Woolpit win again to record back to back league victories
Woolpit made it back to back victories with a 47 win over Ipswich at the weekend.
The unbeaten Two Counties Championship Division 1 team lost the toss and batted first with openers Will Parker and Andy Northcote putting on 51 for the first wicket before Parker was caught at mid-off. Northcote continued to make partnerships with all of the top order as steady progress was made through the first 30 overs.
When James Bradwell came to the crease he gave the innings the acceleration it required with a quickfire 33.
The momentum was maintained by Tom Sidhu who made an excellent 34 on debut.
When Northcote was out for 74 the innings lost a bit of momentum, but the total of 219-9 looked like it would be competitive.
Pick of the Ipswich bowlers was Mohammed with 3-42.
In reply Parker removed opener Rusby with just six runs on the board.
However, Southall and Johnson soon settled and didn’t particularly look in any trouble as they took the score past 70.
It was the change in pace that brought rewards for the Woolpit attack as the medium pacers gave way for the spin partnership of Chris Wells and Northcote.
Wells claimed the wicket of both Southall and Johnson and Northcote accounted for Burch and Smith and this really ripped the heart out of the Ipswich innings.
As the required scoring rate went up and up, it became increasing obvious that the home side were not going to make their total.
When the innings closed, they had made 178-8, giving Woolpit a victory by 47 runs.
Marcus Packer picked up some late wickets and finished with two for nine.
Meanwhile, the 2nd XI lost their second game on the trot in the Two Counties Championship Division 3 going down by 60 runs to arch rivals Bury St Edmunds.
Woolpit fielded first and Bury lost their first three batsmen quickly, with some brilliant bowling from Gavin Taylor (two wickets for 39 runs off 12 overs) and Stuart Lilley (three wickets for 25 runs off eight overs) but then Ben Whittaker arrived at the crease scoring, what seemed to be a very quick and easy 66 off 50 balls, with great support from Ian Plumb who scored 38.
Bury finished their innings 169 for 6.
Woolpit also lost their first three wickets very quickly but were steadied by James Holmes (51) and Kian Flannagan (23).
Bury’s bowlers then rattled through the tail end of Woolpit’s batting line up.
Whittaker (three wickets for 16 runs off seven overs) and Vivek Rajagopol (two wickets for seven runs off seven overs) posting the best bowling figures for their team and guiding them to a 60 run victory.
Pictured above is Andy Northcote who scored 74 runs and claimed two vital wickets in Woolpit’s victory over Ipswich.