Egerton Park CC keep pace with leaders after Broomleys win

A hard-fought three-wicket win lifted them up to third and within striking distance of second-placed Kirby Muxloe.

Charlie Madden won another crucial toss with some rain around as Park looked to heap the pressure on a side they bowled out for 80 earlier in the season.

After early rain had reduced the game to 37 overs, Park made the start they wanted, reducing the home side to 34-3 after 12 overs.

Tom Glover, back to bowling his usual pace, took three wickets and was unlucky not to have more, while well-supported by the returning Watchorn at the other end.

This brought Broomleys’ overseas West Indian Wiggins to the crease who was in no mood to hang around.

Swinging for nearly every ball and hitting boundaries at will, he got the hosts ticking, but at 89-3 off 18, more rain came and reduced the game again to 30 overs.

In the first over back after the delay, Madden dismissed Wiggins and then captain Clarke.

Two more wickets followed, leaving Madden with 4 for 1, adding to his 6 for 20 on the same ground last year, before a late flurry of runs took Broomleys to a tricky 131 from their 30 overs.

In reply, openers Richard Bailey and Stuart Rose got Park off to a flyer.

Punishing anything loose, boundaries came regularly, with Rose, in particular, still looking in great touch.

After seven overs Park had reached 48-0 and Broomleys turned to Wiggins who tested out the batsmen with some fast, short hostile bowling.

He had Rose bowled with a fast yorker and then soon had Glover caught and bowled with one which reared up into the helmet.

With Bailey still there with Madden and seizing on any loose bowling, Park continued to negotiate the Caribbean onslaught, reaching 91-2 after 16 overs, before Bailey played onto a wide yorker for 33.

Not for the first time this season, Park’s middle order crumbled with Panchal, Beeken and Mold all falling cheaply.

Madden became the key to guiding Park home, but he was unlucky to be bowled off his pads as the visitors collapsed to 113-7.

It was left to the experience of Matt King, and with Talati he saw off Wiggins’, who took six wickets, as Park got over the line.

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Broomleys: 131-7

Bowling: Watchorn 9-1-42-0; Glover 9-1-41-3; Talati 6-0-23-0; Madden 6-1-24-4.

Park: Bailey 33, Rose 18, Glover 5, Madden 21, Panchal 4, Beeken 1, Mold 5, King 9*, Talati 10*, Extras 26. Total: 132-7.

* Egerton Park Seconds put up a very disappointing display in their top-of-the-table clash with Queniborough Second XI.

Park slipped from top spot to third after the four-wicket defeat as Queniborough hit the top.

Batting first, Park were watchful, with both Pedlar (31) and Bates (16) getting a start.

An injection of runs from Wells (42) and the untypically big-hitting Tyler (24) saw them to 113-2 before a catastrophic batting collapse reduced the hosts to 121 all out, with six of the last seven out for ducks.

In reply, Dover-Jaques again bowled well, taking 3 for 27, and wickets from Harris, Jeary and Akaravitage gave Park with a glimmer of hope.

But with such a small total to defend, Queniborough got home with four wickets to spare.