2NDS TOPPLE LEAGUE LEADERS TO RECORD FIRST WIN

The 2nds bagged their first win of the season on Saturday 22 May - and what a win, by 24 runs against table topping Edgworth.

Put into bat by a confident Edgworth side, who had won all four of their matches this season to date, Totty lost two early wickets. If this was the cue for the start of a collapse then no one had clearly mentioned it to Danny Moriarty. He followed up his excellent knock last week against Ashton by dispatching the Edgworth attack to all corners of Crompton Meadows.

Danny looked set fair for a 50 when he was controversially run out at the non-strikers end chasing a second run for Adrian Campbell, who batted very solidly and stylishly for his 23. Totty's final total of 157 for 8 was embellished by a useful and unbeaten ninth wicket partnership from Andy Walker and Rob Holt, both of whom walked off at the end with 15 not out apiece.

Given that Totty 2nds started the game bottom of the league after three straight defeats you would have thought that such a modest total of 157 would be straightforward for league leaders Edgworth. Not a bit of it. The 2nds best bowling performance of the season prevented Edgworth from running away with it at any stage as wickets fell at regular intervals.

A marathon effort by Nick Marsh, who took 3 for 42 off 16 overs and some incisive seam from Rob Holt who bagged 5 for 47 kept Edgworth at bay, along with some sharp work in the field, no more so than when captain Steve Moriarty took a stunning diving catch in the slips off the bowling of Nick Marsh.

Moriarty himself bowled well for his 1 for 39, which included a vital wicket towards the end when Edgworth were threatening to get on top. Moriarty also ended the game by taking a sharp catch at short mid-off off Andy Walker's bowling with Edgworth 24 runs short of Totty's total of 157.

All in all, a brilliant result for the 2nds under blazing skies at the Meadows.

I Will if You Will Biffaward

Beryl Avenue, Tottington, Bury, BL8 3NF
webmaster@tsjcc.co.uk
Twitter: @TottyStJohnsCC