WINTERSLOW made the short trip to Bishopdown Farm knowing that victory might be enough to claim the league title with three games remaining.

Batting first was the only option open to skipper Russell Rowe on winning another vital toss.

But their innings got off to a shaky start as debutant Alan Hopkins dragged on for no score and the in-form Pete Pearce nicked an excellent James Gogan delivery behind.

However, a brisk partnership between Chris Stone, and Chris Steedon, propelled Winterslow to 78-2 after just ten overs.

The hostility of the Bishopdown bowling brought the eventual downfall of Steedon who tried to upper cut once to often and fell to Twort for 16. Their 78-3 soon became 95-4 as Lee Irwin, fell for 12, bringing skipper Rowe to the wicket who raced to 25 with six fours.

However, one shot too many saw the captain fall to a Lindsay long hop and at 135-5, everything relied on opener Stone who by this time had just got to his fifth league 50.

Gordon fell for a duck and for the first time at 140-6 Winterslow looked in real trouble.

Jason Boyce added 30 valuable runs with Stone, who despite the mayhem at the other end, continued batting with control and pounced on anything loose. Along with Mark Penny he slowly took the game beyond the opposition as the two enjoyed a solid partnership of 70.

Stone brought up his first century of the season with one of his 16 fours, having also struck three towering sixes. He eventually departed for 115. Penny was unbeaten on 44 leaving Winterslow 266-8.

There is no question the Winterslow opening attack of Steedon and Penny are the most potent in the league, but the quicker the bowling the easier to play on the artificial.

Both went by the outside edge frequently, but it was the creative field placing of the captain that led to the first chance only to be shelled by Irwin at the second of two gullies.

Steedon did eventually make the breakthrough, trapping opener Webber for 20 and the Bishopdown skipper fell shortly after to Penny following a sharp low catch from Rowe at slip.

Dickinson and Pink put together a tidy partnership and at the halfway mark Bishopdown were in the hunt at 98-2.

Pink, 34 not out, was striking the ball well and gave his first chance to Hopkins who made a real mess of the catch but as they went for the second threw the stumps down from a full 30 yards to complete the run out.

Bishopdown then capitulated with Pearce taking 2-19 and Willis 3-19 in the middle to restrict them to 111-8. Leg spinner Lenny Gordon was smashed by the lower order and so it was left to Boyce, 1-11, and the returning Steedon, 2-38, to wrap up the tail.

Despite a 24-point haul, other results mean Winterslow still require nine points to claim the title.

10:15am Thursday 16th August 2007

Print

Email this