The Knights took to the field in a huge top-of-the-table clash at Church Eaton, with Forton arriving as league leaders and the home side looking to keep their unbeaten run alive.

Despite official Church Eaton weather reporter Burs calling the game off at roughly 7:40am after seeing one cloud over Newport, the match somehow survived, the sun appeared, and the Knights took to the field.

Archie Wilkes and Rob Hogarth opened the bowling, with the main question on everyone’s mind being simple: would Hoggie get his 4th over?
The answer was yes — meaning he is no longer retiring to Spain in protest and is officially available again next week.

Both bowled superbly. Archie did what Archie does, taking 3 wickets for 22, while Hoggie bowled a tidy spell and picked up one of his own. At 31-4, Forton were in trouble, and if you’d offered us that at the start of the evening, we’d have taken your hand off.

Ollie Rowlands then came on for his Knights bowling debut and looked right at home, bowling economically and picking up a well-deserved wicket with a short ball to remove Gill who was caught superbly by Burslem right on the rope. Skipper West joined in too, taking a wicket himself and, if he says so himself, producing a spectacular run out. No twos on Burs’ arm this time — although Westy may still be claiming partial copyright on it.

The fielding had a bit of everything. Burs set the standard with aome super ground fielding, a run out & took a tough catch right on the boundary, somehow managing to grab it while airborne, which he will no doubt mention at least 14 times before next Tuesday. Mike Holdcroft also produced one of the great fielding highlights of the night, performing what can only be described as a full-body barrel roll before letting a couple of slow ones sneak through the hole in his stomach. A brave effort. Not necessarily effective, but brave.

Then came the spin twins — Burs and Harvey Sidwell. Both kept things tight, both picked up a wicket, and Forton never really got going. James Churchill and Rob Austin also combined for a sharp run out as the visitors eventually limped to 88 all out.

Surely a simple chase then?

Of course not. This is Church Eaton.

Harvey will say Mikey ran him out. Mikey will say Harvey ran himself out. The scorebook says run out. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, but either way Harv trudged off and the village cricket gods had claimed their first victim.

Mikey then got triggered LBW after the third appeal in as many balls after a couple of hefty blows to the boundary.

Sam Whitehouse, back in the side for his first innings in around 12 months, then produced exactly the sort of knock the chase needed. In the words of Hoggie:
“Sam has crafted a wonderful innings. If Forton don’t congratulate him, it’s disgusting.”

And to be fair, 25 not out in your first knock back is more than acceptable. The scorecard is all that matters.

However, there was drama. Sam, having recently sent two of his own bats away for repair, borrowed Ollie Rowlands’ brand-new named Newbery. Eight balls later… crack. Straight across the grain. Bat gone. Ollie emotionally damaged. Sam sheepish. The club now formally calls upon Newbery Cricket to assist in this tragic village cricket emergency and help get Ollie swinging again.

Burslem joined Sam and looked comfortable before deciding the side of the bat was a better option than the face, missing a straight one and heading back.

Then came the real hero of the chase — James Churchill. Wearing George Burslem’s famous number 9 muscle fit shirt, although not quite filling it in the same way, Churchy walked out and decided he had somewhere else to be. Four BIG sixes later, he finished unbeaten on 29 from 17 balls, earning himself the nickname only fot for a T20 king. Chris Payle & sending Forton packing and Church Eaton to the top of the table.

Final score:
Forton CC – 88 all out
Church Eaton Knights – 90/4

Church Eaton won by 6 wickets.

That makes it 4 wins from 4 for the Knights, and we now sit top of the East Shropshire Mid-Week League Division 1.

The Church supporters were buzzing, the bar was flowing, the bat was broken, and the Knights march on.

Next up: Priorslee at home next Tuesday.
Come down, support the lads, support the club, and let’s see if we can keep this run going.