2nd XI crash to defeat in match to forget

In a weekend in which three of the top four teams in Division 4 all lost, none of them making a hundred runs in their innings, second-placed The Groves 2nd XI were the big winners as they beat the 2nd XI by 8 wickets .

Skipper Danny Thorburn won the toss and chose to bat. Audlem soon lost Zar Ahmed cheaply, but then moved comfortably on to 67 for 1 before John Wainwright (37) and Andy Capper (20) both departed within a few balls of each other.

No record can be found of any other batsman making double figures and the innings limped to a sad 95 all out in 37 overs.

Highlights of The Groves' reply were:

• two dropped catches off consecutive balls in the second over;
• a farcical missed run out in the last over;
• Stuart Elkes uprooting the middle stump;
• Chris Shenton taking a remarkable steepling return catch;
• 5 runs lost with the ball striking the wicketkeeper's helmet when it was on the ground;
• Paul Thorburn bowling and;
• opener Paul Ashley scoring just 16 runs in 31 overs.

All in all it was a day to forget as Audlem picked up just 3 points and The Groves 25. It leaves Audlem 24 points behind The Groves with just two matches remaining.

This afternoon the 2nd XI hope to fare better in the penultimate match of the season as they entertain Appleton 3rd XI at the Gorse Croft. The match has a 1.00 pm start.

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