Lancaster University’s make-shift Rounders team narrowly missed out in 27.5-26 loss. Lancaster’s team consisted mainly of Fylde’s successful Carter shield Rounders winning team and stand-in Captain from Lonsdale, Nick O’Malley.
Lancaster started strongly with the rounders flowing freely from Kieron Waterson and Nick O’Malley in particular, with Waterson picking the gaps with expert precision and O’Malley occasionally adopting the back-hand technique to avoid fielders. One moment of magic came from first baseman George Gardiner, as the York batter lofted the ball high into the air off the bowling of O’Malley, he made up fifteen yards in order to make the catch with a magnificent sprawling dive.
Lancaster led relatively comfortably after the first innings 18.5-10, with York perhaps fortunate to get to ten courtesy of a contentious decision. York’s best batter had been given out, before being reinstated by a Lancaster umpire, in spite of most on-lookers believing it to have been a fair ball and not a wide, as was given. The York batter pounced on this opportunity scoring 2.5 more rounders before his team-mates deserted him.
Lancaster struggled against a different bowler in the second innings and could only muster 7.5 rounders, courtesy of some fantastic pinch-hitting from Dani Croucher and Peter Marshall, after O’Malley had got out first ball. However, this set a mean target for York, as they would require 16 to tie, and 16.5 to take the match. York stood strong in their second innings and reached the target with relative ease to surprise the spectators after a poor showing in the first innings. York were deserved winners as they swooped to a one and half rounder win.
