Sport Opening day twin batting collapses
Carlton Towers I 92
Fenners 152- 9
Fenners were playing at the Fishpond Field for the first time in league competition and took maximum points by a margin of 60 runs in the opening game of the York Senior Division Two season on Saturday.
It was a match that Carlton Towers were on course to win, restricting the visitors to 152-9, and a fourth wicket partnership of 33 between Paul Wright, who made 32 and James Still who had to retire hurt, gave them a promising base.
However, the loss of the last six wickets for 22, including skipper Jamie Pocklington who was run out, ended the ambitions.
Jonathan Dilks had also made an impressive contribution, making 26 including two sixes, before he was caught.
Fenners' innings had only two partnerships over 30 though, thanks to Paul Wright leading the attack in the absence of Callum Reilly and Grant Nicholson. Once again the Carlton Towers leading wicket-taker last year made it tough for the batsmen, conceding only 13 runs in a twelve-over spell and bagging four wickets. Graham Spence, too, took four wickets for 57 runs, having been taken from the Second XI that morning.
Whilst Fenners are considered the favourites for promotion this term, the match was mainly competitive for much of it. Tim Dimaline made 51 to keep his side's innings on track, assisted later with 33 from Craig Denby, but it was only when 19 runs were struck in the 31st over that the innings instilled any sort of confidence in the visitors' ambitions.
Not the start that Carlton Towers desired, but with the season just starting and the potential in the side, recovery from this temporary ailment could just be around the corner.
Division Five B
Stillington II 29 - 0, Carlton Towers II 28
Happy days are here again!
Whilst Carlton Towers II left Stillington with the stark reality of possibly being responsible for the lowest score of the day of 28, Malton and Old Malton did them a favour by being dismissed for 24! Success.
Can the achievement go down to David Squires? The all-rounder, signed from Thorpe Willoughby in the winter, made four runs in an opening stand of 13. Add one of two single runs to trouble the scorer from Stephen Carr and Chris Heald to help achieve this success: make your choice.
In the real world this was Carlton Towers seconds' first-ever defeat at Stillington.
The hosts were impressive, though. Captain Richard Horner lived up to his reputation of being one of the outstanding bowlers in the division, taking four wickets in an opening spell of 12 overs, conceding only nine runs in the process.
Kevin Simpson finished the rout by taking three wickets with five balls in his only over.
The bowlers were also assisted by a surprisingly efficient field, considering it was the opening match and a winter designed to stiffen the joints.
The Carlton Towers attack was never going to change the course of the game, but there was great potential showed by Sam Morris and David Squires, who opened the bowling well.
Stillington reached the abysmal target after 10 overs, through veteran Dennis North and Mika Whitwell, who made top score of the day with an undefeated 16.
Forthcoming fixtures
Tonight, May 1
Snaith and District Evening League
Carlton Towers v Tate and Lyle
Saturday, May 3
Hunters York and District Senior Cricket League Division Two
Ripon v Carlton Towers
Division Five B
Carlton Towers II v Thorp Arch and Boston Spa II
Sunday, May 4
HPH York Vale League
Carlton Towers III v Huntington
Published on 1st May 2008 in Sport.
Add to: Digg | del.icio.us | Reddit
Comments
There are currently no comments
Comments are closed for this article.