IT HAS been a busy and eventful fortnight in this year's
Church Times Cricket Cup competition.
On Monday, despite poor weather forecasts, all four quarter
finals were played. In perhaps the most dramatic match,
Chichester, which has been in the doldrums for
several years, stopped Lichfield's progress to
what would have been their fifth final in six years.
In a match played at Bradfield College, Chichester elected to
bat, and solid scores from Hayes, Burston, and Etheridge pushed
them to 169 for 6 after 40 overs.
Lichfield recovered from a shaky start (Darlington, their
opener, was out for two). Hack made 40, Rylands 35, and Taylor put
on 70 not out. With two overs to go, Lichfield needed 13 runs to
win, and had six wickets in hand. The next over they scored nine,
so entered the last over needing just four for a win. Swindells,
however, bowled a tight over, allowing them only one run, and
taking a wicket on the last ball.
A hat-trick by Allerton was at the centre of
London's demolition of Leicester
at Knebworth Park. London had won the toss and put Leicester in to
bat under overcast skies and on a used pitch. London got an early
breakthrough when Lee bowled Broadley, after which Leicester
struggled to find runs.
Chrystal bowled Norman for 11, and then Pat Allerton came to the
crease. First he bowled Bullen for a duck. In the next over he had
Orridge caught by Davison for 24, bowled Pitt for 0, and then took
out Fogg. Paynter took the last 3 wickets, and Leicester were all
out for 55 in 23 overs.
In reply, London batted steadily. Moffatt and Beeby took the
score to 50, before Pitt had Moffatt LBW for 27. Rose spooned the
next ball to midwicket, opening up the prospect of a matching
hat-trick for Pitt. Allerton top-edged his first ball, but he was
dropped at square leg. He recovered to hit a six to seal London's
progress to the semi-finals.
West Yorkshire & the Dales have enjoyed
their first season in the competition, but their progress came to
an end when they met Salisbury at the Coventry and
N. Warwickshire ground. Salisbury made 188 for 4 in 35 overs.
Bradbury and Paterson were their top scorers. Three of the wickets
were taken by Buttanshaw.
In reply, W. Yorks were only able to make 77 all out. Seymour (3
for 12) and Windsor (2 for 23) did the most damage. Bavington was
the top scorer on 25.
Coventry, meanwhile, travelled to Stokenchurch
to meet Guildford. Guildford put Coventry in to
bat, and watched them climb to 100 for the loss of just one wicket
by the 18th over. Wickets then fell, but the middle order batted
strongly, and they finished on 197. Foster (54), Gandon (45), and
Budd (41) were the top scorers. Thomas took the bowling honours
with four wickets for 26 runs.
In reply, Guildford started cautiously, but they kept most of
their wickets intact, and overhauled the Coventry total with more
than ten overs to spare. Owen scored 59, Thomas 44, and Watson was
46 not out. Gandon took the two wickets, giving Guildford the
victory by eight wickets.
In the semi-finals, to be played on 6 July, London play
Salisbury, Chichester play Guildford.
THERE had been drama, too, in the final group matches.
London posted the top score of the season in
their match against Southwark. Moffat went early,
but Lee was on top form, knocking the ball about the ground on his
way to 135. Rylands scored a gritty 102, and Beeby added a quick
54, taking the team's score to 343 for 5 in 35 overs. Southwark did
not disgrace themselves, notching up 111 for 9. Wilkes scored 24
and Longe 21. Marshall took three wickets for 18, Davison two for
14.
Lincoln recorded their first win in the
Church Times Cup for more than six years with a victory
against Peterborough. It was a close-fought match,
which came down to the last ball.
Lincoln managed to reach 199 from 30 overs, its highest score in
recent years. Shenton scored 51. In reply, Peterborough hung on to
its wickets, losing only its two openers. Taylor scored 61 not out,
and Morton 79 not out. Lincoln's bowlers kept things tight,
however: Dean bowled the regulation eight overs, four of which were
maidens, for the loss of only nine runs.
