A Calverhall promise kept. A prediction realised. A Foxes target missed!
On a glorious Saturday afternoon bathed in sunshine, Calverhall Cricket Club put on a dazzling display of determination, style, and firepower as they hosted Forton in a thrilling clash that will long be remembered for its spirited batting performances.
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Batting first, Calverhall wasted no time in setting the tone. The Wicket Whisperer (a.k.a Ian Millard) opened with energy, steering the side into early momentum, with Simon Paker, who lit up the innings with a truly commanding knock.
Parker's masterful 47 was filled with clean striking and mature shot selection, anchoring the innings while the scoreboard ticked confidently along with The Foxes on 118 for 1.
Expertly rotating the strike, running quick singles and punishing loose deliveries, Chris Rowe and Toby (No 3) Cantwell contributed brisk cameos, ensuring that Calverhall’s tempo never dropped. The innings was a true team effort, with useful contributions all the way down the order to leave The Foxes on 198 for 3 when The Wicket Whisperer, nearing exhaustion, missed a six and was bowled for a wonderful and commanding 113 – a promise kept.
It was then down to the “overseas pros” to get to the targeted 300 runs, including an eye-catching flurry of runs from Emran Uz Zaman, who struck a quick-fire 47 not out, whilst Flashman flashed around for 5! Together, their unbeaten partnership added 50 runs, laying a solid foundation, as The Foxes' batting navigated the Forton bowling attack with poise and power.
Calverhall ended with a formidable 261 for 4 from 40 overs, a total fuelled by smart partnerships, aggressive intent, and a healthy dose of cricketing flair. Extras too chipped in with a generous 31, a reflection of the pressure Calverhall’s batters put on Forton’s bowlers throughout the innings.
Under the sunny Shropshire sky, the crowd was treated to a performance that blended passion with precision. Saturday’s sunshine may have been glorious, but it had serious competition from The Wicket Whisperer himself, who entertained the sun-kissed Calverhall crowd with a symphony of sweet strokes, booming boundaries, and pure batting mayhem!
In what can only be described as a love letter to the boundary rope, the Whisperer lit up the outfield with 4 thunderous sixes and a barely believable 14 crisp fours, en route to his maiden century — a rollicking 113 runs that left Forton’s bowlers questioning their life choices.
At one point, it wasn’t clear what was louder — the crack of leather on willow or the oohs and aahs from the deck-chair faithful. Rumour has it a passing pigeon filed a complaint after nearly being clipped by a particularly spicy maximum.
It wasn’t just batting — it was performance art. A mix of elegance and ego, with just a hint of mischief. And as the scoreboard ticked past triple figures, the Whisperer simply raised his bat, nodded ever so slightly… and rumour has it whispered something like:
"Told you I could bat..."
After another wonderful cricketing tea, put together in The Foxes Clubhouse whilst Calverhall scored their 261, you’d be forgiven for thinking The Foxes of Calverhall were poised to cruise to a sunny Saturday victory. But alas, cricket can be a cruel, unpredictable beast — and the debate on whether 300 was needed over the scones, sandwiches, and rocky road tea played out, horribly.
