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Madsen makes unthinkable a reality
30/ 7/2008
THERE was a time not too long ago when to score well in excess of 200 and lose was unthinkable.
But the game has moved on apace since those days, as Rochdale proved conclusively at Redbrook on Saturday.
For, in a game dominated by the two professionals –who both made more than 150 – and from a position of seemingly total security Dale saw Unsworth, inspired by South African Wayne Madsen, score the required 258 for victory with just two balls remaining.
At last the sun shone and from the moment that Eddie Shah bowled Dominic Ayres with the third ball of Rochdale’s innings this was riveting stuff.
Rochdale have hardly been at full strength all season and further absentees in this game led to fears of them being unable to compete with one of the league’s title challengers.
Such worries were groundless though as Simon Brierley and Alcindo Holder soon repaired the early damage. Although as watchful as his captain to start with, Holder could not be restrained for long and was soon at his violent best.
Authentic and classical cricket shots were intertwined with his trademark smashes over mid wicket as he upped the tempo of the innings. The two had compiled a second wicket partnership of 99 when he lost Brierley, deceived by flighted delivery from Blake for a valuable, supportive 28.
Further assistance came from Kabir Ahmed and indeed the rest of Dale’s batting, but while he was there, Holder took centre stage. His first 50 required 68 deliveries, but once past this first landmark he stepped on the gas. His century came 43 balls later, and his third 50 needed only 25.
When it seemed certain he would break the club’s batting record – 170, set by himself two years ago – he drilled Shah straight to Simon Judge on the long off boundary. The extent of his dominant power can be gauged from the remarkable statistic that 120 of his 157 runs came in boundaries – 10 sixes and 15 fours.
Mark Butterworth ensured the innings retained some of its momentum after Holder’s departure and the home team’s challenging 257 appeared insurmountable when Unsworth’s top order were blown away to leave them foundering at 84 for six at the half way stage.
Madsen had been a passive bystander as his team-mates came and went, but at last he found more durable support in Lee Richards.
He served notice of his intent by reverse slogging Neil Avery for successive fours and now having spread the Rochdale field far and wide penetrated it almost at will with some deliciously placed shots.
The run out of Richards failed to disrupt him and even his new partner Barlow got in on the act smacking Anthony Clough into the scorebox.
And as Unsworth closed in on their target, Dale’s fielding became proportionally more ragged, missed run out opportunities and overthrows adding to their woes. Unsworth needed 27 from the last three overs then five off the last and with Madsen on strike this was now a formality. A quickly taken single to mid off sealed the victory and kept Unsworth firmly in the title race.
Dale were left wondering how the game had turned so dramatically after they had been on top for three quarters of it. They can be consoled, however, by that old adage that cricket is ‘a batter’s game’. It certainly was on Saturday.
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2. Holder was caught by STEVE Judge not Simon.
3. As already pointed out you report mentions Lee Richards but of course his name is Liam.
However apart from that it was a good report.
2. Alcinder Holder was caught by STEVE Judge
30/07/2008 at 20:10