Egerton Park fall short despite Hussain ton

Zaheer Hussain hit Egerton Park's first century of the season on Saturday, but they still came up just seven runs short of victory at Leicester Ivanhoe on Saturday.
Melton Times Cricketer of the Year Zaheer Hussain was on top form for Park with bat and ball EMN-160507-125929002Melton Times Cricketer of the Year Zaheer Hussain was on top form for Park with bat and ball EMN-160507-125929002
Melton Times Cricketer of the Year Zaheer Hussain was on top form for Park with bat and ball EMN-160507-125929002

Park skipper Nick Watchorn won the toss in the Division Two clash and chose to bowl first in overcast and extremely windy conditions.

Watchorn and Hussain drew the short straw and bowled up the hill into the strong wind, while the quicker bowlers came down the hill with the wind at their backs.

A watchful start from openers Pridmore (36) and Twigg (25) against good initial bowling laid the foundations.

Charlie Madden EMN-160823-100809002Charlie Madden EMN-160823-100809002
Charlie Madden EMN-160823-100809002

The momentum was interrupted by a couple of squally showers which took the players off and reduced the contest to 44 overs per side.

Glover trapped Twigg in front and Watchorn did the same for his fellow opener to leave the hosts 69-2.

Glover was once more among the wickets as he bowled Yeow for 26, but the visiting attack could not remove key man Newbery (102 not out).

A couple of dropped catches and poor ground fielding cost the visitors towards the end of the innings as Ivanhoe added another 100 runs in the last 10 overs.

Charlie Madden EMN-160823-100809002Charlie Madden EMN-160823-100809002
Charlie Madden EMN-160823-100809002

These runs would prove crucial as the home side closed on 230-5.

Park openers Hussain and Greg Tyler put on 48 for the first wicket before the latter was caught by Twigg, off Shortland, for 27.

Tom Glover (8) followed soon after, but that would be the last wicket to fall.

An excellent unbroken stand of 168 between Hussain (106 not out) and Charlie Madden (77 not) looked set to hand the Melton side their second successive win, but were always slightly behind the required run rate.

And the Ivanhoe bowlers kept their nerve to restrict the visitors and earn a winning draw, Park completing their 44 overs just two wickets down, but a handful of runs short.

Ivanhoe: 230-5.

Bowling: K. Panchal 7-0-39-0; N. Watchorn 11-2-33-1; T. Glover 11-1-44-2; Z. Hussain 9-0-55-0; J. Barnard 3-0-27-0; H. Lovegrove 3-0-25-1.

Park: Z. Hussain 106*, G. Tyler 27, T. Glover 8, C. Madden 77*, Extras 6. Total: 224-2.

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