Blockbuster Weekend sets up Greens for the Double!
Hello all,
Aldborough won four games out of four this weekend with both league sides taking maximum points to set up a final day decider for both Reevo’s 1sts and Bushy’s 2nd XI. Read on for the match reports…
Norfolk League Division One
Aldborough 228 for 7 (26) beat Ketteringham Hall 81 for 10 (5) by 147 runs.
Aldborough bounced back in emphatic style on Saturday after the disappointment of the previous weeks defeat to Winterton. A maximum point victory in short time and the fact that Rollesby held out to prevent the same for Hardingham meant that Aldborough lie second by virtue of one point.
Winning the toss Aldborough batted first and started cautiously, Cooper went early but Fell (30) and Allan (53) set up a platform for the rest of the team. Both batsmen departed when the score was on 91, with Allan passing 800 league runs for the season in doing so. Tom Goodley then took centre stage. Ably supported by Nicholls, Barnard and Plumb he set about the bowling in imperious fashion. Playing classically but with immense power he stroked his way to 95 in just 49 balls with nine fours and six sixes. Selflessly looking for team runs he was caught on the boundary in the last over leaving Aldborough on 228 for 7.
In reply and making use of a hard wicket Reeve and B oard were in ruthless form. Board so often the foil to his opening partner was in the wickets this week. He removed the first five batsman with the highlight being a wonder catch by Ben Plumb at square leg to remove Bush. At the other end Reeve bowled maiden after maiden and finished with figures of 12-6-14-2. Board relished in the conditions and with attacking fields continued his spell to take 6 for 40 from his twelve. By this time Ketteringham Hall were 58 for 8 and reeling from the body blows they had been dealt. It was Dingle who finished the job in business like style after a flurry of runs came from the tail enders.
This week Aldborough’s cricket was back to the highest standard once again. If they can continue this and adopt the right mind set for what will be a very tough match away to Caister then they are capable of getting the points they need. However the destination of the title may well lie in the vagaries’ of the coin toss in all three contenders matches next week. Whatever the outcome the season has been a dramatic one and surely more twists are to follow on the last weekend.
Knights Sporting Limited, Man of the Match – Tom Goodley
Norfolk League Division 5
Aldborough A (204/6) beat Lowestoft B (70/10) by 134 runs
With three or four teams still in the hunt for the second promotion spot in Division 5 Aldborough were under pressure to hold onto second place and faced the long trip to Lowestoft knowing a loss would effectively end promotion hopes. On an uneven wicket The Greens were put into bat and a solid start from openers Cannon (30) and Holroyd (45) assured the fifty was brought up without too much alarm in the 14th over. Cannon fell soon after bringing youngster Ben Briggs to the crease. He partnered the dogged Holroyd well, hitiing some classy boundaries on his way to a measured 20. Cramp (33) came in and continued the good work with Holroyd batting quietly on at one end and Cramp driving and pulling as a large total looked on. Holroyd perished five short of a maiden league 50 with the score at 145 and Bundock quickly followed trying to up the run rate. Matt Skinnner (34 not out) then came in and set about the Lowestoft attack dispatching a mighty six back over the bowlers head to get him up and running. Cramp was very well caught at slip leaving Nicholson (13) and Skinner to blast 55 in the last ten overs meaning Aldborough closed on 204/6.
Excellent bowling from Holroyd saw off the two openers with a great catch from Tuthill the pick of the wickets. Bodymore bowled well from the other end with genuine pace and bounce surprising the Lowestoft batsmen. he struck in his sixth over removing Decoteau and Willimot shortly after. Holroyd was replaced by Smith and Bodymore bowled through a spell of eight overs returning impressive figures of 8-1-28-2.
With such a high score to chase on a challenging wicket the batsmen had no answer to the tight seam attack and after some resistance from Ludkin he was bowled by Ray Smith leaving the tail open to the Aldborough seamers. They duly ripped through it with the ever improving Tuthill bagging 4-2-5-4 in a mature display of seam up bowling. Holroyd returned to mop up and claimed the final wicket of Richardson to end with figures of 7.4-3-16-3 to add to an excellent 45 runs making him the Knights Sporting Ltd Man of the Match.
Aldborough now must win their final game at home to Hingham to assure promotion to Norfolk League Division 4.
Man of the Match - Mark Holroyd
Sunday Friendly
Aldborough v Happisburgh
Aldborough batted first on a good wicket and, after Swinbourne was run out in the first over, Cannon set about the bowling early racing to a quick 30 before missing a straight one. Fisher, opening with Swinbourne, looked solid at the other end. Ben Howett fell early as did Seaman bringing skipper Cook to the crease. A good twelve from Sue was supported by a powerful bit of striking from Ash Moakes who carried his bat to make 33. Fisher had toiled for the entire 40 overs walking off a hero as he made a season best 61 not out.
In reply, 75 was put on for the first wicket which was taken by Thorogood trapping Raven LBW. Trivett was next in and continued the good work smashing a quick 44 as bowlers Wynett and Moakes struggled in the heat. A great spell of bowling from Adam Brown brought the game back into Aldborough’s grasp as he took the vital wickets of Trivett and Voisey (50), one with a superb diving caught and bowled. Woolston did his best to keep up with the run rate but tight lines from Tuthill, Seaman, Thorogood and Moakes meant that they needed six from the last over to win it.
With a youngster on strike Woolston called him for a crazy single and captain Sue Cooke swooped in the covers to pick up and throw down the stumps to run out the senior man. There was no way back for Happisburgh as Tuthill bowled a superb last over to wrap up a victory for Aldborough, the fourth in as many days.
Thursday Touring Game
Aldborough beat Canvey Island
Cannon’s 61 led the way for Aldborough as they amassed 193/6 with good scores from B Briggs (44), P Reeve (24) and Ben Flanagan (16). In reply Canvey lost early wickets and with a long tail were eventually dismissed for 118 with Bodymore, Flanagan and the impressive Kallis taking two for.
Canvey were good value and the game was played in excellent spirits, hopefully we’ll see them back on The Green next season.