Parry the star as 2nd XI make it lucky thirteen

The 2nd XI all but clinched promotion on Saturday with a comfortable six-wicket win against local rivals Haslington at the Gorse Croft on a cool, cloudy, damp day.

Skipper John Wainwright won the toss and had no hesitation in bowling first. The spin attack of Roy Wild and Dave Parry opened proceedings for Audlem. Parry made the breakthrough with the score on just 2 when he trapped Dan Williams lbw. Will White and Chris Jones then added a painstaking 20 for the second wicket before Parry struck again removing Jones The opener, White, was caught by Paul Thorburn off Parry's bowling to make it 44 for 3. Parry then bowled James Blackwood in the same over for 14 and Haslington were struggling at 45 for 4.

Ten runs later Jamie Sandlands, who was starting to look dangerous, made an error of judgement after playing a cover drive and went for an impossible second run. A pinpoint throw from Toby Banfield zoomed in and keeper Leo North gratefully took off the bails to run him out. Haslington were now 55 for 6 and the innings looked to be receiving its last rites.

There then followed the innings of the day from Oli Platt. After being dropped on nought, he struck a swashbuckling 37 off only 12 balls, including four towering sixes that disturbed the cows in the adjoining field. Unfortunately for Platt, he didn't believe in defence and went on the attack on every ball – it was a matter of time before one of these shots would be mistimed. Sure enough, Wild bowled a low full toss, which Platt steered directly into the hands of Danny Thorburn on the mid-on boundary to make it 90 for 6..

On Platt's dismissal, Haslington's innings subsided completely and the remaining four wickets fell for the addition of just nine more runs. Haslington were bowled out for 99. Parry was the chief tormentor with 5 for 42. Wild, who bore the brunt of Platt's onslaught, fought back well to claim 4 for 54. Credit was also due to Danny Thorburn who took three catches.

Audlem began the chase confidently against a lively Haslington attack. Banfield and Zar Ahmed took the score to 19 before Banfield was caught behind for 7. Ahmed was the next to go for 14 when he mistimed an attempted hook shot and the ball bobbled to the keeper for an easy catch leaving Audlem at 29 for 2.

North then played a match-winning innings when he struck an excellent 35 in a 48 run partnership with Danny Thorburn for the third wicket. North was dismissed with the score on 77, but the job was nearly done. Thorburn was battling well but struggling to score runs and was dismissed for 8 with the score on 86. However, man-of-the-match Parry scored a quick-fire, unbeaten 18 to seal a six-wicket win for Audlem.

Audlem gained 20 points and Haslington 4. The win, the thirteenth of the season, means that the 2nd XI require just seven more points from four more games to clinch promotion to Division 4.

On Saturday the 2nd XI entertain Norbury at the Gorse Croft. Play starts at 2.00 pm.

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