Aldborough get the Winter Blues
Read on for the weekend’s match reports…
Norfolk League Division One
Aldborough (6) 166 for 10 lost to Winterton (26) 211 for 4 by 44 runs
The phrases dropping the baton, choking and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory were cl early on the reading list of Aldborough on Saturday at Winterton when they achieved the worst possible result in their quest for the league title.
Outplayed, out battled and out thought were the team who showed so much the week before. Fielding first Aldborough struck early with Reeve removing Austin but it was a case of Winterton taking control from there on in. Roper and Clarke batted well with the former riding his luck being dropped, slicing into gaps and surviving a number of appeals for leg before, but he batted through with patience to score a solid 89.
Winterton dug in and reached a moderate 211 for only the loss of four wickets giving them a 5 point to 2, advantage at tea.
In reply Aldborough had only to bat the 45 overs to get close to winning this match. But impatience and poor judgement saw the team fall to 40 for 3. Reeve and the impressive Nicholls moved the score onto 90 before the skipper was dismissed by Larner. Nicholls though still had the winning of the game but good pressure by Winterton saw wickets fall and the score stumble to 128 for 8 and the game lost.
The only bright spot was the tail wagging of Plumb and Board who added 38 for the 9th wicket with the youngster showing most of his team how to bat with patience and judgement. He scored an excellent 32 not out and that with his excellent fielding was Aldborough’s man of the match. The team managed to scrape only six points and meant they gave up top spot to Hardingham by one point. This means that once again the outcome of the title falls out of their hands.
Knights Sporting Ltd Man of the match - Ben Plumb
Aldborough ‘A’ (6 pts) 159-10 lost to Watton (25pts) 161-7 by 3 wickets in Norfolk Cricket League Division 5
Aldborough ‘A’ welcomed top of the table Watton to The Green this weekend with second-place in the league still in Aldborough’s control.
After losing the toss and being asked to bat first in cloudy and windy conditions, openers Fisher and Nicholson set about facing Watton’s potent seam attack of J Norman, G Norman and B Norman. Watton’s bowlers, with pace and bounce, bowled consistent lines and used the hard wicket to their advantage.
The windy conditions led to Aldborough’s first wicket falling with the score on 15, with a mix up between the openers resulting in both batsmen ending up at the same end. This brought Armiger to the wicket who looked composed, but after a couple of boundaries perished to a ball that nipping back from J Norman.
This brought Cramp to the wicket with the score at 32-2. With the bowlers on top at this point, he sought to grind away and rebuild the innings, assisted by Nicholson. After Nicholson’s wicket fell for 12, Skinner (16), Swinbourne (8) and Seaman (12) all came in and started well but fell shortly afterwards, leaving the score at 106-6 at the end of the 33rd over.
Knight, fresh from his holiday and moved up the order after some recent good form, got a bouncing ball first-up, trapping his index finger between bat and ball, causing him to temporarily retire hurt and later also rule him out from bowling. Tuthill came to the wicket in his place and scored a very useful 16.
Captain Parfitt brought himself on in the 38th over to bowl his off-spin with the score at 122-6. Seeing an opportunity to capitalise and take the score up to a defendable total, Cramp and Tuthill begin to hit out but after a couple of boundaries Cramp’s wicket was taken, dragging out to long-on and being caught for a steady 34.
Bodymore fell soon after to a fantastic catch from G Norman taken one-handed diving away at long-off, which brought Cook to the wicket. He batted well finishing 9 not out as the final wicket of the returning Knight was taken, bowled by J Norman to leave Aldborough’s total at 159, which in difficult conditions against a strong bowling attack was considered a reasonable effort.
In response, Watton set off at a high scoring rate, racking up 33 from the first 6 overs before in-form Tuthill struck, trapping Walsh lbw for 12. This triggered a rapid tumbling of wickets as the dangerous B Norman was caught well by Cramp low-down at slip of Seaman for 0, and then Tuthill snapped up two further wickets in his next over, leaving Watton in trouble at 45-4.
Bodymore and Cramp came into the attack, but despite bowling some good lines, could not prise out the wickets of the youngsters Darry and Oakey who were rebuilding Watton’s innings. With the score at 89-4 after 22 overs, Cramp reverted to his opening bowlers to break the partnership. Tuthill did just that, bowling Oakey for 13 and finishing with figures of 12-1-44-4 in the process.
G Norman came to the wicket and he supported the young Darry, who passed 50 and was looking in exceptional form. After Seaman (10-1-38-1) finished his second spell, Bodymore (7-0-36-0) returned but struggled with his length and the Watton batsmen duly capitalised. Cramp (8-2-27-1) came on for Tuthill and trapped G Norman lbw for 19 in his first returning over to leave the score at 148-6 in the 35th over.
In a last attempt to source wickets, Cook (2.4-0-7-1) came on for Bodymore and in tandem with Cramp, made it difficult for the Watton lower order to score. One final wicket of Darry was taken, bowled by Cook for a match winning 71, before Parker hit the winning runs in the 40th over for the loss of seven wickets.
After the game, Club Chairman Tim Knight congratulated Watton for their success this season in becoming Division 5 Norfolk Cricket League Champions. With two games to go, away at Lowestoft and home to promotion chasers Hingham, it remains to be seen whether Aldborough ‘A’ will join them in Division 4 next season. It is still within their control as they remain second in the league going in to the penultimate weekend.
Knight’s Sporting Ltd Man of the Match: James Tuthill (4-44)
Sunday XI (181/10) beat South Walsham (161/7) by 20 runs
Cookie’s Sunday XI beat South Walsham in a hastily arranged fixture on The Green with help from a classy ’ringer’ to see them home. James Tuthill’s cousin A Waters scored an attractive 77 backed up by Howett (17) and others who got starts but did not go on in total of 181 all out.
In reply good bowling from Seaman and Waters, taking 3 a piece, saw The Greens home.