Cotswolds Sport
Casuals and Boxmen both claim victories
7:10am Friday 10th February 2012
EVESHAM Casuals and Boxmen recorded victories in the Worcestershire Cricket Board Indoor League at the town’s Prince Henry’s High School.
Casuals started their innings in the 28-run win over Harvington slowly against the tight bowling of James Towey and Jaimen Rudd.
Andy Stanley and Ian Maycock found runs hard to make and were eventually run out.
Even with John Gregory (34 not out) and Will Lloyd (27) together, Casuals were only on 36-2 off six overs.
But Harvington’s other bowlers were less miserly and slowly Evesham increased the run-rate.
With 35 runs in the last three overs due to a sound innings of 19 from Norm Smith and the return of Gregory, Casuals finished on 113-5.
In reply, Towey (27) and Adam Lee (30) appeared to be on course to finish the game early.
At the half-way point, Harvington were on 58-1 but both Towey and Lee had to retire.
However, they stayed in the hunt and, with four overs remaining, 36 runs were needed.
Gregory bowled his second over for only one run which included a run out and proved the turning point.
In spite of the return of Towey and Lee, Harvington were all out in the 11th over for 85 as every batsman was run out.
Meanwhile, Great Alne arrived with only five men but their batsmen made light work of it, scoring 119-5.
Will Pethwick (29) and Dave Davies (32) began at a good rate with 66 runs coming off the first six overs.
When each retired, Steve Temple (19) and Luke Brereton (18) carried on in the same vein and, with two overs remaining, the score was 104- 2.
But John Lawrence bowled his only over of the game to take 2-11 as Great Alne’s last wicket fell late on.
Boxmen required 10 runsper- over to win and were always up with the run-rate but kept losing wickets.
John Lawrence (23) saw Jason Haines (10) and Oliver May (17) depart before he was out.
In the fifth over with the score on 52, Mike Banks (30no) came to the crease and, with a mixture of belligerence and finesse, he kept Boxmen in the game.
With last man Tim Cull (16) to keep him company for the final three overs, Boxmen won the match with two balls to spare.