When fourteen Clifton batsmen across the Saturday teams,
manage just 29 runs between them, you know it's going to be a tough day at the
office, especially when your 1st XI is playing against a club with the sort of
playing budget that Edgworth can boast.
So, it proved, as a 92 run defeat was the outcome at
Manchester Road on Saturday. It started quite well as, despite being unable to
break the opening partnership, the flow of runs was kept in check by Ollie and
Gareth who conceded 60 runs in the first 20 overs when the first wicket fell,
following the introduction of Ben Hamilton. He proceeded to chip away for
fifteen overs, taking wickets and breaking partnerships in the process and
finishing his spell with 4-69.
At 187-5 with seven overs remaining, there were hopes of
setting a target that was well within range on a wicket that had proved very
easy paced and, even when the late order put on 58 in those dying overs, 245
seemed very 'gettable'.
It wasn't to be however, and when neither opener can reach
double figures, you are already staring down the barrel. Despite Crossy
providing another stylish innings, with his 73 taking him to 358 in four
innings at an average of 179, once again he received little or no support as no
fewer than eight players failed to get to ten.
Jack Stanley provided some late entertainment in scoring an
undefeated 24 in 22 balls, including a monumental six off Luke Proctor, but the
innings tailed away to 153 all out with five overs still unbowled.
Points against sides like Edgworth can be considered a bonus
with the real meat and drink coming by getting wins against the sides around us
in the table. With this in mind, the trip to Denton West becomes a twelve-pointer
next Saturday as we enter the last six games, with four of those games against
sides in the bottom half of the table.