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Doctors beat Spaxton by 6 wickets Spaxton 103 for 9
Doctors 107 for 4
The omens for Spaxton were not good when
the first ball of the match from Sam Powell bit into the soft Cannington
wicket, cut in and struck the top of Adrian Fisher’s off stump. Jack Rich and Gary Wales adapted well to
the slow pitch and counter-attacked so that after 7 overs the score was 43
for 1. This was as good as it got as
another off break from Powell (2-13) bowled Rich (19) and started an
avalanche of wickets. The Spaxton
middle order’s tactic of advancing down the wicket to Pater Reed (2-16) and
Andrew Paisley (2-13) proved to be suicidal as Graham Fergusson picked up 3
sharp stumpings and had another ruled out.
Wales had retired but more quick wickets for Charles Macadam (1-10)
and Keith Powell (2-16), who bowled admirably full and straight, meant that
he was soon recalled to the crease.
Young batsmen Tom Bellinger and Harry Fisher played well and ensured
that their team passed the hundred mark and when the
overs ran out Fisher was 7 not out and Wales 40 not out. Doctors used 7 bowlers who all took the
pace off the ball and bowled a full length.
Spaxton opted for quicker bowlers and a shorter length. There was also
a contrasting start to the innings as Harry Lee pulled the first ball for
6. As usual Lee oozed class and was in
total control until he retired on 30 not out.
Things were not quite as calm at the other end as Rod Parish (1-28)
adopted the slower, fuller method and was rewarded with a wicket and Nick
Smyth hit a good cover drive straight to Scott Bellinger and was left
stranded when sent back by Lee. Rich
was the pick of the Spaxton bowlers and was the only one to get the ball to
lift but even he bowled too short and he was capably resisted by Keith Powell
(20) and Andrew Paisley. Powell’s
excellent, combative knock was ended by a top edged pull off Keith Bellinger
(1-6) and Paisley (16) was lbw to a flighted delivery from leg spinner Tom
Bellinger (1-17) but by then Doctors were well on top. Despite the increasing gloom a volley of
four boundaries from Fergusson (26 n.o.) applied the coup de grace with 3
overs to spare. |
