Week 8 Review - Top Two Just Keep Winning

Division One – Results – Saturday 13 June 2009

The top two in the FBC Manby Bowdler cricket league just can’t stop winning. Both Trysull & Seisdon and Worfield have won all the games that they have played this season, ignoring last week’s washout. The fixtures between the two are now eagerly awaited, the first one at Worfield in three weeks time, and the return fixture on the final day of the season, a minor triumph in planning for the League’s fixture secretary.

On Saturday, Trysull & Seisdon set a new club record with their seventh consecutive league win by beating Ellesmere by 3 wickets. Ellesmere, weakened by the absence of Richard Edwards and also by the defection of Scott Parry to Whitchurch, nevertheless elected to bat first. Although they progressed to 52 for the loss of just two wickets, they lost their last 8 wickets for only 46, to be bowled out for only 98 in the 33rd over. Curtis Fourie provided the greatest resistance with 34, while Paul Mochan made a run-a-ball 20. In-form Aussie, Andrew Newman continued his fine season with 5 for 39 from 16 overs while Jonathan Edwards picked up 2 for 23. On a pitch described by Trysull themselves as ‘interesting’, a comfortable victory appeared to be assured while Shamin Eceolaza and Lee Nightingale were at the crease. They scored 35 and 33 respectively, but their dismissals led to a minor collapse, as Trysull limped over the line, 7 wickets down, in the 17th over. For Ellesmere, Fourie and Laurence Ashley each took 3 wickets.

Meanwhile, Worfield closed the gap at the top of the table by virtue of their 24 point win at Wroxeter & Uppington by batting first, not that it was necessarily their choice. Tom Pickerill (20) and Simon Aucott (31) gave the innings a good start, continued by Manny Singh (72), Gareth Lanchbury (48) and James Parker (23 not out). The Worfield 50 over total therefore came to 248 for 8, with Jeremy Wood and Henry Dawson both taking 2 wickets. The Wroxeter reply failed to ignite. They were pegged back from the start, and were then swept away by first and second change bowlers, Brett Oliver – 4 for 20 – and Tim Beardmore – 3 for 6 from 7 overs. Despite a late flurry of 30 runs from number 9 batsman, Richie Evason, Wroxeter were bowled out in the 41st over for 109.

Nearest challengers, Alberbury, lost further ground and third slot, when they lost by 4 wickets at Montgomery. Asked to bat first, Alberbury relied heavily on Mark Jones, 39, and Extras, 38, out of their total of 136 in 44.3 overs. Neil Tuffin and Rob Yewdall, with two wickets apiece accounted for the early wickets, while the evergreen Jonathan Williams – 4 for 24, all clean bowled – together with two run outs mopped up the rest of the innings. Monty lost Rob Kinsey straight away, one of two victims for Neil Savage. However, Aaron Ruff-Cock anchored the innings with an unbeaten 75, and the home side passed their target in the 32nd over, despite three late wickets for Grant McKay.

As a result of that win, Monty take over third place from Alberbury, while Frankton move into fourth position by beating Pontesbury by 9 wickets at the Sports Ground. Rich Parry Jones bowled superbly to take 4 for 36, while Tom Wilkie’s leg breaks gave him a 3 for 13 return as Pontesbury were hustled out for exactly 100 in the 31st over. Opener Tim Barber scored 27, and Toby Ward 22, but on a blameless wicket Pontesbury would have known that their chances of defending such a total were slim. And so it proved - Shaun Davis attacked the bowling to finish on 70 not out as the Pontesbury score was overtaken in the 18th over.

Cound had a similar win at Market Drayton. Having invited Drayton to bat first, the home team were bowled out for 106. Cound in reply lost 6 wickets before the winning runs were hit.

A weakened Lilleshall team were no match for Llanidloes in a long unsuccessful journey to the principality. Invited to bat first, Llani notched up 223 for 6 in their 45 overs, with Andrew Evans scoring 42 and no less than three batsman scoring 40, Adrian Foulkes, Simon Jones, and the undefeated Marc Hughes. Chris Airey, Simon Millington and Rob Bagshaw shared the six wickets to fall between them. The Lilleshall reply started badly; the top four batsmen scored just 17 between them, and despite middle order resistance from Airey (38) and Andy Holding (24), Simon Jones ripped through the batting with 5 for 35 from 14 hostile overs. Lilleshall eventually capitulated in the 42nd over for 110, Foulkes finishing proceedings with 2 for 30, while R Davies claimed 2 for 22.

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