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Retford pick up full points

Thursday, June 18, 2009, 10:20

Retford Cricket Club 1st XI visited Edwinstowe's picturesque Forest Corner ground on Saturday and came away with a convincing 20 point haul after the home side were dismissed inside 36 overs for just 99 runs.

Having asked the home to team to bat first, Retford's bowlers seized the early initiative through the pace and movement, off the seam, of Sam Shepherd and the accuracy of Pascal Broadley who rekindled their new ball partnership for the first time this season.

Shepherd got Retford off to the perfect start in the first over of the day as he produced a rising delivery that found the edge of Ward's bat to give wicket-keeper John Musgrove the first of three catches.

Edwinstowe rallied well after this early setback and Hallam and the impressive looking Australian Burns both played carefully as the ball beat the bat with regularity.

Steadily they built their partnership over the course of the next 15 overs as the total reached the 50 mark with no apparent signal of what was yet to come.

Shepherd again made the vital breakthrough as he induced an edge from Hallam (21) which was gratefully accepted by Musgrove at 50 for two.

At this stage the Edwinstowe innings began to fall into disarray as Broadley clean bowled Benson (5) and followed up next ball by trapping J. Peacock (0) for a first ball lbw.

Stuart Adams replaced Shepherd, at the fairground end, and immediately caused Altoft (0) to mis-time a drive to the safe hands of Rob Condy in the covers.

Adams followed this up in his third over having Dunn (0) held at point by Shepherd to leave the hosts placed precariously at 72 for six

Watching from the other end was Burns who was playing very well, given the collapse of wickets.

Condy was introduced into the attack in place of the Broadley whose 12 over stint was rewarded with two wickets for just 24 runs.

Condy immediately rewarded this decision as he seamed a ball back off a length to cause Burns to inside edge a catch low down to Musgrove who held on one-handed to his left.

Burns had played very well for his 45 runs out of the total of 80 for seven.

Adams grabbed his third wicket via another Condy catch in the covers dismissing Rhodes (5) before Retford's Australian signing finished off the Edwinstowe innings dismissing Walters (10) with an excellent catch off his own bowling and P. Peacock (2) who was clean bowled by the impressive all-rounder.

An excellent effort from Adams (3-18) was Condy (3-17) set up after another aggressive spell from Shepherd who finished with two for 38 off his 10 over burst setting the tone for the innings.

Retford's reply was aided by the availability of 14 extra overs being available but these were never going to be required as Darren Spooner stroked an immaculate 40 not out including six fours and a six.

The Retford all-rounder struck the ball with authority as Broadley added solid support in compiling a watchful 28 runs before being caught smartly at the wicket by Dunn off the bowling of Benson.

By this stage the total was already 78 for two with Condy having fallen to a somewhat dubious lbw decision in favour of the young but impressive left arm of Lowe for just 11 runs.

Kevin Pattenden (7) sensibly partnered Spooner during the closing stages of the match as Retford's target was reached in just 25.3 overs as Edwinstowe tried seven different bowlers in an attempt to claim a foothold in the game.

The match finished as Pattenden lofted a straight drive for four off the bowling of Ward at just 5.28pm giving the Town club a welcome and deserved 20 points.




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