THE 2015 Church Times Cricket Cup season is proving to
be as changeable as the weather. There have been some dramatic
scorelines and some disappointing cancellations.
The match between Canterbury and
Guildford at Horsmonden CC was an unusually normal
match. Guildford won the toss and elected to field.
Canterbury got off to a brisk start: opener Saju scored 50, and
Jennings made 32 before having to leave the field injured. Nelson
(16) and Hirst (18) also chipped in. All five Guildford bowlers
took a wicket, with honours going to Simon Martin with 2 for 28
from his eight overs. Canterbury were all out for 153 in the 40th
over.
Guildford started solidly but slowly, seeing off some tight
bowling, especially from Nelson, whose eight overs cost only ten
runs. Sanju also bowled well, getting 2 for 23. But Canterbury were
an experienced bowler or two short, and Guildford won by six
wickets, reaching 154 for 4 in the 35th over. Martin got 46 and
Watson was 53 not out.
Carlisle/Blackburn fared less well against
Manchester at Burneside in Kendal. They managed to
assemble only six players on the day, and so the teams agreed a
shortened 20-over game, in which the Carlisle/Blackburn players
batted twice.
Despite this, Carlisle/Blackburn were 64 all out. Manchester's
James took four wickets at a cost of just two runs. In reply,
Manchester's openers almost carried the day on their own, and they
finished on 67 for the loss of just one wicket. Lindop scored 28
not out, Edmondson 25.
The scores were even lower in the match between
Salisbury and Exeter at Sherborne
School. Very tight bowling and fielding restricted Exeter to 45 all
out. Dyson took three wickets for ten runs; Windsor's results were
even better: three wickets for just two runs. Prior was Exeter's
top scorer on 11 not out. Salisbury's openers Bradbury and Paterson
knocked off the runs required in seven overs.
On the other side of the country, Leicester
beat Norwich at Castle Rising, in Norfolk.
Leicester batted first, making 153 for 5 from 30 overs. Their
captain ended on 96, denied his century by a catch off Norwich's
best bowler, Heywood (2 for 28).
Tight bowling from Leicester's Miles (3 for 14) and Burnham (3
for 16) held Norwich to 67 all out. Warren scored 19, Heywood
17.
St Albans, having failed to assemble a side to
play London, made up for it in the match against
Southwark. Things did not start well, as Southwark
dismissed the St Albans captain off the first ball. The second
wicket, though, did not fall till 125 runs later, and St Albans ran
out on 206 all out. Lockley made 72, Middlebrook made his highest
ever cup score of 65, and Prior ended on 30 not out.
Southwark's response was confounded by one man: Tucker took a
devastating six wickets for 25 runs, including a triple wicket
maiden, reducing Southwark to 40 for 7. Brooks and Cotton saved
their side's reputation by putting on 40 for last wicket before
Brooks was given out lbw.
Canterbury 153 all out (Saju 50, Jennings 32,
Hirst 18; Martin with 2 for 28). Guildford 154 for
4 (Watson 53 n.o., Martin 46; Sanju 2 for 23). Guildford won by
six wickets.
Carlisle/Blackburn 64 all out (Steve James 4
for 2). Manchester 67 for 1 (Lindop 28 n.o.,
Edmondson 25). Manchester won by nine wickets.
Exeter 45 all out (Windsor 3 for 2, Dyson 3 for
10). Salisbury 46 for 0. Salisbury won by ten
wickets.
Leicester 153 for 5 (Orridge 96, Norman 20;
Heywood 2 for 28, Smith 2 for 39). Norwich 67 all
out (Warren 19, Heywood 17; Miles 3 for 14, Burnham 3 for 16).
Leicester won by 86 runs.
St Albans 206 all out (Lockley 72, Middlebrook
65, Prior 30 n.o.; Sewell 2-25. Southwark 102 all
out (Brooks 15, Cotton 15; Tucker 6 for 25. St Albans won by
104 runs.