County League: Barkby United end season in style against champions Sileby

Spectators were treated to some spectacular hitting on Saturday as Barkby ended their second season back in the Premier by beating league champions Sileby.
Barkby United First XI, from left, back - Hugh Asher, Matt Boyce, Rob Townsend, Will Fazackerly, Ian Kirk, David Tew, Cameron Sharp; front - Ben Silver, Jamie Drake, Steve Flowers, Tom Flowers, Aiden Morris. EMN-170919-174640002Barkby United First XI, from left, back - Hugh Asher, Matt Boyce, Rob Townsend, Will Fazackerly, Ian Kirk, David Tew, Cameron Sharp; front - Ben Silver, Jamie Drake, Steve Flowers, Tom Flowers, Aiden Morris. EMN-170919-174640002
Barkby United First XI, from left, back - Hugh Asher, Matt Boyce, Rob Townsend, Will Fazackerly, Ian Kirk, David Tew, Cameron Sharp; front - Ben Silver, Jamie Drake, Steve Flowers, Tom Flowers, Aiden Morris. EMN-170919-174640002

The visitors won the toss and put Barkby into bat on a damp wicket, but opener Tom Flowers got the innings off to a good start, blasting 63 of Barkby’s first 75 runs.

The club’s director of cricket brought up his 50 off only 32 balls which included two sixes and 10 fours, despite losing the early wickets of Hollis and Botting at the other end.

David Tew and Steve Flowers put on 160 for the fourth wicket before Tew was stumped by Buck off Naik for 85 with the score on 235.

Naik then bowled Stapleford-Jones for four, and Steve Flowers’ spectacular innings of 131 - one of the best seen at Beeby Road - came to an end when he was caught by Gillett off Legg, having hit 14 fours and seven sixes, including three maximums in one over off former Leicestershire bowler Jigar Naik.

Aiden Morris chipped in with a quick 22 as Barkby closed on 330-8.

Sileby made their intentions clear from the start as Gale and Torr scored 49 in only three overs.

Morris came into the attack and had Torr caught by Stapleford-Jones for 20, while young spinner Cameron Sharp was brought on and had Gale caught by

Steve Flowers for 33 (79-2).

With Sileby’s batsmen on the attack Sharp bowled Gillett for 28, and then took the prize wicket of Naik who was LBW for 13.

Drake had Glennon caught behind by Tew for 10, while Sharp had Kinch well caught on the boundary by Whittaker for nine, and Buck was also caught by Whittaker, while playing a similar shot.

Legg and Dawson put on 43 for the ninth wicket, but Moore came into the attack and took the last two wickets of Legg and Ellis to dismiss Sileby for 207.

Barkby: T. Flowers 63, B. Hollis 2, L. Botting 1, D. Tew 85, S. Flowers 131, A. Stapleford-Jones 4, A. Morris 22, S. Moore 7, H. Whittaker 4*, J. Drake 0*, Extras 11. Total: 330-8.

Sileby: 207.

Bowling: L. Botting 3-0-33-0; H. Whittaker 1-0-22-0; A. Morris 4-0-30-1; C. Sharp 10-1-39-6; J. Drake 7-0-40-1; S Moore 6-0-23-2; B. Hollis 3-0-13-0.