Saturday, June 13 2009

GREENSIDE II 196-9 BEAT ALNWICK II 188-6 BY EIGHT RUNS

ALNWICK II didn't come away from Greenside with a victory, but a brave fight-back meant their players could return home with their heads held high.

With slightly more luck in the field, a narrow defeat could so easily have been a victory for the away side.

Having invited the opposition to bat on a very patchy-looking wicket, the Alnwick bowlers saw the Greenside openers post a 50 partnership after just 13 overs.

However, debutante Straker used all his experience to pin back the batters and he was well supported by leg-spinner Barker and left-arm medium pacer Woods.

After 25 overs, Greenside were still well short of three figures.

It wasn't until Murray and Hovers cut loose that Greenside looked set for a large total and once the former got going he was difficult to contain.

The star performers for Alnwick in the field were Straker, who ended up with a well-deserved five wickets and a sharp catch in the slips; Woods, who bowled an excellent spell of two for 31; and Cowans, who made two steepling catches look easy. Alnwick struggled at first to get going.

Straker fell lbw trying to up the run rate, and Eeles, failing to time the ball with any conviction, perished to a leading edge, having already had one lucky escape.

Robert Woods, starting steadily but then playing a range of attacking shots, and Robbie Green, following up his sound keeping performances with some powerful pulls and drives, took their partnership past 100 and steered Alnwick towards their target.

Once Green had departed, the dangerous Gilmore struck some lusty blows to keep Alnwick in the hunt.

It took a fine ball from Jones to dismiss Gilmore and a superb piece of keeping by Wallis to end Woods' super knock.

In the end, the experience of man-of-the-match Murray and his fellow bowlers was just a bit too much for Alnwick's batters, the visitors ending up nine runs short of their winning target.

Thanks are due to Greenside for yet again helping to create a competitive, good-natured and highly-enjoyable encounter.

SCORECARD

Greenside II
C Fellowes c Green b Straker 29
D Wallis c&b Woods 26
J Britten c R Woods b Straker 0
P Cinten c Straker b Barker 5
C Harvey lbw b Woods 15
J Murray c Cowan b Roxburgh 56
A Hovers b Straker 28
R Cowes c Green b Straker 6
G Jones c Cowan b Straker 12
T Turner not out 1
R Barker not out 4

Extras 14
Total (9wkts) 196

Bowling: J Roxburgh 10-1-46-1; A Straker 12-3-60-5; G Woods 13-5-31-2; A Barker 10-1-48-0.

Alnwick II
J Eeles c Lowes b Harvey 14
A Straker lbw b Jones 3
R Woods s Wallis b Harvey 78
R Green c Britten b Jones 46
S Gilmore b Jones 15
J Cowan not out 6
D Allen c Lowes b Harvey 9
J Roxburgh not out 2

Extras 15
Total (6wkts) 188

Bowling: G Jones 13-3-45-3; C Harvey 9-3-25-3; C Fellows 9-1-31-0; J Britten 4-0-20-0; R Lowes 2-0-20-0; J Murray 9-2-30-0.

Greenside II won by eight runs.