| Match Report
Old rivalries were rekindled last Saturday when
Clifton Alliance paid a visit to the Park. Skipper Charlie Rook's
better than average success with the coin lead him to invite the
opposition, fielding a stronger line up than of late, to take first
knock. Ebullient John Myers and fellow opener Mark Taylor bedded
themselves in and posted 60 before Tom Medley, elevated to first team
action, took the catch off Tom Eagling's bowling to dismiss Taylor for
33. Corley added 21 with Myers but fell victim to a run out which
brought skipper Phillips to the crease. His contribution of 38 in quick
time took the score to 154 at which point Rook and Mark Tissiman
combined to earn the Park a 3rd wicket. The Clifton batsmen
continued to plunder runs until Blaster finally made one stick to end
Myers' innings for 72 with the score on 182 and 10 overs remaining.
With a significant total looming The Ginger One choose an appropriate
spell to bolster his wickets tally and, ably assisted by Rich Foster,
pegged the Clifton onslaught, restricting them to just 58 off the final
10 overs and cleaning up the middle order and tail in the process.
Tissiman was rewarded with figures of 5-72 whilst Foster and Eagling
picked up 2 wickets apiece. The visitors could have been even further
shier of their total of 240 if a several presentable catches had been
taken.
White and Thornton were first up with the cherry for the visitors and
bowled at a healthy pace to keep Big Bird and Sam Dodd on their toes.
Sam misread the line of a Thornton delivery which clattered into his
middle stump and the Park were dealt a severe blow in the next over from
White when a nick off Rook's pads was met with vociferous appealing at
the wicket, only the vuvuzelas would have been louder, and the umpire
finally succumbed. Big Bird began to pick out the loose deliveries and
reached 33, including one mighty 6 into the long grass, but couldn't
avoid the fielder in the covers, the Park loosing their 3rd
wicket with 46 on the board. Neil Stephenson survived another dubious
appeal and worked through the middle overs with Pilot Nettleton. A
change in the bowling attack did for the Pilot, caught and bowled by
Hawthorne for 13. Tom Medley then joined Stephenson to produce the
highest partnership of the innings, Tom taking to first team batting
like a duck to water. The pair added 56 before Stephenson, having
nicely completed his half century, was bowled by White. The Park then
lost the services of Medley (28), Eagling (9) and Tissiman, to a far
from convincing LBW decision, for 15. Clifton sniffed victory but
Blaster and Rich Foster held firm and secured additional bonus points,
steering the Park to 182-8 at the close.
The
half term report for the Britcom sponsored Park reads 'highly
satisfactory' as they embark on the reverse fixtures knowing that,
whilst there's a lot of hard work to come, they have proved they are
more than capable of retaining 1st Division status – time
will tell. Thanks to Flowers by Sally May for last week's match ball
sponsorship. Lets hope the Park come up smelling of roses this weekend
as they day trip to the seaside to face Bridlington.
Clifton Alliance 2nd XI 240 (J Myers 72, A Parkinson 39, M
Phillips 38, M Taylor 33, M Tissiman 5-72) Londesborough Park 1st
XI 182-8 (N Stephenson 52, J Williamson 33, T Medley 28, S Mottershead
3-37)
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