Spaxton 110 all out

Doctors 107 all out

The mini tournament between Spaxton and Doctors went to the wire and was only decided with one ball to spare.

The trusty opening partnership of Gary Meadows and Keith Bellinger got away to their usual brisk start until John Down’s metronomic accuracy prompted a rash shot from Bellinger (11) and a good catch from Jamie Fergusson. Meadows (19) should have known better than to challenge the throwing arm of John Ogle and was a couple of yards short when Ogle’s return was well gathered by Graham Fergusson. Down (2-12) claimed another victim and then retired from the fray which allowed Dave Pople and Ben Rich licence to attack but Graham Fergusson (1-17) was gaining prodigious turn and bounce from the dry wicket and a good stumping by James Gass accounted for Pople (13). Rich (14) was bowled by Peter Reed (1-29) but Gary Deimart (29 n.o.) and Simon Larcombe (10) battered good and bad balls alike until the advent of Joe Lee (3-9) into the attack brought an abrupt end to the innings.

The target looked straightforward at the start of Doctors innings but Larcombe accounted for the in form Dave Rooke in his first over. Graham Fergusson and Will Chandler played fluently and were beginning to take command when Fergusson (20) unluckily played the ball on to his stumps off a rapid delivery from Larcombe (2-6). John Ogle never looked confident against the wily John Coles (1-21) and finally fell to him, caught at deep midwicket by Pople and the match was swung towards the home side by a spell of quick, straight bowling by Andrew Jeanes (2-2) who had Chandler (13) caught at point. Bellinger (1-18) used all of his experience to keep the run rate in check but Doctors young middle order in the persons of Gass and Sam Powell fought back hard. Gass was dismissed by a stunning caught and bowled chance to Deimart (1-21) but Powell (27) kept blasting away and seemed to have the match in hand when he was run out going for a wildly optimistic bye to keeper Neil Richards. The finale came down to 10 runs needed from the last over – Doctors could only manage 6 as last man Reed was run out off the penultimate ball.