1STS EASE HOME IN THRILLER AT FAILSWORTH

A severely-depleted 1sts travelled to Failsworth in hopes of building on last week's maximum haul (despite defeat!). With half the bowling attack missing and our two main batsmen, this could well prove to be a struggle. Despite high winds, conditions at Mace were lovely, a fast outfield and hard track looking perfect for batting.

Nelly B won the toss and looked to have made a good decision. Despite some lively opening bowling, CDO and Boris were coping well and the score soon reached 30. Then disaster struck as Boris dragged a delivery onto his wickets. When Kieran and last week's half-centurion Russ followed soon after, the innings was tottering. Doc P and Nelly got momentum going again before the skipper departed, the first of several players to get out when they could have placed the ball anywhere in Lancashire.

Nick and the Doc took the score past 100 before Doc followed Nelly's example and smacked a pull shot straight to square leg. Nick Marsh played some nice shots but the innings fell away, leaving us all out for what looked to be a sub-par 137, particularly with a much-depleted bowling attack.

But Totts were having none of it. Doc and Marshy tore into the Failsworth top order, and despite several Mace players attempting to his their way out of trouble, the home side were soon in deep trouble at 60-6. The captain then played a calculated innings; after a couple of early chances were missed, he slammed the ball around and the score rapidly climbed to 110 with no further loss. Russ then trapped Double D, David Akin leg before and Nelly bowled another out. With the captain still there and just 12 runs needed, Doc P was brought back on, and reaped instant reward, finally getting the skipper to edge behind to the safe hands of the CDO before knocking over the middle stump of the number 10 to win a very tense game which had swung back and forth several times.

Innings of Tottington St Johns

K Coe bowled Stenton 20
D Phillips bowled Phelan 10
R Brooks bowled Stenton 5
P Meehan ct Stenton b Punne 25
N Butterworth ct Chambers b Punne 13
N Fletcher ct Stenton b Akin 9
N Marsh ct Stenton b Wood 17
C Parkinson ct Dunn b Wood 13
M Watts bowled Akin 4
N G Hudson not out 0
S Kelly st Marriott b Akin 0
Extras 22
Total 138 all out

Failsworth bowling

L Phelan 9-2-28-1
G Stenton 11-1-41-2
M Punne 6-0-29-2
D Akin 5.2-0-20-3
J Wood 2-1-4-2

Innings of Failsworth

L Maddocks bowled Marsh 12
P Rigney ct Parkinson b Meehan 1
P Marriott ct Coe b Marsh 10
B Turnbull bowled Marsh 10
G Stenton bowled Meehan 9
M Chambers ct Coe b Meehan 55
M Punne LBW Marsh 0
D Akin LBW Brooks 18
L Phelan bowled Butterworth 2
J Wood bowled Meehan 0
A Trotter not out 1
Extras 6
Total 124 all out

Tottington bowling

P Meehan 12.4-4-44-4
N Marsh 12-2-39-4
R Brooks 3-0-27-1
N Butterworth 3-0-9-1

I Will if You Will Biffaward

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