Egerton Park CC First XI pay the price for poor start

Egerton Park’s inconsistent County League form continued with a narrow defeat at Loughborough Town Seconds on Saturday.
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Batting first, openers Richard Bailey and Kamal Panchal started excellently against some tight bowling.

Bailey took the initiative and started to accelerate the scoring, punishing the bad balls, and was unlucky to fall two short of a half-century, leaving Park 83-1 off 17 overs.

Tom Glover’s return to form continued and he looked at ease as soon as he came in.

Panchal looked to be busy at the crease, rotating the strike well as Park looked set for a huge total at 152-1 after 29 overs.

Panchal departed for 40 and Glover completed a majestic half-century and was unlucky to nick a ball which rose off a length when well set on 53.

The Park innings then stuttered to a defendable 251-9 with the help of some big blows from Madden (41) and a quickfire 22 from Mold.

Loughborough set about the chase in aggressive fashion, helped by some average bowling to reach 71-1 off just eight overs.

Park dragged the innings back well, taking wickets at regular intervals and at 150-4 a tight finish was on the cards.

Unfortunately the poor start to the innings proved too much in the end as Loughborough got over the line with four wickets to spare.

The First XI host Countesthorpe on Saturday (1pm start).

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Park: Bailey 48, Panchal 40, Glover 53, Madden 41, Rose 1, Barber 22, Talati 0, Newton 10*, King 7, Extras 29. Total: 251-9

Loughborough Town: 252-6.

Bowling: Watchorn 7-0-54-1; Talati 7-0-53-2; Glover 7.1-0-43-1; Madden 12-1-51-1; Newton 7-0-45-1.