Bridon ease relegation fears with winning draw

By dwilcox

Bridon Cricket Club 1st XI first team virtually assured themselves of playing in the Bassetlaw League Championship next season when they gained 16 points from a comprehensive winning draw against bottom-of-the-table Caythorpe.

On another wicket of true pace and bounce at Ordsall, the home side were asked to bat first and, in desperate need of points to avoid relegation, required an impressive batting display.

Wayne Spooner and James Boock put on 33 hard-earned runs in the opening 14 overs, delivered by the experienced Tim Haines and J. Mann before Spooner fell to Haines for 11.

After an early shower, the ball moved off the seam but gradually the effect wore off and Boock and Rob Mcleod built a second wicket partnership of 51.

Boock fell to Mann for a solid 38 in the 27th over, leaving the score 84 for two, and Aaron Haycock joined the reliable Mcleod.

The pair played well in putting on exactly 50 before Mcleod fell to the young off-spinner A. Staszkiewikz for a fine 52, which included a six and five fours.

Haycock was now timing the ball sweetly and, with 14 overs remaining, he and Marc Brewer were determined to push on to a large total.

Unfortunately Haycock was bowled by Staszkiewikz with the total on 154.

The right-hander blasted three sixes and two fours in a fine 39.

Brewer was joined by the skipper Roger Wells and the former dominated a fifth wicket partnership of 24 which ended when Wells was trapped lbw for nine.

David Fagan and Brewer took the total to 260 with a marvellous sixth wicket stand of 82.

Brewer played a magnificent hard-hitting innings and, despite losing Fagan for 18 with just two overs remaining, appeared set for his century. However, in the penultimate over of the innings, the talented right-hander was bowled by Mann for a thrilling 94 which contained eight fours and six sixes.

Bridon's final total of 285 for seven represented a good effort.

The Caythorpe reply began with a very good solid start of 81 between John Oldham and G. Crook.

However, in the 20th over, James Crookes bowled Crook for 36 with a fine delivery and, from this point, Oldham struggled to find a productive partner until later in the innings.

Crookes struck three further times and with Colin Hurst grabbing the wicket of M. Daffin, the visitors slipped to 132 for five.

With 17 overs remaining, both sides were in the hunt but Oldham and J. Kneale decided to deny Bridon further inroads into the batting and took the total to 183 in the 44th over until Boock produced a beauty to bowl Kneale for 28.

Oldham and J. Mansfield played without problems during the last six overs to take the final total to 209 for six.

Oldham deservedly achieved an unbeaten century and guided his side throughout the full 50 overs to full batting points.

The 16 points gained by Bridon leave the team going into the final game requiring just one point to be sure of avoiding relegation.