The joint Carlisle/Blackburn/Durham team lost
out to Chester. Their score of 85, after mean
bowling from several Chester players, always looked vulnerable, and
Chester rattled it off in ten overs, scoring 87 for the loss of no
wickets. Curry was the top scorer on 47 not out; his partner
McLaren ended on 33 not out.
Liverpool shared a similar fate against
W. Yorks. Fielding only nine men, they elected to
bat and lost three quick wickets before Birch (26) and Corbett (30)
stabilised things for a while.
But the Yorks bowling was strong, especially Tyler (2 for 2 off
5 overs), Gray (3 for 18 off 3.2), and Arnold (2 for 6 off 3).
Liverpool finished on 86 for 8 in the 23rd over.
W. Yorks needed only 14 overs to overhaul them. Buttanshaw
scored 23, Bavington 30 not out.
Liverpool also fell to Chester
in their final group match, despite several injury breaks,
including the Chester opening bowler, Dan Cook, who had to be
transported from the field by ambulance to hospital.
Chester won the toss and batted first. Despite losing a wicket
to the first legitimate ball, they added 90 for the next wicket:
McLaren scored 49, Lawry 28. The runs continued with good
partnerships: Page (45), Cook (27), and with a quick flourish in
the final overs Chester posted 213 from their 35 overs. Liverpool's
best return was Cook 3 for 19.
In reply, Liverpool made steady progress: skipper Gibbs made 28,
and Cook made 32, making his a fine all-round performance. Chester
continued to take wickets steadily, despite the loss of their
injured bowler, leaving Liverpool all out for 151.
Chichester 169 for 6 (Hayes 46, Burston 32, Etheridge 28 n.o.;
Hart 2 for 20, Lefroy 2 for 33). Lichfield 167 for 4 (Taylor 70
n.o., Hack 40, Rylands 35 Swindells 1 for 1, Armstrong 1 for
20).
Chichester won by 2 runs.
Salisbury 188 for 4 (Bradbury 49, Paterson 44, Jack 36 not out;
Buttanshaw 3 for 28); West Yorks 77 all out (Bavington 25; Seymour
3 for 12, Windsor 2 for 23).
Salisbury won by 111 runs.
Coventry 197 (Foster 54, Gandon 45, Budd 41; Thomas 4 for 26);
Guildford 198 for 2 (Owen 59, Thomas 44, Watson 46 n.o., Martin 32
n.o.
Guildford won by 8 wickets.
Leicester 55 all out (Orridge 24; Allerton 4 for 4, Paynter 3
for 6, Chrystal 2 for 11). London 52 for 2 (Moffatt 27, Beeby 19
n.o.; Pitt 2 for 16).
London won by 8 wickets.
Carlisle/Blackburn/Durham 85 (Christian 31 n.o.; Razzall 2 for
17. Chester 87 for 0 (Curry 47 n.o., McLaren 33 n.o.).
Chester won by 10 wickets.
West Yorks played Liverpool yesterday in glorious cool sunshine
at Blackley CC near Halifax. Liverpool only had 9 men. They won the
toss and elected to bat.
Liverpool 86 for 8 Corbett 30, Birch 26; Gray 3 for 18, Tyler 2
for 2, Arnold 2 for 6. West Yorks 87 for 2 (Buttanshaw 23,
Bavington 30 n.o.).
W. Yorks won by 8 overs.
London 343 for 7 (Lee 135, Rylands 102, Beeby 54). Southwark 111
for 9 (Marshall 3 for 18, Davison 2 for 14).
London won by 233 runs.
Chester 213 (McLaren 49, Page 45, Lawry 28; Cook 3 for 19).
Liverpool 151 all out (Cook 32, Gibbs 28; Duvel 3 for 26, Mansley 3
for 27).
Chester won by 62 runs.
Lincoln 199 for 6 (Shenton 51). Peterborough 194 for 2 (Taylor
61 n.o., Morton 79 n.o.).
Peterborough won by 5 runs.
W Yorks conceded to Carlisle/Blackburn/Durham. Oxford conceded
to Salisbury.