THE group stages of the 2018 Church Times Cricket Cup are drawing to a close.
Oxford hosted Bristol on Monday. Bristol put Oxford into bat. Owen and White started well, attempting to see off the opening bowlers, before Rylands had the former pinned lbw for 11.
Wingfield-Digby was bowled by Walton for 8, and Oxford stood at 37 for 2 after 14 overs. Despite good work by Hamilton-Box and Glenny, Oxford were eventually bowled out in the 35th over for 130.
Peterson and Walker made an opening stand of 41, until Wingfield-Digby had Peterson caught for 20. Murray helped Walker take Bristol past the 100 mark in the 22nd over. Bristol secured victory, and a place in the quarter-finals, in the 27th over.
Salisbury played Winchester/Chichester on Tuesday. Salisbury batted first, and WinChi’s competent bowling failed to make inroads. Windsor made 53 and Clarke carried his bat for 50, contributing to a total of 158 for 7 off 35 overs. Scrivener’s leg spin took two wickets, and Warton took two wickets, too.
WinChi replied with promise, then collapsed spectacularly, losing 4 wickets for 5 runs, Winter and Bradbury each taking two wickets. A 14-ball over from Dennakar, however, boosted WinChi’s morale, clocking up 23 runs. Contributions from Davis (16) and Wharton (25) left Swindells to score the winning runs in the last over. The top scorer, in the end, was “extras”, reaching nearly a half-century at 46.
Leicester put Norwich/ Ely into bat in wet conditions on Monday. Smith and Lovejoy made a steady foundation, before Lovejoy, on his debut, was joined at the crease by Heywood. The two went on to build a great total in hard conditions: Lovejoy held his bat through, making 69 n.o., and Heywood reached 70 n.o. Norwich/ Ely closed on 178 for 2 after 35 overs.
Leicester, in reply made a strong start, with Pickersgill and Barr forming a strong partnership, before wickets started to fall, Heywood taking two wickets in two balls. Ransley played a great innings, making 69. Leicester were bowled out for 164, handing victory to Norwich/ Ely.
London batted first against Canterbury/Rochester on Monday. Saju and Fitter bowled tightly, backed up by superb fielding. Moffatt was run out for 20. Beeby soon followed, and, when Rimmer was out for 1, London were 70 for 3. Lee and Kennedy set about repairing some of the damage, only for Lee to be caught off Jennings for 37. Watkins was then bowled second ball, leaving London on 125 for 5. Knowles and Rose joined Kennedy late to take the score to 163 for 8.
Lee bowled Canterbury’s opener Clark for 5. Mann was caught off Lee for 12, and, after Saju was caught by Rimmer off Kennedy, the game was up: they were all out for 66.
Leeds and Lichfield met at Aston Hall near Sheffield on an overcast day on Tuesday. Leeds won the toss on and elected to bowl on a wicket that looked as if it would give some help to their attack.
Cranston and Gregory put on 88 for the first wicket for Lichfield, with Cranston scoring 50. Three quick wickets fell, but a stylish 60 not out from Darlington, 33 from Taylor, and some hard hitting from Hart took Lichfield to a total of 210 for 7 from 35 overs.
In reply, Leeds got off to a flying start, the opening partnership notching up 50 in next to no time. However, sharp work from Cranston in the field for a run out, and some fine fast bowling from Taylor, broke the stand. Runs became harder to get as Cranston, Rylands, and Hart all bowled tidily and proved hard to get away. With six overs to go, Leeds were still in the chase, but, eventually, with 31 needed off the final over, Leeds fell short of the required total.
When Manchester faced a Carlisle/Blackburn/Durham side on Thursday of last week, they were were awarded the ten points before a ball was bowled: their opponents had turned up with three players who were ineligible under cup rules. In the friendly that followed, C/B/D were all out for 83; Manchester made 87 for the loss of no wickets.
Oxford 130 all out (Hamilton-Box 33; Rylands 2 for 21, Watson 2 for 19). Bristol 134 for 3 (Walker 49, Murray 33 n.o., Watson 23 n.o.). Bristol won by 7 wickets.
Salisbury 158 for 7 (Windsor 53, Clarke 50 n.o.; Scrivener 2 for 25, Warton 2 for 20). Winchester/Chichester 159 for 9 (Scrivener 19, Etheridge 17, Davis 16, Wharton 25; Winter 2 for 23, Bradbury 2 for 27, Extras 46).
Winchester/Chichester won by one wicket.
Norwich/Ely 178 for 2 (Lovejoy 69 n.o., Heywood 70 n.o.). Leicester 164 all out (Ransley 69).
Norwich/Ely won by 14 runs.
London 163 for 8 off 30 overs (Kennedy 42, Lee 37; Saju 1 for 20, Jennings 2 for 24). Canterbury/Rochester 66 all out (Emslie 18, Mann 12; Lee 2 for 11, Rimmer 3 for 9).
London won by 112 run
Lichfield 210 for 7 (Cranston 50, Darlington 60 n.o., Taylor 33. Leeds 197 for 6 (Carew 28, Groenwald 49, Arnold 29 n.o.
Lichfield won by 13 runs.
Carlisle/Blackburn/Durham conceded to Manchester.