Sport Defeat for seconds as conditions ease
Goole Town 2nd XI 141-7,
Londesborough Park 2nd XI 145-6
After the recent damp, cold weather a sunny start greeted the opening game of the season at Westfield on Saturday, where in the new look Division 5A, visitors Londesborough Park took advantage of improving conditions to net victory.
A low, slow track saw Goole seconds have first use and they found runs hard to come by against useful seam bowling, the ball important to be placed in the right areas.
Eddie Oliver and Neil Webster formed the opening partnership, the latter falling for seven to the accurate Moody when the score was 16.
Much is expected of Jake Mahoney in 2008, but his 15-ball stay ended for just a single as he was dismissed in similar circumstances to Webster.
Oliver was forever watchful and made a patient 30 in 27 overs, losing Andy Rodgers for eight with the score at 47 before he eventually fell with the score on 71.
Steve Foster and Barry Clements used their vast experience to add 40, with both reaching the 20s before they were out in similar fashion to Cooper.
Runs were never easy, but young Ben Earl with 14 took the score to a respectable 141-7 as Cooper 3-24 and Moody (2-37) and Richard Salmon, eldest son of former Goole Grammar School teacher Gordon, (2-27).
With the sun out, and the pitch drying, the batting was that bit easier for the visiting chase.
And although James Kerr and Louie Moore could not effect a breakthrough in their opening spells, Andy Rodgers and Nicky Holah started to chip in following an opening partnership of 53 in 13 overs.
Holah took 3-33 in nine over, Rodgers particularly miserly with 1-18 in ten overs as Goole asserted some control.
However, ten no balls and 13 byes in 29 extras helped the Londesborough Park cause, as did contributions from the top three batsmen.
In the end the visitors reached their target with 26 balls to spare to get their season up and running, but it is early days and Goole will regroup for a trip to Huntington this Saturday looking for their first win of the season.
A return to the Goole side for John Burton behind the stumps, and although he has had " better days", in his own words, his return can only help the club's cause.
The wicketkeeping department is well served at Westfield, with Ben Earl and Jack Drakeley up and coming wicketkeepers and able to don the gloves.
After the wet early spring, though, with outside practice limited in the extreme, good to see the sun shining and Westfield in good condition.
Published on 1st May 2008 in Sport.
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