3:20pm Sunday 22nd August 2010
ASHCOTT and Shapwick produced a tremendous performance to secure the double over top of the table Downend.
This result, coupled with Cheltenham’s defeat at Ilminster, means that there will once again be Premier 2 cricket in the village of Shapwick in 2011.
The match was reduced to 46 overs per side due to some light drizzle, but when the toss finally took place Downend’s captain Matt Jackson decided to bowl despite four of his players still being stuck on the M5.
For the first 6 overs of the Shapwick innings, there were just five outfielders trying to limit the scoring of Shapwick’s top order.
To their credit, the Jackson brothers bowled tightly and Shapwick had to settle for a good start rather than the blitz such gaps in the field might have produced. Shapwick’s batting has struggled this season, but this was a real team effort with contributions right the way through.
The bulk of the runs came in a partnership between Steve Tinnion (40) and Will Rudge (37), before the attack was launched by Ben Rudge (34) and Dan Rudge (18). James Haggett was promoted up the order to look for quick runs, and, spotting there was no fine leg, attempted a ‘Dil-scoop’, only to direct the ball into his own throat.
Sam Patey provided the finishing touch by smashing a huge six from his first ball and Shapwick finished on 221, which looked above par given the rain which had landed on the wicket and the outfield.
With Hayman limited to fielding at slip because of a back injury, Haggett got the opportunity to take the new ball down the hill with the wind at his back, and he did not disappoint, roaring in to castle both of the Downend openers.
Ben Rudge had the more difficult task of struggling up-hill into the strong wind and he stepped aside after 4 overs to allow Golden-Arm Karmarkar to weave his magic. Karmarkar bowled, Larkin fell out of his crease, and Sam Edmunds produced a brilliant stumping to remove Downend’s most dangerous player.
From then on, it threatened to become a rout. Karmarkar (2-33) and Wayne Spencer (3-35) ran through the Downend middle order with no little help from Edmunds who secured threehes to go with his stumping.
Late order resistance came from Matt Crawford who batted very well for his 54.The end was brought about by the return of Haggett who took 2 more wickets to finish with 4-31, and Ben Rudge took the final wicket to secure the comfortable victory.
This result leaves Downend needing to avoid defeat against second placed Westbury next week to secure the league title, whereas Ashcott and Shapwick host Ilminster in their final match of the season.
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