Match Report

The seconds beat the opposition and the weather in a near perfect performance against a very experienced Brooksbottom side from the division above. The visitors, who walked away with the division 5 title last season, found this year’s Clifton a vastly different proposition, with the additional year added to the ages of the respective group of players proving a bonus for Liam’s side, rather than the hindrance obviously felt by the opposition.

It didn’t start that well when, after losing the toss, Ethan found his feet glued to the crease and Chris played a glance a fraction early and looped up a catch off the leading edge. However, Jordy Higham (26) and man-of-the-match Dan Jones (51) set about the recovery process with a partnership of 60 and precipitated a number of decent little partnerships that culminated in Lewis and principally Owen (26) scampering a partnership of 24 without a single boundary, that ran the fielders ragged. The sight of them running twos to mid off, cover point and square leg, brought a smile to the faces of the damp spectators.

Brooksbottom's reply didn't start too well as Rob Meredith (Pictured) toiled up the hill, removing two batsmen, including danger man and former Cliftonian Andy Lord, whilst conceding just three runs off the bat in nine overs. There was also 14 wides to add to his tally, but we won't dwell on that given the wet conditions and the unforgiving slope. To concede three runs off 54 legal deliveries against opening batsmen is a marvellous achievement indeed. Dan Jones then cemented his M-O-T-M performance with 3-16 off his nine overs. A partnership of 60 between the only two batsmen to make double figures, provided a momentary period of doubt as the total was reduced to 153 following a rain break and the intervention of Messrs Duckworth & Lewis. The run rate had continued to climb though, with one batsman taking 51 balls to score 5 runs and, whilst the dangerous Zohaib Qureshi was still launching balls to the boundary with worrying alacrity, a wonderful spell of wide yorkers and slower balls by Jordy, put the game beyond the visitors, and the 2nd XI Championship Cup was secured with a winning margin of 24 runs.

More pictures to follow.