Banfield and Humphries guide 2nds to victory

A glorious, hot, sunny day saw the 2nd XI continue the impressive, unbeaten start to the season against visitors Kerridge with an emphatic win with seven wickets in hand. The win consolidated top spot in Division 5.

Skipper John Wainwright lost the toss and, unsurprisingly, Kerridge decided to bat. Both of Audlem's opening bowlers, Ron Lawson and Roy Wild immediately settled on a good line and length. Frustration soon got the better of Alex Grimes, who was caught by Toby Banfield off Wild's bowling with only 3 on the scoreboard. After a mini revival by the visitors Wild got his second wicket, clean bowling Jon Bolan to make it 36 for 2.

Skipper Wainwright made an inspired change bringing on Neil Humphries, who duly collected Matt Waite's wicket in his first over, leaving Kerridge at 40 for 3. Soon afterwards Wild struck again, this time enticing James Beard to offer him a simple return catch, making it 49 for 4. Lusty blows by Rob Boothman and Luke Wild added 38 for the fifth wicket before keeper Leo North stumped Wild (29) off Humphries' bowling. Boothman continued to score freely until he was bowled by Lawson with the score at 113. Spinner John Chadwick then clean bowled Adam Banks for a duck as Kerridge slumped to 115-7.

However the visitors' tail wagged until Chadwick firstly bowled Ryan Taylor and then snapped up a return catch to dismiss Josh Capper, leaving Kerridge at 137 for 9. A frustrating last wicket stand by veterans Eric Hannighan and Geoff Allen took the score to 157 before Hannighan was caught by North off Chadwick for 27. Chadwick, with 4 for 27 was well supported by Wild 3 for 55 and Humphries 2 for 29.

Audlem's reply got off to a poor start when Wainwright was out in the first over, caught at cover off Allen's bowling. A productive second-wicket partnership between Banfield and Zar Ahmed took the score to 47 before Ahmed, having scored 13, edged a ball from Bolan to keeper Wild.

What followed then was a master class from Banfield and Humphries as they scored freely, scattering the visitors' fielders all over the outfield. The pair shared a stand of 105 before man-of-the-match Banfield played a tired looking shot off Grimes' bowling to mid-wicket where he was snapped up by Bolan, having scored 80. Humphries and North guided Audlem home to a comfortable victory with more than 16 overs remaining. Humphries was unbeaten on 44.

The win was the 2nd XI's fourth in a row as they kept their 100% record by gaining 25 points to Kerridge's 10.

On Saturday the 2nd XI travel to nearby Haslington, hoping to keep the winning run going.

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