Egerton Park CC ease to bounce-back win at Houghton

Egerton Park bounced back and put themselves back within sight of the promotion places after a convincing run chase at Houghton and Thurnby on Saturday.
Egerton Park First XI, from left, back - Khush Taliti, Richard Bailey, Tom Glover, Stuart Rose, Henry Newton. Matt King; front - Tom Mold, Nick Watchorn. Charlie Madden, Kamal Panchal, Alex Barber EMN-190626-163647002Egerton Park First XI, from left, back - Khush Taliti, Richard Bailey, Tom Glover, Stuart Rose, Henry Newton. Matt King; front - Tom Mold, Nick Watchorn. Charlie Madden, Kamal Panchal, Alex Barber EMN-190626-163647002
Egerton Park First XI, from left, back - Khush Taliti, Richard Bailey, Tom Glover, Stuart Rose, Henry Newton. Matt King; front - Tom Mold, Nick Watchorn. Charlie Madden, Kamal Panchal, Alex Barber EMN-190626-163647002

Having lost at home to rivals Kirby Muxloe seven days earlier, Park eased to an eight-wicket win which left them fifth and within 19 points of second-placed Kirby.

Rain delayed the start, reducing the game to 30 overs per side, and Charlie Madden won the toss and sent Houghton in to bat.

Park got off to a dream start, removing both openers in the first over, as Watchorn trapped Bennett LBW for two before a calm piece of work by Mold removed Lineham without facing.

Park’s early good work nearly came undone with a wayward second over from Talati which went for 12 which got Houghton up and running.

The reliable Panchal came into the attack and his busy, probing bowling set about dismantling the middle order.

He and Watchorn combined to leave the hosts 53-6 and in deep trouble before a late rally from the tail took Houghton to a below-par 124.

Premier spinner Charlie Madden was unlucky to finish with just the one wicket, while talisman Tom Glover added a new string to his bow, bowling spitting off spinners to finish with superb figures of 3 for 7.

In reply, a nightmare start saw Park find themselves 2-2 and under pressure with Bailey and Glover failing to score.

This brought heavy hitters Stuart Rose and Madden together at the crease, and after battling through some tough bowling, they began to unleash.

Madden launched the opening bowler Patel into the sightscreen for a brutal six, and Rose then started to find the boundaries with ease.

Rolling back the years and batting like a decade before in his 2009 prime, Rose (52 not out) smashed his way to a second unbeaten half-century in three games.

Park eased over the line with eight overs remaining, with skipper Madden finishing one short of a well-deserved 50.

Houghton: 124.

Bowling: Watchorn 8-3-20-2; Talati 1-0-12-0; Panchal 8-1-27-3; Madden 7-1-26-1; Wade 3-0-20-0; Glover 2.2-0-7-3.

Egerton Park: Bailey 0, Rose 52*, Glover 0, Madden 49*, Extras 26. Total: 127-2.

* Egerton Park Seconds moved up into joint-second in Division Seven East with a dramatic last-ball victory on Saturday.

Bowling first in a reduced-overs match, runs were hard to come by as Creed and Dover-Jaques bowled well.

But it was Egerton’s Mr Saturday, Jack Anderson, with an outstanding spell of 8-2-19-6 who turned the game Park’s way, reducing Uppingham to 98 all out.

Park struggled to build partnerships in reply, with wickets falling at regular intervals.

Akaravitage, Haffingden and Creed all made starts, reaching double-figures, and Tyler dug in with a dogged 23 not out.

Things looked good with only two needed off the last over, but after four dots and a scrambled single, it was left to the Judge to hit the winning runs with the very last ball.