Long Itchington Cricket Club

Cotswold Hills League Division 5
Played 26th June 2009

It was a game of two halves with each team being dominant either side of the tea break.

Itchington 2nd’s were asked to bat first and struggled throughout their innings which was held together by the patient Foster who top scored with 53 he was well supported by a bright cameo innings of 20 by Franks but unfortunately no other batsmen in the top 6 scored double figures and Itchington 2nd’s struggled at this stage to 109 for 6 then 113 for 7 before Crump ably supported by Andy Smith, added 43 for the 8th wicket Crump was last man out for a fine 33 and Itchington 2nd’s innings closed on 162 all out leaving Earlswood the favourites at tea to take the honours.

Smith opened the bowling and bowled well initially troubling the batsmen with his tight controlled line. At the other end Hudson started waywardly before finally finding his radar to trouble the Earlswood top order taking 3 for 36 in his 10 overs including the dangerous McGovern for 0 caught behind by Rogers.

The game began to turn Itchington 2nd’s way with some good bowling and enthusiastic fielding by everyone helped the cause. Crosthwaite’s leg spin reaped rewards taking 4 for 24 off 10 overs and the dangerous White taking 2 for 26 off his 9 overs and the returning Smith 1 for 23 off his 10 overs. Earlswood’s innings closed on 115 giving Itchington the win by 47 runs.

The Itchington 2nd’s side are starting to play as a unit for each other and as individuals they are beginning to know the job they have to do to reap the benefits, this can only be good for a side that is learning that winning is a habit and no one gives out league winner medals without having to work extremely hard.

Long Itchington 2nd XI 162 all out, Earlswood 2nd XI 115 all out.
Long Itchington won by 47 runs.

Long Itchington 2nd XI 20 points, Earlswood 2nd XI 6 points

LI succumbed to their first defeat of the season in their top of the table clash at Moreton. Asked to bat first on a spongy wicket they lost their first wicket at 21 in the 9^th over. Another soon went but Will Grindal and Richard Cressey added quick runs before Grindal fell for a fine 48 at 79 in the 20^th over. Cressey was dismissed for 21 but at 108-5 the home side were back in it. A fine 50 partnership between James Clarke and Stephen Rawbone in only 8 overs gave LI a good base from which to further accelerate but Rawbone fell for 18, shortly after sustaining a leg injury, and when Clarke was 8^th out at 165 the inning petered out to an ultimately disappointing 177 in the final over with Bandera 3-36 and A.Hurrell 2-33 the most successful bowlers. After a couple of testing overs the LI bowlers lost their way and some wayward deliveries were dispatched by the increasingly confident home openers. They raced from 50 to beyond 100 in no time and looked set for a big win. The returning Brooks snapped up Williams for 49 and got another wicket in the same over. Ever improving spinner Steve Chapman bowled ten very tidy overs finishing with 1-32. Opener Newbold was finally dismissed for 76 (the first opposition batsman to take a 50+ score off the LI attack in the league this season) with the scores level, but Moreton easily got home by 6 wickets with more than 7 overs to spare.  

Best Performances:-

S Chapman
J Clarke
A Jack
S Franks
R Cressey
M Greaves
N Hudson
T Perks
M Woodyer
S Parsons
G Insall