Alnwick 181-3 beat Consett 129 all out by 52 runs

Saturday, September 1
ALNWICK'S cricket season came to an end on Saturday with a fine victory by 52 runs against Consett.

A fine innings of 65 not out by Allen Thompson and good contributions by Rameez Shahzad, Michael Brewis and David Wright allowed Alnwick to a post a total of 181 for three in 50 overs.

The bowlers then took up the challenge and all bowled with discipline backed up by some good fielding resulting in a victory with 11 overs to spare.

Alnwick won the toss and elected to bat, with openers Brewis and Shahzad making a slow and cautious start.

In the 20th over Brewis was bowled by Cox for 23.

Thompson joined Rameez Shahzad and they added a further 29 in 12 overs before Rameez was bowled for 42.

Stewart went shortly after and it was then that the productive stand of 72 in 11 overs between Thompson and Wright occurred, with both batsmen once they were in, batting confidently and taking the score to 181 in the allotted overs.

Allen Thompson's 65 was scored off 100 balls with seven fours as he along with David Wright made the foundation for the home side's total, Wright scored 29 not out in 28 balls in the third-wicket partnership of 72.

Consett had scored 13 when they lost both openers, Waters trapped lbw by Bateman and Turnbull bowled by Burston.

A third-wicket partnership between McPherson and Mellons threatened the home side but the introduction of Stewart to the attack yielded instant success when he bowled McPherson.

Mellons and Chapman continued to bat with confidence, but an excellent piece of fielding by Shahzad off his own bowling resulted in Mellons being run out well short of his ground.

With the score on 96 Stewart removed Forster and Hopps in one over followed six runs later when he bowled I Cox.

The return of Burston to the attack proved to be decisive when he bowled top-scorer Chapman and then had Cook well caught in the slips by Wright.

A late flourish by Wilkinson, who scored a quick 17, came to an end when he was caught at the wicket off Frater and ended the match.

The match was sponsored by Alnwick Paint and Glass of Sawmill Industrial Estate, Alnwick.

It was disappointing season from Alnwick's point of view with only the few victories towards the end of the season lifting them off the bottom of the league.

A loss of so many games to the poor weather did not help but this can be no excuse for poor cricket being played so often.

On the bright side, the performances of 19-year-old Shahzad, who joined Alnwick in June from the United Arab Emirates, have given all that played with him, as well as non-playing members of the club so much pleasure. The club wishes him every success in whatever he does in the future and hopes that he will be in a position to return next year.

Scorecard

Alnwick
Rameez Shahzad b Hopps 42
M Brewis b A Cox 23
AS Thompson not out 65
A Stewart lbw b Forster 2
D Wright not out 29

Extras 20
Total (3wkts) 181

Bowling: P Mellons 15-3-29-0; K Hopps 12-1-45-1; A Cox 13-1-51-1; A Forster 10-1-39-1.

Consett
A Waters lbw b Bateman 8
S Turnbull b Burston 2
C McPherson b Stewart 24
P Mellons run out 23
J Chapman b Burston 33
A Forster lbw b Stewart 6
K Hopps lbw b Stewart 0
I Cox b Stewart 0
S Wilkinson c Peberdy b Frater 17
N Cook c Wright b Burston 0
A Cox not out 6

Extras 10
Total (all out) 129

Bowling: J Burston 9-3-23-3; GJ Bateman 3-1-13-1; JA Frater 5.5-1-28-1; R Shahzad 10-1-29-0; A Stewart 11-2-32-4.

Alnwick 20pts Consett 3pts.