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In a match sponsored by ROYLES
GROUP LTD, Chelford travelled to a sun baked Haslington on
Saturday. Both these teams are expected to be up there come
September, so this was always likely to be a hard fought
encounter between two evenly matched sides, and so it
proved. Chelford
skipper John Kilroe won the toss and had no hesitation in
electing to have first use of a firm straw coloured pitch
with good pace and bounce. Hash Vora & Gary Smith (34)
opened the innings with the former removed in quick time to
bring in Kilroe (33). These two then put together a fine 57
run stand against the new ball bowlers to set the innings
up.
Thereafter the middle order
took the game to the Haslington attack with Nitin Srivastava
(45), 'Mabs' Mahboob (22) and Krish Bhardwa (21) all playing
positively, and after 39 overs Chelford were well placed for
a score of around 220. Unfortunately a late order collapse
saw the boys lose their last 6 wickets for just 20 more runs
to be shot out for a sub par 186 in the 47th over.
After tea Chelford struck
first as Krish Bhardwa removed opener D.France at 10-1. An
excellent partnership between J.Clayton (21) and the very
impressive youngster Tom Taker (95), then took the
initiative for the home side with a 2nd wicket stand of 83.
Clayton riding his luck and some abuse after surviving a big
nick to keeper Vora which wasn't given.
Haslington it has to be
said, batted really well in chasing down their target with
some superb running between the wickets. Chelford's strength
is not in the fielding department and this counted against
them as a very average effort allowed the home side to
collect runs at will. Pushes became singles, Singles became
two's, and errors became fours. Not what was required.
However the boys hung in
there to bring the match down to the wire with 4 needed off
the last over. 'Mabs' snaffled T.Gledhill with 3
required, but opposition skipper J.Phipps (35no) smashed the
final ball for four to lead his side home by 5 wickets. A
fine game of cricket with the home side deserving victors.
It should be a cracker at Peover Lane on 7th August. |