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Doctors beat Goathurst by 20 runs Doctors 166
for 3
Goathurst 146 for 2
Doctors chose first use of a beautiful batting wicket at Cannington and made a steady start against accurate bowling from Andrew Dodden and Angus McDonagh. Rob Adcock was narrowly run out attempting a sharp single which brought in Graham Fergusson to join John Ogle. After a watchful start their partnership blossomed and then exploded in a coruscating display of shots. The ball was alternately caressed and blasted to all corners of the ground and their stand had realised 106 off only 76 balls when Ogle (53) made his one and only error and was well caught by a sliding Geoff Shaw at mid off from the bowling of Andrew Clark (1-29). A.Skidmore (1-38) bowled his off spin with excellent control under severe pressure and was rewarded with the wicket of Andrew Paisley, but Fergusson continued to accelerate. He gave not one chance to the opposition and with one ball to go he needed a six for his hundred but this time his on drive fell short and he was left on 95 not out. Sam Powell (1-19) performed the task of the main strike bowler to perfection with a hostile, accurate opening spell that tied down the batsmen and removed Goathurst’s best batsman Clark, very well caught low down by keeper Dave Rooke. Jeremy Budd’s off spin at the other end proved the perfect foil but Jake Clarkson and Dodden played themselves in assiduously and put away the bad balls when they came along. These are two fine young players and class shots were much in evidence but the experience of Mike Sullivan and Peter Reed kept just enough control to prevent the visitors getting up near the asking rate. The partnership was worth 102 when Dodden (54) tried a cut to a ball from Nick Adair (1-10) that was too full for the shot and keeper Rooke took another fine catch standing up. Skidmore (55 n.o.) played valiantly to keep his team in the game but Doctors always had a comfortable margin and even 18 runs from the final over left Goathurst still 20 runs short. |
