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"Cricket is simply the most catholic, and deepest, the most innocent, kindly and manly of popular pleasures. It is a liberal education in itself, and demands temper and justice and perseverance. Thereis more teaching in the playground than the schoolroom, and a lesson betterworth learning very often. For there can be no good or enjoyable cricket without enthusiasm - without sentiment, one may almost say; a quality that enriches life and refines it, gives it what life more and more is apt to lose, zest"
(With thanks to Sir James Barrie)
This reporter believes these words best sum up the reasons for PHCC's recent double win - despite the despair of defeat they came back as keen as ever for the game and found the reward of 2 victories.
The story could have been so different as the morning of Stocksfield away, the team only totalled 8 men. Shakespeare said that fortune brings in some boats that are not steered and so it was with the trialists Atwell and Beall both of whom were to make significant contributions. Bowling first, PHCC restricted Stocksfield to 109, with fine bowling from Reader, Donaldson and Beall taking 4 - 22. In reply Atwell, a dispensing optician by day, put in a commanding performance dispensing boundaries a plenty with an imperious 92*. Well played all.
With the momentum PHCC strode out onto home soil against Barbarians a week later. With skipper Dawson watching in the wings, PHCC totalled a fine 162, with Jackson impressive in his innings of 59*. Welcome back too, Dave Pearce - your presence has been missed. Bowling and fielding very well indeed, PHCC restricted Barbarians to 77 with Donaldson the pick of the bowlers in taking 4 wickets for 9 runs. Catches were taken, runs saved and dives a plenty, clearly the inluence of skipper Dawson cannot be undersetimated even when not in whites !!
Players:Hearn, Reader, Reader, Donaldson, Crowe, Gardiner, Tipping, Atwell, Beall, Pearce, Jackson, Bandeen.
Next week PHCC are in action away at Boldon.
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