Long Itchington Cricket Club

Played Saturday, September 1st 2007

Itchington pushed perennial rivals, and already promoted, Leamington all the way in another good game of cricket on Saturday.

Having been put in the visitors lost a wicket at 15. Martyn Rawbone and Alex Jack added 88 in reasonable time before the latter was dismissed for 43 in the 28th over. Rawbone followed 5 runs later for 45. At 144-3 a base was there for acceleration but 3 quick wickets quashed these hopes. Nick Brooks (25) and Stephen Rawbone (15n.o.) added some late runs as the total reached 185-8 despite 4-44 from Ryan and 3-32 from Cheslin.

Leamington struggled early on following a fine spell from Neil Hudson (10-1-29-2), who dismissed both openers, and it was 30-3 when 15 year old Hugh Perks took a superb one handed diving catch to dismiss the dangerous Cheslin.

Skipper Dale survived chances but when Richard Cressey accounted for him for 25 the home side were in big trouble at 78-6. Youngster Zac Grant was joined by the experienced Damian Dixon and together they turned the game around aided by some poor ground fielding from LI.

Grant finally went for an excellent 44 at 142. Dixon was 8th out for 38 and it was left to another teenager Credgington to hit the winning runs finishing on 26 n.o. with 2 balls left despite all 5 bowlers sharing the wickets.

Played Saturday, September 1st 2007

Itchington II’s clinched promotion in their first season in Division 6 with a clinical batting display chasing down 179 to beat Catherine de Barnes by 9 wickets.

Catherine de Barnes forfeited the toss due to late arrivals and were invited to bat first. Itchington went back to the future with veterans Steve Crosthwaite (10-5-12-1) and Dave Buchholz (10-1-42-1) opening the bowling and it was Crosthwaite who struck first removing Jonker for 0 after opener Gallimore had retired hurt. Fellow opener Partington soon followed, the first of three victims for Tom Crosthwaite (10-0-47-3) who took over from his dad. Lewis (29) and Ballinger (41) then rebuilt the innings with a stand of 62 before Lewis fell to Tom Crosthwaite and Ballinger was bowled by Jack Arthurton (6-1-18-1) at the end of a tidy 6 over spell. Gallimore (35 n.o.) returned to the fray and a frenetic end to the innings saw 3 wickets fall but 35 precious runs added in the last 5 over’s and a total of 179 was set for Itchington to chase.

Itchington lost an early wicket but after a watchful start Aaron Jones and George Insall started to impose themselves and soon the runs started flowing as first Insall and the Jones reached their half centuries, Jones going on to make 82 n.o. and Insall 73 n.o. as they put on a unbroken 2nd wicket stand of 173 to see Itchington home in the 38th over. Lewis was the pick of the visitors bowling attack only conceding 27 runs in his 10 over’s and taking the solitary wicket to fall.