Woolpit 1st XI slip to their second defeat of the season
There was mixed fortunes for the various sections of Woolpit Cricket Club over the Bank Holiday weekend.
The first team slipped to their second defeat in a row in Division One of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship and also lost out in the National Village Cup third round, while the second and third 11s both won.
And on Bank Holiday Monday the U15 girls team lost to Thriplow U15 girls in the Lady Taverners Club T20 Cup.
The first team lost by 129 runs to local rivals Worlington with the visitors reaching 100 from their first 15 overs.
The introduction of slower bowlers into the attack made a difference as Kulasi was bowled by Whiteman for 77 and Ford caught and bowled by Collins for 43, but at 170-2 a big score looked on the cards.
However, Woolpit slowly made their way back into the game. Wells took two wickets in an over – Watson for 54 and Du Plooy for 0, and suddenly the Worlington innings had lost its fluency.
Further accurate bowling and good fielding made scoring difficult and wickets continued to fall with Worlington eventually dismissed for 254 in the 47th over.
Wells finished with figures of 3 for 34 and Collins 3 for 55 but that was as good as it got for Woolpit, as their batsmen couldn’t repeat the good form of their bowlers and fielders.
Parker was first out for 8, and when Northcote, Sidhu, Newcombe and Flanagan followed in quick succession, the game was threatening to be over very quickly at 32-5.
A partnership between Whiteman and Routledge steadied the ship slightly and gave the score some respectability but when Routledge was out for 28 with the score on 82 it seemed only a matter of time before Worlington would seal the victory.
The last wicket fell with the score on 125 – Whiteman top scored with 32 and pick of the Worlington bowlers was Nunn with 3 for 32.
Meanwhile the 2nd XI beat Stowmarket 1st XI by 3 wickets with four balls to spare and with Daniel Reynolds taking 4 wickets for 45 off 15 overs. And the 3rd XI beat West Mersea 1st XI by 5 runs with Mark Estall scoring 108 helping Woolpit to reach 390 for 7.
West Mersea kept up with the run rate and just needed 10 runs off 6 balls but Woolpit’s pressure and tight fielding left them 5 runs short, finishing the innings on 304-7.
The 4th XI beat Worlington 3rd XI by 3 wickets and on Sunday Woodham Mortimer CC came out tops in the National Village Cup 3rd round match with the visitors posting 212 for 4 off their 40 overs.
Woolpit’s batsmen knew they had to get their heads down, even though it wasn’t the biggest total, because there was a worry that the weather might play a part in the result and keeping up with the run rate was vital.
Adam Coombes (46) stayed at the crease for a long time, while other batsmen fell around him. James Holmes was the only other batsman to get going, scoring a quick fire 47 off 34 balls. Unfortunately Woolpit’s final wicket fell in the 33rd over, 31 runs short.
The Sunday 1st XI won by 100 runs against Battisford 1st XI with Thomas Sidhu scoring 154, forming a great partnership with Gerry Artindale who scored 103, his first hundred for Woolpit.
Andrew Simmons (68) tried hard to get Battisford into a good positon but unfortunately the other batsmen didn’t stay at the crease long enough and were bowled out for 207.
The Ladies 2nd XI beat Hadleigh 1st XI by 5 wickets.
Hadleigh batted first and Francesca Stenning (27) was only batsman to trouble the scorers. Flo West bowled incredibly well, taking 3 for 16 off her 4 overs. Hadleigh scored 82 for 8 off 20.
Woolpit’s Millie Gale (27) and Flo West (28) both played some fantastic shots, helping Woolpit along their way to a win. Tilly Cotter bowled well, taking 2 for 12 off 3.
And on Bank Holiday Monday the Woolpit U15 Girls team lost by 149 runs to Thriplow U15s.
Thriplow batsman Bella Howarth scored an unbeaten 101 with some great support from J. Olorenshaw (58). The Woolpit bowlers didn’t give away many extras but the most economical was Fenella Jewers (1 for 22 off 4), who also showed some great pace. The girls all continued to work hard, despite the runs piling on. Thriplow scored 221 for 2 off 20 overs.
Woolpit’s batsmen Lily Fisher (14) and Fenella Jewers (25) both played some lovely shots but Thriplow’s bowlers proved too much. Their opening bowler Beth Routledge, showed some great skill, only going for 2 runs off her 3 overs. Woolpit ended their innings on 63.