Everards County League Division Two
EGERTON PARK v THORPE ARNOLD
Park won by three runs

Watched by a host of former players from both sides, Park were disappointed to lose the toss and Thorpe put the hosts in to bat on a pitch made lively by Friday's rain.

The decision was validated when Stuart Rose was out first ball of Park's innings to Dave Frost. Michael Tubb and Andrew Murdoch began to rebuild the innings, but once Tubb was out with the score on 32, wickets fell regularly.

A patient knock from Sam Collington proved to be the backbone of the innings, with Creed and Murdoch the only other scorers of note. When the last wicket fell on 138, Thorpe were the happier of the two teams at the break.

Things very nearly started the same way for the visitors as opening batsman Dil Yahuthagoda edged just short of slips to Berry's first bal.

But it did not take long before he found an edge to carry as Renwick was outwithout scoring. Taylor bowled tightly during a mammoth 22-over spell from the other end, claiming important wickets through the order.

A 86 for 4 Thorpe looked to be in control, but a good catch from Berry off Taylor's bowling removed Makwana. From then on, the ball dominated the bat as Taylor and Newman upped the pressure on the lower order by bowling tightly and taking regular wickets.

When Frost became Newman's fourth wicket with the score on 115 for 9 it looked all over. But Thorpe closed in on the target before Berry returned to york Webster and hand this year's bragging rights to Park by just three runs.

Park: Rose 0, Murdoch 21, Tubb 14, P. Bailey 8, Taylor 1, Collington 33*, Berry 6, Newman 4, Creed 22, Parnham 3, Haffenden 3, Extras 23. Total: 138.

Thorpe: 135.


Bowling: J. Berry 7-0-32-2, J. Taylor 22-7-48-4, N. Newman 17-6-33-4.