Bowling efforts can't prevent heavy defeat
Cherwell Cricket League round-up
League leaders Buckingham handed an eight-wicket defeat to Bletchley Town in Division One.
The defeat leaves Bletchley sixth in the table as they were second best against a youthful Buckingham side who played with great energy and looked every inch the title contenders they are.
Skipper Mark Roberts lost the toss and Bletchley were invited to bat first on a greenish looking track.
And the visitors started steadily with both Sprittles and Simpson looking well set for a good spell until Sprittles hit a short ball to square leg for 16.
Ghufran Mohammed followed the next over when he nibbled a ball from D'Silva to the wicketkeeper for a duck.
Ed Packard came in and dispatched his first ball over square leg for a huge six. But his stay was short-lived when, with Vish Valambhia's first delivery, he edged a wide ball for 14.
Alex Kilbey started to look relatively comfortable but with the score on 78 he was brilliantly caught one-handed by Judd at point for 15.
Worse followed when the score was on 89 as Simpson was undone by Valambhia for 35. This precipitated a collapse where Bletchley lost their last six wickets for just 21 runs, with Valambhia going on to claim 6-20.
Despite such a good start, Bletchley knew they had allowed Buckingham back into the game, and would now have to turn to the bowlers to get them back into the match.
Opener Leigh Tomlinson was struck on the helmet early on by Mohammed as Town came out fired-up. But it was Roberts who eventually found the breakthrough when Walters chipped tamely to mid-on.
With Sprittles finding his rhythm, he tempted Cater to an edge which Simpson spilled in the slips. And this was made worse by a cut to the finger which forced Simpson out of the rest of the match.
Sprittles did remove Cater when he was caught by Cooper for five. But this brought in Kiwi Brook Hartwell, who along with Tomlinson, looked in good touch as Buckingham moved serenely to their target in just 23.3 overs to give the hosts an early finish.
Tomlinson finished undefeated on 53 and Hartwell on 34 as Bletchley were left to reflect on a disappointing display and a second defeat of the season.
Next up is a match against mid-table Horspath next week at Manor Fields with both Ken Hollis and Ian Smith back to bolster the batting.
Wolverton surrender top
Wolverton suffered their first defeat of this season in Division Three and were leapfrogged at the top after losing out to Twyford by 18 runs.
After winning the toss Wolves decided to put the hosts in to bat and they notched up 199 from 48.1 overs as Shallow fired 75 and Baker 40.
Kahn proved the star of the show as he helped see Twyford all out by taking 7-46.
But in reply Wolverton were all out for 181 off 46 overs, despite the efforts of Potter who wacked 59 not out and Akhlaq 57.
Wolves 2nds are finding life tough in Division Six as their three-wicket loss at Brackley means they slip to seventh.
Wolverton lost the toss and were put in to bat. But they didn't get off to the best start and were all out for just 133, with Murphy's 39 the best of a poor batting display.
But Brackley's was far from straight forward as Bell claimed 3-29.
They got across the line in the end though as they reached 137-7, Timms top scoring on 48.
There was better news for Wolves 3rds (233-9) as they cruised to a superb 140-run success against Aston Clinton 2nds (93 all out).
Unbeaten run keeps Brickhill in touch
Great Brickhill maintained their unbeaten start to the season in Division Four with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Cropredy.
After winning the toss Brickhill bowled first on a slow and low track, and an early breakthrough came when Hastings had the Cropredy opener caught by Aris at slip.
Tweed took the next wicket courtesy of a good legside catch from Little. Tweed then had the Cropredy number four caught behind, leaving the hosts at 50-3.
However, a good 51-run partnership for the fourth wicket swung the balance in Cropredy's favour, until Tubb's breakthrough.
The lower order offered little resistance and with Tubb finding his form with the ball the home team fell to 141 all out, Tubb taking great figures of 6-36.
Patience was needed in Brickhill's reply, but that plan suffered an early setback with Ward adjudged lbw in the first over.
However, Aris and Tubb came together and moved the score along. And with Cropredy failing to take their chances the score reached 87 before Aris was caught for 39.
John Cook came in and offered good support for Tubb, who, by now, had got to grips with the wicket.
Cook also came into his own and put away balls with ease. And the winning runs came in the 38th over, Tubb adding to his wickets with 78 not out and Cook finishing unbeaten on 28.
The win keeps Brickhill on the trail of early leaders Oxford Downs in second.
>> On Friday Brickhill hosted Eversholt in the Duncombe Challenge Cup.
In front of a crowd of 300 Brickhill won the toss and chose to bat first.
The Aris brothers, who were opening the batting, fell in quick succession. But this brought Tubb to the crease, who set about the Eversholt attack, and when the third wicket fell Tubb was joined by Matt Boad who shared in a 127-run stand for the fourth.
Boad went for 28 looking for quick runs in the final overs but Tubb remained finishing on an unbeaten 116 as Brickhill amassed an impressive 198-4 from their 20 overs.
Some amazing catches from Tubb left the visitors reeling at 14-4 and it didn't get much better as they collapsed to give Brickhill a 139-run victory, Graham finishing with 4-17.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Milton Keynes
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
