George stars with the ball.

After a difficult week getting the pitch prepared due to the weather, We arrived at Foxfields to a green but playable track to play the league leaders Abington. Kev won the toss and decided to bowl first on what looked like a bowler’s pitch. (Don’t they all look like that!)

Opening the bowling with himself and Finn Herrington we set about the opposition. Almost from ball 1 it was clear that they were not going to hang around. The opening pair flailing the bat and swinging to leg much to the disgust of the skipper, (Complaining “He’s no Geoffrey Boycott) as the ball travelled from outside off stump to cow corner. After a couple of huge LBW appeals turned down by their umpire Abington got off to a quick if not orthodox start. Kev and Finn toiled without success and by the time George Pitt took the first wicket bowling Bahulayan for 48, they were 86 for 1 in 15 overs. George got his second wicket, caught by Graham Harris (93 for 2) soon after and the scoring rate slowed down. With Paul Wolstenholme tying up the runs from the other end we started to make inroads. Paul frustrated the batsmen with his accurate bowling so much that No.3 attempted a ramp shot which ballooned over slip and was brilliantly caught by Ishtaq diving backwards as the ball went over his shoulder. The ground shuddered as he leapt like a tin of John West but he clung on. (96 for 3) When No.4 was caught and bowled without adding to the score by George followed quickly by No.6 caught by Finn off George’s bowling Abington were struggling at 97 for 5. George’s spell of 7 overs 4 wickets for 33 an excellent performance. This brought Rushak the skipper and Amal (the late arriving usual opener) to the wicket. This pair batted well putting on 99 until Kev bowled the skipper for 35 with the score now 196 for 6. The seventh wicket fell off Nik Patel’s first ball caught surprisingly by the skipper and Abington finished on 219 for 7 off their 40 overs with Amal not out on 79.

As we came off the field for tea the drizzle started and never stopped so we were unable to see how well we would’ve done with the bat with the game being abandoned without another ball being bowled.

Result: Match Abandoned due to rain
Abington Phoenix 219 for 7 off 40 overs (6 points + 4 batting points)
Horton House 3rd XI - ( 6 points + 3 bowling points)

We return next week to face Great Houghton Away on Saturday 22nd August.

Report by Kevin Taylor 3rd Team Captain.