On Saturday, the 2s travelled to Little Hulton to playWhalley Range CC as they looked to get one game closer to clinching the title.Captain Liam won the toss and, as usual, chose to bowl first.
Rob Meredith opened the bowling, as he normally does, butwith Tom away on holiday, it was young Oscar Thorpe who was handed the new ballto partner Rob. It wasn’t long before Oscar was up and firing with the firstwicket in just the 4th over. From that point on, it was clear this wasgoing to be a tricky wicket to bat on, with full-length deliveries bouncingover the batsmen’s heads.
Oscar continued to bowl excellently in his first spell andpicked up 3 wickets, leaving the home side struggling at 26-3. Wickets thenstarted to tumble. Dan Jones came on and grabbed a wicket, with Liam taking anice catch at slip. Owen replaced Dan and bowled nicely, taking 3 wickets, onecaught by Lewis, one by Steve, and one caught and bowled.
Lewis then used the pitch’s variable bounce to hisadvantage, and once again, Liam took his third catch of the day at slip. Oscarreturned for a second spell and got his fourth wicket but couldn’t quite grabhis fifth, as the final wicket fell via a runout from Owen. The target was setat 132, a score that might usually be chased comfortably, but Clifton knewthis pitch would make it a challenge.
Oscar finished with figures of 10-1-24-4, and Owen with5-2-10-3.
Steve and Ethan got us off to an excellent start in the runchase, reaching a 50 partnership. Unfortunately, not long after, Steve wasbowled for 27, and Dan Jones entered the crease with the score at 53-1. Another50 partnership followed between Dan and Ethan, during which Ethan brought up anexcellent 50, which, on this pitch, felt more like a 200!
Shortly after reaching his milestone, Ethan was bowled forexactly 50. It was a double blow in the same over as Dan fell just four ballslater. That brought Sam (1*) to the crease to join Jordy, with 17 runs stillneeded to secure the win, and the important bonus point.
Jordy did just that in quick fashion, hitting threeboundaries and finishing on 13* as Clifton returned home with another big 6points.