Long Itchington Cricket Club

After inserting their hosts LI got off to a wayward bowling start allowing their opponents to reach 47-1 off 10 overs. The introduction of skipper for the day Nick Brooks and Martin Clark both slowed down the rate and wickets began to fall. Once the experienced Roger Wickson was run out for 22 and top scorer Welsby bowled for 33 the innings began to crumble. Only Cox and Bishop reached double figures as seven players perished to outfield catches four of whom went to Brooks. Clark finished with 3-23 off 9 with fellow slow bowler Steve Chapman taking 3-3 in 5 overs to mop up the tail as the total slipped from 97-4 to 119 all out. LI lost a wicket a 12 before Richard Cressey provided a hard hit 28. At 50-3 Shipston were still in it but once the change bowlers came on LI, via Martyn Rawbone (43 n.o.) and James Clarke (37 n.o.), took their time and saw the visitors home by 7 wickets despite Taylor taking 2-28 and Wickson a tight 0-23 off 10 overs.

Best Performances:-

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:-

Cotswold Hills League Division 5
Played 20th June 2009

Stand-in skipper Andy Crump elected to bat and was rewarded by 2 early wickets for young Andy Smith (6-0-24-3) who outbowled his normally reliable opening partner Dave Buchholz (10-0-49-2). Buchholz was punished by Ashton-under-Hill’s skipper Capaldi (37) before he became one of 4 Steve Franks’ catches.

Craig White replaced Smith and bowled with pace and hostility to take 4-18 from 6 overs, he deserved more. Neil Hudson took the other wicket from his 2 overs after replacing Buchholz and the innings ended on 95 leaving Itchington 66 overs to get the runs.

When Itchington batted, their batsmen found it equally difficult with Insall falling without scoring. Graham Foster (10) & Jeff Rogers (16) then took the score to 23 before they went in quick succession. Soon after Itchington were 30-5 but that brought Crump in to join Aaron Jones and with a mixture of controlled aggression, stout defense, luck and good running, they saw Itchington home with almost 30 overs to spare and earn 19 points to keep them in the promotion race from Division 5. Crump finishing on a quickfire 35 n.o. and Jones a more sedate 29 n.o.

Ashton under Hill 2nd XI 95 all out, Long Itchington 2nd XI 99 for 5.
Long Itchington won by 5 wickets.

Long Itchington 19 points, Ashton under Hill 2nd XI 2 points

Cotswold Hills League Division 5
Played 13th June 2009

Long Itchington Second XI fielded a team loaded with batsmen for their fixture with Winchcombe Second XI and the home team captain on winning the toss elected to bat on a green even wicket.

Insall and Smith looked confident against a good opening attack but both fell to very good catches, Smith for 16 and Insall for 29. This bought in Rogers and the Jones coming back from a lengthy two year absence due to a back injury.

They went on to build an extremely good unbroken partnership of 121, Rogers hitting 85 n.o. in 88 balls and Jones delicately carved 53 from 65 balls. The Long Itchington innings closed on 193 for 2 and 4 batting points.

The Winchcombe batsmen were met with the tireless bowling of Buchholz and the ever improving Andy Smith with Buchholz finishing with 1 for 31 from 10. He was unlucky not to finish with more wickets but dropped catches and unlucky umpiring decisions thwarted him. Smith finished with 2 for 20.

Wickets fell at regular intervals but a good stand between Davis 47 and Orzell 32 helped Winchcombe stave off an early defeat to finish 148 for 8 at the close.

The pick of the other bowlers were Crosthwaite 8 overs 2 for 16 and the talented White who bowled with pace and bounce to finished his 10 overs with 1 for 27.

On reflection the team is starting to play as a unit, it hurt players that they did not bat and the bowlers did not like being taken off. This can only be good in the weeks ahead to what promises to be a difficult league to progress from.

Long Itchington 2nd X1 192 for 2, Winchcombe 2nd XI 148-8.
Long Itchington won by 44 runs.

Long Itchington 18 points, Bidford on Avon 3 points