With over half of the usual 2nd XI missing through injury, unavailability or stepping into the first team, a trip to Darcy Lever for a top of the table clash looked a difficult challenge.
The home side won the toss and put Clifton into bat on a wicket that looked like it had been marked on the outfield. It hooped, popped and seamed plenty in the early exchanges where young Ethan and Luke looked to survive the early onslaught. Both were removed early on to good balls, leaving Dan Jones and Oscar Thorpe to try and put a partnership together. 58 runs later Oscar was caught after a solid and important 19 off 45.
Sam Winstanley (5) and Lewis Keogh (8) gave their wickets away with poor shots to give catching practise to cover, then a short cameo from Jack Barton (13) kept the small crowd entertained for a while.
The Clifton innings however was all about an exhibition in batting on a difficult track from Dan Jones, who once again looked like he was batting on a different track to everybody else. After a chanceless innings he was poised on 76 with 3 overs to go - with a second century in two weeks in his sights - and set about to push hard for every run, with selfless running from partners Elliot and Daanyaal to give him the strike. By the time the last ball of the innings came around, Dan was on strike on 97 with only one thought in his mind. A good length ball from the returning opening bowler was dismissed over square leg and into the long boundary to complete an exceptional innings of 101* and post a total of 177 to defend.
Early wickets from Tom and Lewis left the host at 17/2 to put Clifton in a strong position to squeeze, but in an innings littered with far too many “4 balls” and a total of 40 extras gifted the points to the home side; along with 3 or 4 dropped catches.
The highlights of the second innings being outstanding one handed catches late on from Oscar Thorpe and Dan Jones to earn the 2s a bowling bonus point.
Yet again, it was the lack of control with the ball with 29 wides bowled that hurts you at this level, and the control usually provided by the absent senior bowlers was costly. It’s Horwich at home next weekend in another top of the table clash, which has now become a “must win” to maintain hopes of promotion this season.