORLD TRIUMPH IN GIANTS FUN CRICKET DAY

Ashton Goldings' Rest of the World side ran our comfortable winners in the end over Matthew English’s team at Honley on Sunday.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat on a dry track Golding led by example from the front marching out alongside Elliot Wallis to face Matthew English’s right arm (very) medium pace bowling soon dispatching the English attack into a nearby garden. The pace of Greenwood livened things up but proved problematical for the English keeper Bibby and byes and wides flowed a plenty which would later come back to haunt the English. Despite three Sam Hewitt catches the rest of the world finished on 133 from their 20 overs including a penalty for playing an ineligible player in Harvey Livett. Most batters chipped in with a few runs and the antipodean Adam Clune (21) looked useful at times when he could reach the ball to hit it. On the England side the skippers confident selection decision to go in with only 10 men backfired with a 24 run penalty for four bowlers having to bowl an further over in addition to their two allocated and despite Greenwood (1 for 2 from 3), Hewitt (1 for 9 from 3) and Halsall ( 1 for 16 from 3 ) alongside the skipper ( 0 for 7 from 3 ) showing great natural skills  and they were unable to dislodge late order batter Marlon Billy who added a vital 20 or so at the end alongside companion Livett.

The customary tug of war competition took place in the interval with around 30 keen youngsters aged 10 and under on the rope successfully downing and dragging Matthew English, Ashton Golding and even the heavier Sebastine Ikahihfo. Members of the Giants Womens Super League side took a skills session for the youngsters which also was well populated.

The English reply started disastrously losing English for 1 and Hewitt falling to a super Tui Lolohea catch first ball off a long hop. Greenwood then entered the fray and the game looked destined to be over in  less than 20 mins as a rapid fire 30 followed including a lost ball before he was skittled to scenes of great joy on one side and despair on the other. The English limped along  with Deakin (31) to the fore to the near 80 mark and with penalties due to be imposed on the Rest of the World side skipper Golding played his hand with the match winning decision to swap keepers and allow Marlon Billy (who had to date been exemplary behind the stumps conceding only 4 byes ) to bowl two overs thus reducing the penalties that would have been due as his side appeared to have only 8 men on the field. Jack Murchie was seen sitting on a bench at deep midwicket which made it nine. In the end over 20 was needed from the final over and made worse by English choosing a further 6 run penalty and sending Sam Hewitt back in the Rest of the World ran out comfortable winners. 

Man of the Match – Marlon Billy (very few byes and contributed with both bat and ball when it mattered ) 

England Side

English, Hewitt, Greenwood, D Rush, Halsall, Bibby, Bibby, McGowen, Deakin, Rushton

Rest of the World

Golding, Clune, Murchie, Lolohea, Ikahihifo, Livett, Savelio, Billy, Kelly, Wallis, K Rush

Among others present in a healthy crowd of around 200 were Ken Davy, Greg Brown, Pat Robertson Chris Hill, Hugo Salabio, Jake Connor, Oliver Russell, Leroy Cudjoe, Adam Swift , Adam Milner and Fenton Rogers 

George Flanagan and Jack Billington played for Hunslet and Dewsbury respectively. Both scored tries with Billington being named man of the match in a narrow loss versus Whitehaven.

Picture Credit - Lee Stanley (HGSA)