After the unsurprising cancellation of last week’s fixtures, following the League’s attempts to avoid games on bank holidays by creating matches in the middle of a very wet spring, the Londesborough Park senior sides kicked off the season with a number of players unavailable for selection, putting the new captains under undesired pressure to put out two representative sides in Ebor Divisions 2 and 3 of the York & District Senior Cricket League.
The first XI, under the debutant captaincy of Greg Drewery, made the trip to Dringhouses and was given the opportunity to bat first. Matters initially didn’t go according to plan as openers James Beevers and Ben Shingles met again in the changing rooms with only 22 on the board. Senior pro Sam Dodd joined together with the skipper and worked hard in a solid partnership of 48 before Greg was caught for 33. Michael Drewery joined Sam but soon departed, bowled by Storr for 7. The remainder of the innings was dominated by Sam and his partner Tom Eagling who produced one of his best performances for the Park with the bat. The Dringhouses’ bowling attack failed to make another breakthrough as Sam played the anchor role for a solid, unbeaten 57 whilst Tom played with aggression to accumulate a tremendous unbeaten 86 from 66 deliveries to put the Park in a strong position at the tea interval, offering a target of 201 for victory to the hosts.
In response to the defence of their total the Park failed to make early inroads as the Dringhouses’ initial reply accumulated a significant opening partnership of 144 before Daniel Snaith (57) was caught by Steve Dawson off Michael Drewery’s bowling for the first wicket. Michael then trapped Tom Owen LBW for a duck egg. Greg’s fast hands did for Drinhouses’s No. 4, stumped off Joe Shingles’ bowling and Michael then took the key wicket of Radio 5’s breakfast presenter (or someone with the same name) Chris Evans, caught by brother Greg, for 79 with the score on 157. Gary Wilson and Chris Storey rallied briefly before keeper Greg Drewery ran out Wilson for 6 and the Drewery brothers again combined to send Storey back to the sheds. The hosts’ then lost Storr (5) and Jacob Green for a duck as the game entered the final stages. The hosts eventually settled for a draw, finishing on 193 for 8, just 17 runs shy of their target.
An excellent, competitive game to start the season with the Harpers man of the match award being shared by Tom Eagling with his fine knock of 86 and Michael Drewery with 5 for 19 from 9 overs. Thanks to Bengal Brasserie for the sponsorship of the match ball.
Londesborough Park 209-4 (T Eagling 86 no, S Dodd 57 no, G Drewery 33) Dringhouses 193-8 (C Evans 79, D Snaith 57, M Drewery 5-19)
The Park’s 2nd XI, under the leadership of Darren Moody, hosted Castleford’s 2nd XI with just 10 players including 1st XI scorer George Drewery, as unavailabilities took their toll.
Skipper Moody won the toss and elected to field. Before the match commenced the teams observed a one minute’s silence in memory of long serving club secretary Peter Milne. Opening bowlers Ciaran Brooke and the skipper made early inroads as both openers were dismissed before Edward Cole and David Tomlinson put the visitors back in control with a significant 3rd wicket partnership. Tomlinson eventually fell to the former skipper Tom Williamson for 27 and Lucas Stephenson chipped in with the valuable wicket of Cole, trapped LBW for 50. Darren Tomlinson and James Lockett kept the scoreboard moving until skipper Moody bowled the latter for 21 and George Drewery rolled back the years when he had Tomlinson caught by Lucas Stephenson for 53. George then doubled his tally when Andy Goose kindly hit his own wicket and made it a three fer when he trapped Martin Gibson LBW for a duck. The visitors finally closed on a very competitive 203 for 9.