Beverley Town Cricket Club were missing a significant number of players last weekend but others moved up a team or two to make an overall success of the two days cricket with four wins and two draws.
York Senior League
Premier Division
Beverley 1st XI 225 for 7 drew with Driffield 2nd XI 276 for 5
Town picked up 12 points from a drawn game with Driffield 2nds at Norwood. Missing three of their regular bowlers and losing a further one, Matt Mudd, to injury gave Town an uphill task and Driffield duly piled on the runs. Conner Bowden (3-71) was Town’s most successful bowler as they were also left to rue some missed chances.
After losing two early wickets Brad Dobson (42) looked in good nick but it was Ben Hatfield’s turn to impress as he made his highest score for Beverley, 91. Andy Burton’s unbeaten 32 and 33 from Mudd took town to maximum batting points but they were a long way short in the run chase that was interrupted by rain mid-innings.
Hunters Cup
Beverley 1st XI 223 for 5 beat Studley Royal 130 all out by 93 runs
An unbeaten century from Olly Grantham, made in just 97 balls with ten fours, was the highlight of Town 1st XIs win at Studley Royal in the Hunters Cup. A superb partnership of 142 with the in-form will Parker (75) set Town up for a good score of 223 for 5 from their 40 overs.
Town’s bowling attack showed only one regular 1st XI player in Jamie Roe but those who stepped up did the club proud. Kieran O’Brian (1-29), Ed Chappell (1-18) and Owen Parnaby (1-17) reduced Studley to 43 for 3 and put Town well on top. From then on Matty Saint (4-34) and Roe (3-27) worked their way through the home batting order to bowl Studley out for 130 in just 32 overs. Keeper Mike Cooke continued his good season with three more victims as Town move on to meet Malton & Old Malton in the semi-final next month.
Division 1
Beverley 2nd XI 231 for 8 beat Pocklington 1st XI 198 all out by 33 runs
The 2nds secured their third win of the season when they made the short trip to Pocklington and won by 33 runs. After being asked to bat first Town were largely indebted to Will Parker (51), Ben Fish (69) and captain Alan Acklam (58) for a good score of 231 for 8.
The bowling attack, more used to plying their trade in the 3rd XI managed to bowl out the home side for 198 with just ten balls to spare. Owen Parnaby (4-46) and Alex Nightingale (4-33) claimed the bulk of the wickets and Ed Chappell (2-24) turned in another good spell.
Holderness Division 2
Beverley 3rd XI 122 for 3 beat South Holderness 1st XI 118 all out by 7 wickets
Beverley 3rds won for the second week running after producing a great all-round team performance when they beat South Holderness by seven wickets at Hedon. Kieran O’Brian (3-15), Craig Foster (3-31), Richie Singh (2-25) and Matty Saint (1-38) shared the wickets and they were backed up by an excellent display of wicket-keeping by Will Harrison.
A cautious start by Town’s openers Graeme Taylor (26) and Matt Hudson (47) meant 50 runs were on the board without loss at drinks. Iain Gillyon turned out for the first time this season and made an unbeaten 26 to carry on the good work while Harrison hit a couple of boundaries to secure the win which was made with ten overs to spare and only three wickets down.
Holderness Division 4
Beverley 4th XI 136 all out beat Pelican 52 all out by 84 runs
Stewart Scott’s patient 45 provided the backbone for the Town 4ths innings at home to Pelican. Charles Fish (18) and Brad Benyon (15) were the only other batsmen to make double figures as Town faced some very tight early bowling and then played some indifferent shots later in the innings. Seven batsmen were clean bowled in a total of 136 all out.
Town only needed to use four bowlers and they wasted little time in shooting out the visitors for just 52 runs. Charlie Bough (3-20) and Lew Richardson (2-16) made early inroads and they were followed by Fish (2-3) and Iain Sugdon (2-7), in his first outing of the season. A run out by captain Kev Thompson completed the rout as the 4ths maintain their position at the top of Holderness Division 4.
Holderness Sunday Conference
Beverley 5th XI 139 for 8 drew with CarltonTowers 3rd XI 210 for 9
The 5ths took on a strong Carlton Towers side at Norwood and had to settle for a losing draw. The opponents were reduced to 94 for 8 by some good Beverley bowling but the later Carlton batsmen took the total to 210 for 9. 13 year-old Liam Foreman, on his senior debut for the club, clean bowled two batsmen in his first spell and returned the superb figures of 3 for 32. Jack Barnett (2-36), Tom Barnard (2-32) and Matt Bloomfield (1-49) were also successful while Harry Smith was unlucky not to take a wicket.
Barnett made a determined 24 before Rich Simpson (26) and Barnard (34) put together a good partnership. Jonathan Sowter (14) was the other main contributor before Smith and Bloomfield safely negotiated the remaining overs taking their team to 139 for 8 and a well-deserved six points for the draw. Captain Simpson was pleased with the performance by a team that included seven Under 15s as they fought hard to maintain their unbeaten record against a side containing some experienced players.
Reported by Ray Teal
