Brixworth 1st XI at Denton Road

At an overcast Denton road on perhaps the first Saturday in several weeks where the side agreed that his preference to bowl first was correct, the captain lost the toss and we were asked to bat first.

A typically assured 45 from Karan Parmar, supported by starts from all of the top 4, saw a promising platform set as we reached 92-2 off the first 20 overs. Some poor shot selection, coupled with conditions that were more bowler friendly than usual for a day at Denton Road, resulted once again in an all too familiar collapse. The next ten overs saw the loss of 6 wickets for just 25 runs.

We knew if we could push the score up to 150, maybe 175, that it would be something to defend, and thanks to some lower order resilience in tough conditions we were able to reach 152 all out in the 47th over. The last pair of Matt Chalcraft and Will Charter put on a vital 22 in ten overs.

Before we went out to field we spoke about making a good start, and putting pressure on the batsmen from the off knowing the wicket was not easy to get in on if bowlers were accurate. In what was possibly the best start to a fielding innings I have been a part of, the first 7.2 overs saw Brixworth reduced to 12/5.

Just 12 runs for the loss of 5 wickets.

Both Matt Chalcraft and Will Knibbs produced some exceptional new ball bowling, with Chalcraft picking up the vital wickets of Penberthy, Gouldstone and Timm, all of whom have been scoring runs aplenty for their club or county this season.

The team spirit and belief shown by the whole team was maginificent, and although the next 9 overs were wicketless, when Knibbs picked up three in the seventeenth over to leave the score at 29-8......it would have been easy for the team to coast, thinking the game was over. But with two experienced premier league cricketers still at the crease we knew the last two wickets would be the hardest to take.

With Alex Lacey and Ross Mclean putting on the most sensible partnership of the day, the whole team worked hard to continue to apply pressure, and eventually the tight bowling of Blake and Parmar reaped rewards. Parmar removed first Mclean and then Lacey in succesive overs to bowl Brixworth out for 96, a win for the boys by 56 runs!

Parmar finished with 2-3 of his 3.4 overs, with Chalcraft and Knibbs early taking 4-20 and 4-21 from their 10 over spells.

A great show of pride, ability and desire from the whole team especially in the second half, and we hope to continue the improvements as we face Northampton Saints away next week.