Excellent win for Bridon in final game

By dwilcox

Bridon Cricket Club 1st XI ended their season on a winning note with a comprehensive six-wicket away win against the form team Marshalls.

Despite chasing 229 for victory the target was achieved with 6.5 overs to spare, and a very satisfying finish to a difficult season was enjoyed.

Batting first, the home side made a sound start of 66 off just 13 overs from prolific scoring skipper Paul Van de Heuvel and stalwart Mark Whitlam.

The pair profited from a liberal supply of wides and it was a surprise when a lack of judgement led to Whitlam being run out for 17.

The youngster Tom Lane joined his skipper and settled down to lend sensible support in another profitable partnership.

The pair took the score to 146 in the 39th over before Lane was bowled by the reliable accuracy of Colin Hurst for a solid 35 which contained two boundaries.

Twenty runs later, Hurst struck again when he had Greg Andrews caught by Simon Davison when attempting to increase the run rate.

With seven overs remaining the experienced Chris Hearn joined Van de Heuvel and the pair played well to take their side comfortably past the 200 mark.

Van de Heuvel duly completed a fine century.

The final over of the innings, bowled by James Crookes, brought about Van de Heuvel's dismissal for an excellent 111, but the final total of 228 represented a challenging target to the Bridon batting.

Bridon's reply thankfully got away to an excellent start through James Boock and Aaron Haycock. The pair of young right-handers enjoyed the fast outfield to hit the boundary regularly and bring up the 50 in just the ninth over.

Haycock dominated the attack to such an extent that a century seemed assured.

However, with the total on 121 and his own score 71, Haycock was bowled by the impressive Gary Andrews in an innings containing two sixes and 10 fours.

Wayne Spooner and Boock took the score to 158 before the latter fell to Darren Andrews for a very solid 65 which contained nine well struck boundaries.

Boock's final innings for the club was a typical hard working display and his presence will be hugely missed by everyone at the club.

Unfortunately Spooner again fell when seemingly well set, six runs after Boock's dismissal, and the home side saw a chink of encouragement with 65 required from 15 overs.

David Fagan and Marc Brewer, however, quickly dispelled any Bridon worries with a hard hitting partnership of 64.

Brewer dominated the scoring in his usual manner, smashing three sixes and seven fours in a blistering unbeaten 53.

Fagan fell lbw for 14 to Gary Andrews with the scores level and it was left to skipper Roger Wells to be at the crease when Brewer hit the winning boundary.