2NDS COMPLETE EDGWORTH VICTORY

Report courtesy of Watty

An away trip to Edgworth is always a tricky ask on a Sunday, and, as the players arrived at 1.15pm, the black clouds overhead looked set to put any chance of play to bed very quickly. Skipper Watty and birthday boy Stoney had to make an emergency dash back to TSJ after forgetting the score book and, as they arrived back, the heavens had opened with a heavy downpour.

Luckily, the covers were already on and when the downpour finished at around 2.15pm, umpire Billy Fish and the skippers agreed to play 42 overs. Watty won the toss and, for the first time in a while, opted to bat and try and amass a score to bowl at on the huge Edgworth ground. Openers Mick and George made a slow but steady start, reaching 50-0 at drinks on 21 overs. After the break, Mick fell for 17 which brought the birthday boy to the crease, no doubt still struggling with his head after his celebrations on Friday night/Saturday morning. Ryan quickly got into his stride after he launched three sixes, one of which cleared the club house comfortably. At the other end, George had progressed to 45 before falling, the score on 93–2 which brought young Danny Ashburner to the crease. As he settled into his innings, Ryan was playing some good attacking cricket until he fell for 28, caught in the deep midwicket area trying to clear the straight boundary again.

With the score on 105–3, skipper Watty arrived and was greeted with tight bowling from the Edgworth captain Mather; playing most of his first two overs back to the bowler before he got a cut away through the point area for four. Watty and Dan kept the score ticking with some quick singles and as they passed the 120 mark with six overs left, the skipper took Watty’s middle stump as he tried flicking him away through the square leg area. Watty departing for 10 was soon followed by Nick Marsh for a duck; Nick Fletcher and young Danny saw the innings home, a score of 133-5 being respectable but maybe a little light given the team they were playing. Well done to young Danny for his 16* - a good knock from Stoney Junior!

After tea, Nick and Watty set about taking the ten wickets and Marshy was bowling well from the Road End, two of his first three overs were maidens. It was Watty who struck first though; removing Critchley for 15 with an LBW that left no doubt in the Umpires’ mind; the finger was going up almost before Watty had turned around to ask the question!! Marshy soon opened his account too; claiming the young Smith for LBW after he shouldered his bat to an inswinger. With the score on 21-2 after 11 overs, Watty took his second of the day when Wyke got a leading edge which went straight up in the air; Stoney holding a good catch in the slips which took an eternity to land.

31-3 was looking extremely promising now; Nick had took their skipper's stumps giving him his second and, when Watty replaced himself with Marshy junior, things got better as the big fella struck quickly; he bowled 2 maidens followed by a double-wicket maiden; he removed Mather and then clean bowled Farrell first ball…. Granted the appeal on the hat-trick ball gave everyone a laugh (batsman included) as unless his pads were made of wood, it was definitely off the bat!! With Edgworth rocking on 49–6, two of their more experienced players steadied the ship pushing the score up to 91 before Mark Bentley took another big wicket in his first season in Senior cricket; Smith Snr edging one straight behind to George who held it comfortably.

The next over reaped rewards for Sail who had replaced Nick at the road end; Ryan Stoney in the action again with an excellent catch at silly point which he held at the second time of asking. At 99-8, Totty's tails were up and Sail wrapped the innings up quickly and Edgworth were all out for 103, Sail finishing with three-for. Five points for TSJ, a fantastic effort from all our juniors; Marshy and Mark with the ball and Danny with the bat; and a cracking start to the innings from George who set us up well. A home double-header next week, and ten more points up for grabs!