Charlton Lamb (1936-2013) Memorial Match
 

MATCH 33 NOMADS CC v Gateshead Fell CC Eastwood Gardens
Low Fell Gateshead Tyne and Wear Durham NE9 5UB 2.00pm Sunday July 14th 2013-40/40,8 overs max per bowler

 Jeremy Lascelles & Tom Brockton inspect the pitch

Result:  Nomads won by 9 runs
Toss:    Nomads
Umpire:  P Parkson & Several
Scorer:  Nathan Forster & Others
Debut(s):JM Lamb,S Davenport, Nathan Forster.

NOMADS CC Innings
J Lascelles+ c ?    b Smith   32
NG Lamb      bowled   Elliott 13
W Johnson    bowled   Trotter 25
T Brockton*  bowled   Parkson 62
S Davenport  c ?    b Parkson 22
A Smith      bowled   Parkson  9
N Cowley     bowled   Parkson  0
ME Blumberg  not out           0
Extras      (b4,lb0,w5,nb0)    9
TOTAL    (7 wickets,40 overs)173
Dnb:JM Lamb,Nathan Frster,AN Missing

Fow:1-27,2-59,3-100,4-135,5-150,6-160,7-172.

Bowling-Steele 8 2 29 0,Lockey 2 1 1 0,Trotter 5 1 27 1,Elliott 4 0 20 1,Arkle 6 1 15 0,Smith 5 0 29 1,Elliott 4 0 19 0,Parkson 6 0 12 4.

GATESHEAD FELL CC Innings
J Pinkley   c Lascelles b Cowley      2
J Davenport bowled        Cowley     15
M Smith     bowled        Johnson    15
M Lockey    c Johnson   b Cowley     13
M Elliott   c Sub       b Smith      19
R Steele    c N Lamb    b Smith      34
R Smith     not out                  29
I Parkson   lbw         b Brockton    7
C Elliott   c Johnson   b Brockton    2
A Trotter   run out(Johnson/Brockton) 9
J Arkle     bowled        Brockton    4
Extras     (b3,lb7,w3,nb0)           13
TOTAL      (All out,30 overs)       164

Fow:1-29,2-29,3-48,4-49,5-97,6-114,7-135,8-145,9-150,10-164.

Bowling-Cowley 8 0 62 3,Johnson 8 0 32 1,Brockton 8 0 32 3,A Smith 6 0 30 0.

 

Charlton would have been amused 

Nomads (& Gaieties cricketer Nick Cowley) travelled to the impressive ground of Gateshead Fell CC on Sunday to play the Charlton Lamb memorial match against his original club. Charlton had played at Gateshead Fell until 1969, scoring many a hundred for the North East based club as well as setting the record for the most runs scored in the League.

Nomads won the toss and elected to bat on what looked to be a decent wicket, and lightning fast outfield. Unfortunately we were a couple short, Roger Davidson had sustained a nasty finger injury and Michael Thewlis was injured the day before. Sajjad Shawl was no where to be found. Gateshead generously gave us a “guest” in the shape of their fixture secretary who was a fine batsman and Charlton Lamb's brother John also joined us.

Jeremy Lascelles opened with Charlton’s son Nathan and the pair looked to get Nomads off to a brisk start. Unfortunately Lamb was bowled neck and crop for 13 and ex-Durham County cricketer Bill Johnson went in at no3. He and Lascelles pushed the scoring rate along until Lascelles was dismissed when looking well set. 

Skipper Brockton joined Johnson and immediately found his touch and with Johnson looking in supreme command at the other end Nomads looked well placed with 15 overs of the 40 remaining. The wicket was taking some considerable turn so unsurprisingly Gateshead employed mainly “tweakers”. Their left arm spinner bowled impressively and he controversially dismissed Johnson with a full ball that looked to cannon onto the stumps via the keepers pads. Unfortunately the umpire did not agree and Johnson was on his way. 

Gateshead’s fixture secretary joined Brockton and clearly the home players were keen to dismiss one of their own but the pair progressed the score to 150 before the fixture sec was dismissed cracking a drive off the meat of the bat, unfortunately straight to mid off. Andrew Smith and Brockton swung gamefully for the final few overs, Brockton passed 50 with a square drive for 4 but was then bowled in the final over for 62 attempting an audacious sweep over deep mid wicket. Unfortunately the one member of the Gaieties in the side, Nick Cowley got a golden globe offering no shot and having his off-stump pegged back.

The home side generously chose not to run out President Blumberg when Andrew Smith called him through for a rather tight single so taking the strike but the bowler had good reason for his generosity he then bowled Andrew Smith, so Nomads closed on 173-7 from 40 overs. Certainly an under-par score on such a good wicket, and fast outfield.

A sumptuous tea was provided by Gateshead Fell CC and Nomads tucked in buoyed by the lovely warm weather. Nick Cowley and Bill Johnson took the new ball for the Nomads, and Cowley was quickly into his stride tempting the tubby Gateshead wicket keeper into a drive that Jeremy Lascelles snaffled with glee behind the sticks. In the first 10 overs Nomads took a further 2 wickets, both courtesy of Cowley but the home side were rocketing along at quite a rate. Bill Johnson picked up an important scalp as he cleaned up the impressive looking Gateshead no3 and after 16 overs Gateshead were 80-4. Gateshead's batsmen certainly adopted a cavalier and entertaining approach to chasing down the target.

Brockton and Smith replaced the two openers and although Johnson dropped a tricky chance at mid-off the fielding was generally of a high standard. President Blumberg was throwing himself around and cut off several certain boundaries. The game changer was supplied fittingly by Nathan Lamb who ran 30 yards to dive full length and give Andrew Smith his first wicket of the day. Smith then took a further scalp as the home side began to loose momentum. Brockton trapped the dangerous Gateshead batsman LBW (given out by his father who was the appointed umpire for the day) and Johnson took a safe catch at mid-off.

With 9 runs needed, but 10 overs remaining Brockton supplied the coup de grasse by clean bowling the Gateshead no11 to win the match by a narrow margin. This was certainly snatching a victory from the jaws of defeat and timely as Nomads/Gaieties had no fifth bowler with Sajjad absent.

Plenty of ale was consumed back in the club house together with an excellent supper, a perfect end to what had been a fitting tribute to GC Lamb.

Thank to our opposition, Charlton’s family and friends and Gateshead Fell CC for a very special day.

On Saturday 13th July 2013 at 10.30 am there was held a Memorial Service at The United Reform Church, Denewell Avenue, Low Fell, Gateshead. NE9 5HD at which Nomads President Michael Blumberg spoke as did Gaieties CC Chairman Roger Davidson. Nicholas Cowley who has played for both clubs but much more for Gaieties also attended the service as did members of Charlton's family and  many former contemporaries of Charlton from School, Cricket and Badminton including a large number of ladies.