Cricket Report

Cricket Report

Both league teams suffered narrow defeats on Saturday with the first X1 going down by two wickets to Longton at The Gorse Croft and the second X1 losing by 3 wickets at Ashcombe Park.

The first team were asked to bat first and struggled to put any meaningful partnerships together and succumbed to 100 all out in only the 27th over of the innings.

Longton also had trouble in gaining any momentum on a wicket that had been affected by an overnight downpour but as batting conditions gradually eased as the surface dried, they limped over the line to claim a narrow victory and boost their survival hopes in their struggle against relegation.

The second X1 were equally unfortunate to lose the crucial toss and were asked to bat first in their encounter at Ashcombe Park. With a wicket that was barely discernable from the surrounding outfield runs were at a premium with the bowlers gaining prodigious turn and irregular bounce on the patchwork surface. Tom Measures was once again resolute in his application with 19 hard earned runs coming off 60 deliveries, but the player to gain the limelight this week was his opening partner, Chris Shenton with a magnificent 62 off 76 deliveries before being dismissed by a very debatable leg before decision. Ron Paul ( 18 ) and Conor Howard ( 14 ) were the other batsmen to contribute signifyingly to the 144 for 8 total at the tea interval.

Ashcombe Park also found batting difficult on the surface but chanced their arm with some lusty blows that found the gaps and evaded the fielders. Their more belligerent approach paid off as they closed out in the 29th over with 3 wickets in hand with Conor Howard, Harry Measures, Anapala Shasidar and Dave Parkinson the wicket takers.

The Sunday X1 had a much better day than their Saturday counterparts with a narrow victory against a quality Haslington team in a high scoring encounter at The Gorse Croft. Audlem were asked to bat first by the visiting captain after losing the toss and took advantage of the offer on a much drier surface than the first team encountered the previous day. Openers, Alfie Hardy ( 50 retired not out ) and Dave Blatherwick ( 51 retired not out ) set the tone with a defining partnership that gave the later batsmen the license to attack the bowling with a degree of freedom. Bertie Hardy was the standout middle order performer in an attempt to upstage his younger brother with a quick-fire 45 off only 55 deliveries containing three huge maximums over the ropes. Skipper, Jake Topping ( 11 ), Ryan Anderton ( 17 ) & Richard Irvine ( 13 not out ) were the other batsmen to reach double figures as the innings closed on 242 for 6 at the tea interval.

Haslington's batsmen kept the pressure on Audlem's bowlers who for their part kept their discipline and a good fielding performance including two excellent catches from Dave Blatherwick and Bertie Hardy. The game went right to the wire but with the introduction into the attack of young Ryan Anderton to bowl 'the death overs' all but sealed the contest as Haslington closed on 222 for 8. Wickets were shared by Conor Howard ( 2), Ryan ( 1), Steve Neale ( 2) & Richard Irvine with 3 for 32 to round off an excellent all-round performance from him.

Next weekend's fixtures :-

Saturday 29 August

Moddershall .v. Audlem 1st X1

Audlem 2nd X1 .v .J G Meakins

Sunday 30 August

Springhill  ( Wolverhampton ).v. Audlem

All games start at 1.00pm